Hunting in northern Maine
Eagle Lake is in Aroostook County, in Maine's Wildlife Management District 3. Here are the 2026 dates for bear, moose, deer and grouse, the licenses you need, the guides and sporting camps in the area, and our cabins as a base.
Hunting district at Eagle Lake
Maine has 29 Wildlife Management Districts, and some rules change from one to the next. Eagles Landing is in District 3, which Maine Inland Fisheries & Wildlife (IF&W) calls Northern Aroostook County Farmland. Route 11 is the district's western edge here, so land west of the highway is in District 2.
- Fall turkeyOne bird in District 3. District 2 is closed to fall turkey.
- Find your districtUse IF&W's district map for the land you plan to hunt.
2026 Maine hunting season dates
These dates are from IF&W's 2026–2027 list. Sunday hunting is illegal in Maine, so Sundays inside these dates are closed. The state says moose dates can change, so check before you plan a trip.
| Deer, regular archery | October 3–30 |
| Deer, youth hunt | October 23–24 |
| Deer, Maine residents only | October 31 |
| Deer, firearms | November 2–28 |
| Deer, muzzleloader | November 30–December 5 |
| Bear, youth days | August 28–29 |
| Bear, general season | August 31–November 28 |
| Bear, over bait | August 31–September 26 |
| Bear, with dogs | September 14–October 30 |
| Bear, trapping | September 1–October 31 |
| Moose in District 3, by permit | Bulls September 28–October 3 and October 12–17 · antlerless October 26–31 |
| Ruffed grouse | September 26–December 31 · 4 a day, 8 in possession |
| Woodcock | September 26–November 17 · 3 a day, 9 in possession |
| Snowshoe hare | September 26–March 31, 2027 · 4 a day, 8 in possession |
| Fall turkey | September 14–November 7 · 1 bird in District 3 |
| Spring turkey, 2027 | May 3–June 5 · 1 bearded bird in District 3 |
IF&W season dates and bag limits · Legal hunting hours · Hunter orange and equipment rules
Bear hunting in Maine
IF&W says Maine has the largest black bear population in the eastern United States, with bears most common in the north, west and east of the state. The state doesn't limit the number of bear permits.
The season runs 13 weeks. You can still-hunt or spot and stalk for the whole season. Hunting over bait is allowed for the first four weeks, and hunting with dogs for six weeks starting in the third week. The limit is two bears a year, one by hunting and one by trapping.
Nonresidents need a bear permit for the whole fall season, and IF&W says they must hire a resident Registered Maine Hunting Guide to hunt bear with dogs. Maine residents need a bear permit only before the firearms deer season.
Most of Maine's forest is privately owned, so you need the landowner's permission. The law requires written permission to place bait, a trap or a game camera on private land in many cases. Some large landowners, North Maine Woods among them, require their own permit. Bait sites on Maine Public Lands need a permit from the Bureau of Parks and Lands, and Eagle Lake is on its list of bait site maps.
IF&W's bear hunting page has the full rules.
Deer hunting in northern Maine
Firearms season runs November 2–28, 2026 in every district. The statewide muzzleloader season follows, November 30–December 5.
A hunter may take one antlered deer a year. An antlerless deer during firearms season in District 3 takes an antlerless deer permit. You don't need a bear permit to take a bear during firearms season if you're a Maine resident with a hunting license. A nonresident can buy a late season bear permit for those weeks.
Moose hunting in Maine
You need a permit to hunt moose. Most come from the state lottery, which takes applications online from April to mid-May. The 2026 window closed on May 18.
At least 90% of permits go to Maine residents, up to 8% to nonresidents and up to 2% to hunting lodges. A hunter may take one moose a year. District 3 has a bull week in late September, a bull week in mid-October and an antlerless week in late October. IF&W's moose lottery page has the odds and the rules.
Grouse hunting in Maine
Ruffed grouse season runs September 26–December 31, 2026, with a limit of 4 a day and 8 in possession. Woodcock runs September 26–November 17. A small game license covers both, with no extra permit.
Spruce grouse have no open season, so be sure of the bird before you shoot. Roughly 23,000 acres of Maine Public Reserved Land surround Eagle Lake, and the Dickwood Wildlife Management Area covers 3,860 acres in the northwest corner of the town of Eagle Lake.
Maine law lets you use land that isn't posted, but IF&W's advice is to ask permission every time.
