The 2025 Maine moose hunt application period is open for applicants to apply. Visit https://mooselottery.web.maine.gov/online/moose/ to get started. For more information on Maine moose hunting, go to www.maine.gov/ifw/hunting-trapping/hunting/laws-rules/moose.html. There will be two seasons offered for bulls this year. The first season is bull only and is September 22-27. The second season is October 13-18. The moose drawing will be held on June 21st, with results being available by 11 p.m. that day. Those who do not attend the in-person drawing can view lottery results at mefishwildlife.com.

Online applications must be completed by 11:59 p.m. (ET) on May 15, 2025. To apply online, go to www.maine.gov/online/moose/. You only front the application fees; you do not have to purchase your license or moose tag until you draw. You may only use Visa, MasterCard, or Discover. Maine no longer offers a paper application method. All transaction and application fees are non-refundable. The license and moose permit fee for non-residents is $585 each. Those who are drawn must also apply for a subpermittee. Maine now allows hunters to apply for points only.

Maine’s moose population is the largest of the lower 48 states, estimated at 60,000-70,000 animals. This presents an incredible hunting opportunity for those lucky enough to win a Maine moose permit. When most states are closing down their moose hunts due to population issues, Maine has recently instituted a few more antlerless hunts to keep a better bull to cow ratio in some of the top units.

Maine operates their draw more like a state lottery than a draw system. Non-residents can purchase as many chances in the draw as they want. They can purchase 1 chance or a bonus point for $15, 3 chances for $25, 6 chances for $35, or 10 chances for $55. Non-resident applicants can purchase as many sets of 10 chances as they would like. For every chance purchased, it is another chance in the drawing. Bonus points are added on to however many chances are purchased by the applicant.

No more than 8% of the permits will be issued to non-residents. Your chances to win is based on your application. Hunters will be notified by email if successful and unsuccessful. When your application is selected in the drawing, you will be assigned the highest hunt choice you listed on the application for months in both the September and October bull hunt. You must accept and pay for your permit. If you're assigned September availability, you will still be awarded that permit but could be moved into the October season. You will get an email within a few weeks of the drawing. Successful applicants have a designated period in which to purchase the permit. All successful applicants will have their points purged regardless of whether or not they accept the permit. For areas with a September and October season, applicants will be assigned to the September season until all September permits are filled, and then they will fill the October season unless applicants indicate they only want the October season.

Non-residents may purchase as many chances in the draw as they wish. All chances purchased are non-refundable. Prices are listed under the 2025 non-resident fees table. Successful applicants who wish to purchase their $585 moose permit must also purchase a $115 hunting license.

Maine’s bonus point system started in 1998. Each year, an unsuccessful applicant is awarded a bonus point. The bonus points are accumulated differently than most states. They are as follows: 0.5 years = 1 point per year, 6-10 years = 2 points per year, 11-15 years = 3 points per year, and 16+ years = 10 points per year. If you fail to apply or purchase bonus points for two consecutive years, you will forfeit your points.

In 2024, there were 25,412 non-resident applicants for the 393 available non-resident tags, which gave applicants 1.5% draw odds overall. The moose tags are issued via a lottery system, and your draw odds are based on how many points you have accumulated. Applicants may increase their draw odds by purchasing more chances.

There are no special youth permits or hunts for moose in Maine.

Moose may be hunted with a rifle, shotgun using slugs, muzzleloader, bow and arrow, or crossbow. Firearms with .17 or .22 caliber rimfire cartridges may not be used for deer, moose, or bear hunting, except that .22 magnum can be used for deer hunting. Shotguns using shot loads cannot be used to hunt deer or moose. It is unlawful to hunt with cartridges that contain tracer bullets or explosive bullets.

While archery hunting for moose, a minimum draw weight of 45 pounds is required and broadhead arrows. Arrowheads (including expandable and non-expandable broadheads) must be at least 7/8” in width. It is unlawful to use a set bow or to use arrows with poisonous or explosive tips. Changes to the bowhunting license and crossbow permit occurred in 2024. A bowhunting license is now an archery license. A crossbow permit is no longer required as hunting with a bow and an archery AND crossbow are included with an archery license. Changes to the bowhunting license and crossbow permit include that hunters can now hunt in archery areas during the expanded archery seasons if now possessing either one. Crossbow use is NOT allowed during the muzzleloader season. Deer season moose decoys are legal, as are laser sights (red dot scopes/beam) for firearms, crossbows, and bows. Electronic calling devices are legal for deer, bear, turkey, moose, and coyote but are illegal for migratory game birds.

Landowner tags are sometimes available in Maine. Contact the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife for more information. Maine will auction off 10 moose hunting permits to applicants who submit the highest bids through a written bid process. Bids had to have been received at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, 353 Water Street, Augusta, ME 04333. For 2025, the moose permit auction deadline of February 20th has already passed. High bids usually come in around $30,000. If you are looking to bid, you must also include a non-refundable bid fee of $25.

The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has allocated 25 moose hunting permits to disabled veterans for a controlled moose hunt in Aroostook County. Most of these permits will go to Maine residents with a valid disabled veteran hunting license, drawn randomly through the lottery. Some may be issued to Maine veterans not through the lottery, and others may be issued to non-resident disabled veterans who possess a valid big game hunting license and are sponsored by a National Veterans Organization. For more information, visit www.maine.gov/veterans.

First, the hunter must securely attach a plainly visible tag to the animal with their name, address, and license number on the tag. Then, the hunter must take the moose to a Registration Station to be registered. A list of Registration Stations can be found on Maine’s website at www.maine.gov/ifw/huntingtrapping/moose-registration-stations.html. Permit holders will receive a moose hunting survey card. All permit holders must complete and return that survey within 10 days of the end of the moose season.

North Maine Woods, Inc. is a private, non-profit organization that manages public use and access to 3.5 million acres of forest land located north and west of Baxter State Park. Wildlife Management districts 1, 2, 4, 5, 8, and 9 are either totally or partially within the NMW management area. The region under NMW, Inc. management is primarily privately owned by families, corporations, and a conservation organization, and about 5% is owned by the state of Maine. There is a small day use fee for residents and non-residents to access the property. For more information about North Maine Woods, Inc., go to www.northmainewoods.org.