- Since 2024, Maine’s archery license covers crossbows; the separate crossbow permit is gone, so ignore any guide that tells you to buy one.
- Crossbows are legal in the archery deer season and the firearms season on deer, but not in the muzzleloader season outside expanded archery areas.
- A hunting crossbow needs a 100 lb minimum draw weight, a shoulder stock and a working trigger safety; pistol crossbows are banned.
- Broadheads must be at least 7/8 inch wide for deer, bear and moose.
- Anyone hunting with a crossbow during the firearms and muzzleloader seasons on deer (including Youth Days) must wear 2 articles of hunter orange.
Every forum post quotes a different Maine crossbow rule, and trusting an old one could leave you with the wrong license. 😅
Since 2024, a Maine archery license covers crossbows, and they’re legal in the archery and firearms deer seasons with a 100 lb minimum draw. Here are the 5 rules that matter, so you can plan your hunt and pick a legal hunting crossbow.
Maine crossbow hunting rules at a glance
Maine’s rules are set by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (MDIFW). Crossbow rules changed in 2024, so a lot of older articles are out of date.
| Rule | Maine requirement |
|---|---|
| License | Archery license covers bow and crossbow (since 2024) |
| Education | Archery Hunter Safety and Education course (now includes crossbows) |
| Draw weight | At least 100 lb (no maximum) |
| Stock and safety | Shoulder stock and a working mechanical trigger safety |
| Pistol crossbows | Not allowed |
| Broadheads (deer, bear, moose) | At least 7/8 inch wide, including mechanical broadheads |
| Scopes | Allowed |
| Muzzleloader season (deer) | Not allowed, except in expanded archery areas with permits |
| Hunter orange | 2 articles during the firearms and muzzleloader seasons on deer (including Youth Days) |
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1. Maine crossbow seasons: where and when you can hunt
You can hunt deer with a crossbow during Maine’s regular archery season on an archery license, and during the firearms season on deer. In the expanded archery areas, you can also use a crossbow in the expanded archery season with an archery license and expanded archery permits.
Crossbows can’t be used for deer in the muzzleloader season, except in the expanded archery areas during the expanded archery season. Every deer you take, by any method, counts toward the same annual bag limit.
A few places are bow and arrow only, with no crossbows at all: Islesboro, Marsh Island in Old Town and parts of Prouts Neck. Check the rules for any special area before you go.
2. Maine crossbow license: the archery license now covers it
Until 2024, Maine had a separate crossbow permit. Now one archery license covers hunting with a bow and arrow and with a crossbow, and crossbow safety is taught in the archery course.
To buy an adult archery license, you show one of these:
- A completed Archery Hunter Safety and Education course, or
- A past Maine adult archery license from an earlier year, or
- A Maine crossbow permit held before 2024.
If you only took the old crossbow safety course and never held a crossbow permit, you need the archery course. License details are on Maine’s official website.
3. Junior hunters and hunters with disabilities
Hunters under 16 use a junior hunting license and must hunt with an adult supervisor. Rules on which equipment juniors may use change, so ask MDIFW whether a crossbow is allowed for your junior hunter this year.
Maine also has special permits for some hunters with disabilities. Contact MDIFW directly to find out what your permit allows before the season.
4. Maine crossbow equipment rules: draw weight, stock and broadheads
A hunting crossbow in Maine must have a draw weight of at least 100 pounds, a shoulder stock and a working mechanical trigger safety. Some older guides mention a 200 lb maximum, but the current rules don’t set one.
Handheld pistol-type crossbows are not allowed. For deer, bear and moose, your broadhead must be at least 7/8 inch wide, and that includes mechanical broadheads once they open.
- No explosive or poison-tipped arrows or bolts.
- Scopes and sights are allowed on hunting crossbows.
- A crossbow counts as loaded when it’s cocked with a bolt on it, which matters for carrying it in a vehicle.
Pick a legal setup from my lists of the best broadheads and crossbow scopes.
5. Hunter orange rules for Maine crossbow hunters
Maine’s orange law names crossbows directly. Anyone hunting with a firearm or crossbow during the firearms or muzzleloader season on deer, including deer hunting Youth Days, must wear 2 articles of hunter orange, visible from all sides.
During the archery-only season, crossbow hunters on an archery license generally don’t have to wear orange. Its still smart in late season, when other hunters are in the woods.
Why getting the hunting rules right comes first
A wrong license is the easiest way to lose a first season. Read the current rules before every season. Maine updates them. So treat the details here as a starting point and confirm them with the state.
More crossbow hunting tips for Maine
- Check the rules every year: Maine changed its crossbow laws in 2024 and may again.
- Practice year-round at real hunting distances.
- Scout early and get landowner permission where needed.
- Compare nearby states: my New York and Pennsylvania guides cover their rules.
Maine now teaches crossbow safety in the archery course. For a head start Lancaster Archery Supply covers the habits that matter most in the video below: cocking, loading, getting into a treestand and de-cocking at the end of the day.
| Do | Don’t |
|---|---|
| Wear 2 articles of hunter orange in the firearms and muzzleloader seasons on deer | Use a pistol crossbow or a bow under 100 lb |
| Carry your archery license and any expanded archery permits | Hunt deer with a crossbow in the muzzleloader season outside expanded archery areas |
| Check broadhead width before the season | Take risky or long shots |
Advantages and disadvantages of crossbow hunting in Maine
Maine’s 2024 change made crossbows easier to use. That makes them a strong option, but not a perfect one.
Pros
- One archery license covers bow and crossbow
- Easier to learn than a vertical bow
- Stays cocked, so you aren’t holding a draw as a deer walks in
- Scopes are allowed
Cons
- Heavier and bulkier in thick Maine woods
- Slower to reload
- Not allowed for deer in the muzzleloader season outside expanded archery areas
Still choosing a crossbow? Start with the best crossbows for hunting.
// FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Quick answers to the questions readers ask most.
Do you need a crossbow permit in Maine?
No, not since 2024. The archery license now covers both bows and crossbows.
Can I use my crossbow during Maine’s muzzleloader season?
Not for deer, except in expanded archery areas during the expanded archery season with an archery license and expanded archery permits.
What is the minimum draw weight for a crossbow in Maine?
100 pounds. The crossbow also needs a shoulder stock and a working mechanical trigger safety.
Are expandable broadheads legal for crossbow hunting in Maine?
Yes, as long as they’re at least 7/8 inch wide when open for deer, bear and moose.
Do you have to wear orange crossbow hunting in Maine?
Yes during the firearms and muzzleloader seasons on deer, including Youth Days: a solid orange hat plus a torso garment that’s at least 50% orange. In the archery-only season, crossbow hunters generally don’t need it.
Final thoughts
Maine made crossbow hunting simpler in 2024: one archery license, one course and clear equipment rules. Remember the muzzleloader-season limit and the hunter orange law, and you’re set.
Check MDIFW’s pages before every season, because rules keep changing. And while you practice, track your groups in my free range log.
