AUGUSTA, Maine — The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife would like to remind all bow hunters that the legal starting date for Archery Season begins is Saturday, September 29, as confirmed by the Office of the Attorney General, stated in the 2018 hunting laws, and posted on the MDIFW website.
For the past several years, the department incorrectly began the season two days early, which is why the season previously began on a Thursday. State regulations read that the archery season begins 30 days prior to the “Regular Deer Hunting Season”, not the “Residents Only Day” which was used previously. The Saturday start date for archery season corrects that misinterpretation.
As defined in law, the “Regular Deer Hunting Season” begins on a Monday, and this year it begins on October 29. Counting back 30 days places the archery season starting date on Saturday, September 29.
We hope this email will end any confusion concerning the starting date of the regular archery season, which begins on Saturday, September 29.
