To All Maine Bear Hunters

Attention Maine Bear Hunters,

Thank you for choosing to hunt in Maine. With a large, growing population of black bears in Maine, hunters should once again enjoy their fall bear hunting experience.   The 2013 bear season opens on Monday, August 26^th. 

• General Hunting (without use of bait or dogs) - August 26 - November 30, 2013
• Hunting with Bait - August 26 - September 21, 2013 (Bait can be placed beginning July 27, 2013)
• Hunting with Dogs - September 9, 2013 - November 1, 2013
• Trapping bears - September 1, 2013 – October 31, 2013

Mandatory Bear Tooth Submission:

Since 2008, bear hunters have been submitting a bear tooth when they register their bear at check stations.   Bear hunters are required by law to submit this tooth.  Registration stations have the materials to help hunters collect and submit a tooth. If you are hunting with a Registered Maine Guide, they are also available to help you register your bear.  It is easy to remove the small premolar (about the size of a match head) locating behind the canine by simply inserting a screwdriver near the gum and preying the tooth loose.  Hunters can be assured that removing this small tooth will not damage the hide or skull and the bear can still be mounted by a taxidermist.

Complete instructions are available at the registration station and at http://www.maine.gov/ifw/hunting_trapping/hunting/bear/index.htm.

The Department uses the teeth collected from harvested bears as an index to measure population growth to ensure hunting regulations are in-line with bear population objectives.  We greatly appreciate every bear hunter’s efforts to provide the Department with this valuable information.  After the lab has received, processed, and aged the tooth, we will post the age of the bear you harvested on our website (usually the following August).

Please visit our website (http://www.maine.gov/ifw/hunting_trapping/hunting/bear/index.htm) for more information about bear hunting in Maine including:

•        instructions on submitting bear teeth
•        season dates
•        bear hunting and trapping regulations
•        past bear harvest reports
•        tooth age reports
•        hunting and trapping tips
•        general information about black bears including bear management plans

Thank you again for providing the Department with valuable information at the registration station. This data is important for managing Maine’s bear population at levels desired by a diverse public.

We wish you a very enjoyable bear hunt this fall.