October 2007 Almanac

This Month: October Doesn’t Have Enough Hunting Days

Twenty-five years ago, Tom Shoener, then the director of the Information and Education Division at the Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife said, “Everything in the Maine outdoors happens during October — hunting for upland birds, waterfowl, deer (for archers), bear, moose, squirrel, hare, fox and raccoon, limited fishing and limited trapping.

These days, turkeys, a new season for deer (expanded) and hundreds of fishing options beckon. The weather is perfect and options practically unlimited. Indeed, everything happens in October.

The statewide archery season began on Sept. 27 and continues through Oct. 26.

The expanded archery season in special zones kicked off way back on Sept. 8 and runs through Dec. 8.

The special youth-day hunt for deer is scheduled for Oct. 20.

The Maine resident-only day for deer is Oct. 27 and the firearms season for deer begins Oct. 29. This four-week hunt closes 30 minutes after sunset on Nov. 24.

Hunters with hounds can chase bears until Oct. 26, a long season that started Sept. 10.

Hunters using the fair-chase methods of still-hunting, taking a stand by a game trail or natural forage or stalking have from Aug. 27 until 30 minutes after sunset on Nov. 24 — a generous, 3-month season.

The second half of the split season on moose runs from Oct. 8 to Oct. 13. Hunters are picked in a lottery.

Here are the fall turkey hunting dates:

Zone 1 (Archery Only): (WMDs 15, 16, 17, 20, 24, 25, 26) – October 6, 2007 through October 20, 2007, Zone 2 (Archery Only): (WMDs 21, 22, 23) – September 27, 2007 through October 26, 2007. Zone 3 (Archery and Shotgun): (WMDs 15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25) – October 13, 2007 through Oct. 19. Bag and Possession Limit: One Wild Turkey either sex, any age. Hunting Hours: 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset.

Note: A fall wild-turkey hunting permit and an archery license are required to hunt in Zones 1 and 2. In Zone 3, a fall wild-turkey hunting permit and a hunting license that allows hunting for big game are required to hunt with a shotgun, and a fall wild-turkey hunting permit and an archery license are required to hunt with bow and arrow.

Here are the waterfowl hunting dates:

Canada goose (Regular Season) North Zone: Oct. 1 to Dec. 8, South Zone: Oct. 1 to Oct. 27 and Nov. 12 to Dec. 22.

Snow geese (including blue geese) Oct. 1 to Jan. 31.

Brant, Nov. 12 to Dec. 22.

Sea Ducks (scoter or sea coot, eider, and long-tailed duck) Oct. 1 to Jan. 31.

Regular Ducks (Including black ducks, mergansers, canvasbacks, pintails, and American coots). North Zone – Oct. 1 to Dec. 8. South Zone – Oct. 1 to Oct. 27 and Nov. 12 to Dec. 22.

Special one-day youth waterfowl hunt – Sept. 22. (All duck species except harlequins and Barrow’s goldeneye may be hunted on this day.

Special Falconry Season – In addition to the regular migratory bird season on ducks, mergansers, American coots. North Zone – Dec. 8 to Jan. 31. South Zone – Jan. 5 to Feb. 28.

Ruffed grouse and ring-necked pheasant go from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31.

Gray squirrel and varying hare begin Oct. 1. Gray squirrels close Dec. 31 and hares Mar. 31.

Raccoon, skunk and opossum goes from Oct. 1 to Dec. 31.

Fox season is long, kicking off Oct. 15 and ending Feb. 28.

Coyote, red squirrel and porcupine have no closed season.

Hundreds of ponds and lakes are open to fishing from Oct. 1 to Nov. 30. Check the regulations booklet for details. Salmonids and black bass must be released at once but anglers can keep warm-water species such as perch, sunfish, etc.

Some rivers and streams stay open to anglers from Oct. 1 to Oct. 31, and a few remain open year-round, all included in the fishing-regs booklet.

Of course, tidal waters are open to fishing year-round.

Bear trappers have from Sept. 1 to Oct. 31.

Early fox and coyote trappers have from Oct. 14 to 27.

The statewide trapping season for bobcat, coyote, fox, fisher, marten, mink, muskrat, opossum, otter, raccoon, red squirrel, skink and weasel runs from Oct. 28 to Dec. 31.

Early muskrat trapping in WMDs 1-6 and 9-11 is from Oct. 21 to Oct. 27.

Next Month: Hope Your Gun is Sighted For Venison Month

“Got-ya’-deer yet?” will be asked thousands and thousands of times this month because deer dominates the month as the firearms season continues all month until Nov. 24.

Bear hunting for the fair-chase crowd continues through the month until Nov. 24.

Ruffed grouse, pheasant and quail runs through November and ends Dec. 31.

Gray-squirrel hunting stays open through November and closes Dec. 31.

Varying hare is fair game through November and goes until Mar. 31.

Fox started on Oct. 15 and ends Feb. 28.

Raccoon, skunk and opossum hunters have all of November and December (ends Dec. 31) to hunt these three critters.

Trapping season for all the furbearers except beaver and bear is going full blast now.

Fishing in tidal waters and hundreds of ponds and lakes gives folks a chance to get out and cast a rod now. Check the fishing-regs booklet for details on the ponds and lakes.

A handful of rivers and one stream are open year-round to open-water fishing, and folks do take advantage.

Darned few people car camp, canoe trip or backpack now, but a warm spell can make these outings delightful.

Wildlife photographers live for the cold mornings and evenings of November to shoot images of mammals and waterfowl.

Scenic photographers have somber browns, grays and black for mood shots this month.