Maine hunting licenses and permits
These are IF&W's listed prices as of November 2026. You can buy online or from agents such as town offices. New hunters must finish a hunter safety course to get a license.
| Big game license | Nonresident $115 · resident $26 |
| Small game license | Nonresident $75, or $50 for 3 days · resident $15 |
| Bear permit | Nonresident $74 for the season, or $40 for firearms deer season only · resident $10 |
| Moose permit, if you're drawn | Nonresident $585 · resident $52 |
| Moose lottery entry | $15 |
| Antlerless deer permit | $12, plus a $2 agent fee |
Registering and processing game near Eagle Lake
You must register a bear, deer, moose or wild turkey at the first open station on your route. These come from IF&W's lists. Call first to check hours.
Registration stations
- B & C Pitstop, 3323 Aroostook Rd, Eagle Lake, 207-444-5289 · bear, deer
- Lake Road Grocery, 10 Sly Brook Rd, New Canada, 207-834-6377 · bear, deer, turkey
- Up North Outdoors, 23 West Main St, Fort Kent, 207-834-3103 · bear, deer, turkey
- Coffin's General Store, 2084 Portage Rd, Portage Lake, 207-435-2811 · bear, deer
Meat processors
- Eagle Lake Wild Game Processing, 75 Old Main St, Eagle Lake, 207-444-7529 · deer, bear
- Dube's Custom Meat Processing, 124 US Rte. 1, Frenchville, 207-316-8685 · deer, bear
- Jim Albert, 571 Aroostook Rd, Fort Kent, 207-834-6563 · bear
All registration stations · Moose registration stations · Deer processors · Bear processors
Guides, outfitters and sporting camps near Eagle Lake
These businesses are in the area, and each line comes from its own page or its Visit Maine listing. We rent cabins, and this list isn't a recommendation. Call to confirm what each one offers this season.
A sporting camp or hunting lodge usually has rustic cabins, a dining room and guides on hand, and is often reached by boat or gravel road. At our cabins you cook your own meals and book your guide directly. Read more in where to stay near Eagle Lake.
Where to stay for hunting at Eagle Lake
- CabinsFive heated lakefront cabins. Each has three bedrooms, two baths and a full kitchen, and sleeps ten.
- ParkingRoom for trucks and big trailers, plowed all winter
- After darkA gas grill, a fire pit and firewood at every cabin
- Length of stayOutside June through August you don't need to book a full week
- NearbyGroceries three minutes away in the village, and Fort Kent 25 minutes north
- QuestionsWant to ask about dogs, coolers or game at the cabins? Call or text Laura and Matt at 207-267-1647 before you book.
Hunting questions
When is firearms deer season in Maine in 2026?
November 2–28, 2026, in every district. Sunday hunting is illegal in Maine. The statewide muzzleloader season follows, November 30–December 5.
When is bear season in Maine?
The 2026 general season runs August 31–November 28. Hunting over bait runs August 31–September 26, hunting with dogs runs September 14–October 30, and trapping runs September 1–October 31.
What do I need to hunt bear in Maine as a nonresident?
A big game hunting license, which IF&W lists at $115, and a bear permit, listed at $74 for the season or $40 for firearms deer season only. To hunt with dogs, you must also hire a resident Registered Maine Hunting Guide.
When is grouse season in Maine?
Ruffed grouse season runs September 26–December 31, 2026, with a limit of 4 a day and 8 in possession. Spruce grouse have no open season.
What Wildlife Management District is Eagle Lake, Maine in?
Eagles Landing is in District 3. In Eagle Lake, Route 11 is the western edge of District 3, so land west of the highway is in District 2. Use IF&W's district map for the land you plan to hunt.
How do I get a moose permit in Maine?
Most permits come from the state lottery, which takes applications online from April to mid-May. Entry costs $15, and at least 90% of permits go to Maine residents.
Are there sporting camps or hunting lodges near Eagle Lake, Maine?
Yes. Eagle Lake Sporting Camps is about seven miles up the lake, and Fish River Lodge is on Old Main Street in Eagle Lake. The Maine Sporting Camp Association has a directory of camps around the state. Call each one to check what's open this season.
Can I keep game at the cabins?
Call or text Laura and Matt at 207-267-1647 before you book and ask. Eagle Lake Wild Game Processing is on IF&W's list of processors, and the list of stations for registering game includes B & C Pitstop in Eagle Lake.
Where should I stay for a hunting trip in northern Maine?
Eagles Landing Lakeside Cottages on Eagle Lake has heated three-bedroom cabins that sleep ten, full kitchens and parking for trucks and trailers that's plowed all winter. Outside June through August you don't need to book a full week.
Sources: Maine IF&W season dates, licenses, bear hunting, moose lottery, District 3 boundary, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands, Visit Maine, and each business's own page. Laws change, so check the current rules before your trip.
Hunting stays at Eagle Lake
See what's open this season, or call or text Laura and Matt with your dates.