Maine Moose Permit Lottery

Apply Now

On this page:

• Overview
• Apply for the Moose Lottery
• Lottery Details
• How the Drawing Works
• Lottery Odds
• How to Increase your Lottery Chances
• After You Apply
• If You Receive a Permit
• Permit Packet
• Rules and Restrictions
• Deferrals
• Prohibited Activities
• Swapping Permits
• Other Ways to Receive a Permit

Overview

To hunt moose in Maine, you must have a permit. Due to high demand, permits are limited and issued through the following methods:

• Annual lottery drawing (resident and non-resident)
• Moose permit auction
• Hunting lodge permits

On a statewide basis, at least 90% of permits are issued to Maine residents, up to 8% to non-residents, and up to 2% to hunting lodges. Within each season and wildlife management district (WMD) at least 90% of permits are issued to Maine residents and up to 10% are issued to non-residents and hunting lodges (combined).

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Apply for the Moose Lottery

How to Apply

Apply Now

2026 Moose permit lottery applications are accepted online only April 1 until May 18, 2026 at 11:59 pm (ET).

If you do not have access to a computer, you may apply using:

• A local library
• A workplace computer
• A friend or family member

When applying, you will be asked to select:

• Wildlife Management Districts (WMDs) you'd be willing to accept a permit in. You may also indicate if you'd accept a permit in another district if your name is drawn and all of your top choices are filled. See permit allocations for more information.
• Season preferences (September Bull, October Bull, October Antlerless)
• Whether or not you would accept an antlerless permit
• Sub-permittee and alternate. This is someone authorized to participate with you in your moose hunt. You can designate an alternate sub-permittee and can apply with MDIFW to change either of these names up to 5 days before the hunting season begins.

Eligibility Requirements

• Must be eligible for a Maine big game hunting license
• Minimum age is 10 (under 10 may apply for bonus points only)
• Applicants age 16+ must meet hunter safety requirements prior to hunting

Waiting Period:
If you have held a moose permit within the past three years, you are not eligible to receive another permit but may still apply to earn bonus points.

Application Fees

Maine Residents

$15 for chance in drawing or bonus point only

Non-Residents

$15 for chance in drawing or bonus point only

Non-resident applicants may purchase additional chances to increase their odds within the non-resident lottery drawing only. Resident and non-resident permits are allocated separately, so non-resident applications do not reduce the number of permits available to residents.
Additional Chances

• 3 chances: $25
• 6 chances: $35
• 10 chances: $55

Additional chances apply only to the current year's drawing and do not carry over. Bonus points are accumulated separately.

Bonus Points

Bonus points are awarded when you apply and do not receive a permit. Points increase your chances in future drawings.

Points accumulate as follows:

• 0–5 years: 1 point per year
• 6–10 years: 2 points per year
• 11–15 years: 3 points per year
• 16+ years: 10 points per year

You may lose bonus points if you:

• Fail to apply for two consecutive years
• Receive a permit
• Provide incorrect identifying information

Residents Age 65+:

Maine residents aged 65 or older (or who will turn 65 during the calendar year of the hunt) with at least 30 bonus points are guaranteed a permit if they at least one of their indicated WMDs is allocated resident permits and they apply before the deadline.

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Lottery Details

2026 Season Dates and Permit Allocations

*Hunters drawn for WMD 7 or 13; WMD 12 or 15; 14 or 17; or WMD 27 or 28, may hunt in either district.

Antlerless permits are issued based on population management needs. Bull permits are more widely available.

To learn more about Wildlife Management Districts, use the interactive WMD GIS map or download and print a PDF description or map.

Why we separate antlerless and bull permits and seasons: Antlerless moose (aka cows) have more bearing on population; so MDIFW issues antlerless-only permits with population growth, decline, or stabilization in mind. WMDs that can only sustain limited cow mortality are allocated fewer antlerless permits, while those with population sizes and structures that can support higher cow harvest while still meeting management objectives are allocated more.

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How the Drawing Works

• Resident and non-resident drawings are conducted separately
• Applicants are assigned to their highest available WMD choice
• If preferred WMDs are filled, assignment is made to the closest available district
• Season and permit type are assigned based on availability and preferences

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Lottery Odds

Odds vary each year depending on the number of applicants and permits issued.

The number of permits issued in each WMD varies year to year by the WMDs management goals, which are developed through public input. More total permits may be issued if some were deferred the previous year due to permittee illness, armed service status, or similar situations.

This is how the numbers broke down in 2025:

• Total Applications Received: 76,217
• Total Permits Issued: 4,105
• Change in total permits from previous year: 0
• Antlerless Permits: 1,460
• Bull Permits: 2,645

Resident Lottery

• Resident Applicants: 48,066
• Resident Permits Issued: 3,712
• Resident Selection Rate :9.8% (~1 permit for every 10 applicants)

Non-Resident Lottery

• Non-Resident Applicants: 28,151
• Non-Resident Permits Issued: 393
• Non-Resident Selection Rate: 1.4% (~1 permit for every 70 applicants)

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How to Increase your Lottery Chances

There are three ways to maximize your chance of winning a permit in the lottery:

1. Choose districts with higher moose populations, and therefore, higher permit allocations (see permit allocation table).
2. Keep applying every year to accumulate bonus points
3. Purchase more chances (non-residents only)

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After You Apply

• You will receive a confirmation email from noreply@informe.org to the email address on your application. This confirmation number is not a permit number.
• Applications can be edited until the deadline. To edit your application, visit the application page and re-enter your name, date of birth, and information the same way you did to apply originally. On the next page, you will be asked to enter a confirmation number which can be found in your confirmation email.
• Contact MDIFW for bonus point corrections. Bonus points are directly tied to an individual's name and date of birth.  If you have applied with a different last name, a nickname, or incorrect date of birth, the bonus points will not be correct. Email ifw.moosepermit@maine.gov for assistance.

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If You Receive a Permit

Notification

The 2026 Maine moose hunting permit drawing will take place on Saturday, June 20, 2026 in Acton, ME.

Lottery results will be posted online by 6:00 pm on Saturday, June 20, 2026. Successful applicants will also be notified by mail and email within a few weeks of the drawing.

Purchasing Your Permit

Permits become available to purchase 3-4 days after the lottery results are announced and must be purchased through the online purchase site. The deadline to purchase a permit is 11:49 pm on July 17, 2026.
Permit fees:

• Resident: $52
• Non-resident: $585

If the payment deadline is missed, contact MDIFW at ifw.moosepermit@maine.gov or 207-287-5230. Failing to purchase a permit will result in loss of the permit. Please note: a hunter is required to purchase a Maine big game hunting license before purchasing the moose hunting permit.

To log into the moose payment site, a hunter will need the following information:

• Maine Online Sportspersons Electronic System (MOSES) number
• Full name and date of birth that matches the moose application date of birth and full name. 

Once payment has been made a confirmation email will be sent from noreply@informe.org (online payment site) with a confirmation number.  The confirmation number can be re-entered into the payment site to update/change personal information and/or sub-permittee information. 

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Permit Packet

Permit packets are mailed approximately 10–12 business days before the hunt and include tags and WMD information.

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Rules and Restrictions

• Only the permit holder and their designated sub-permittee may hunt, shoot, or kill a moose.
• The sub-permittee may only hunt when in the physical presence of the permit holder and without the use of visual or audio enhancement devices. The permit holder may hunt alone; however, if hunting together, the permit holder and sub-permittee must remain in contact at all times.
• The permit holder may update their sub-permittee or alternate when paying for the permit online. Changes may continue to be made through the payment system until it closes on July 17. After that time, changes must be requested through the Department by submitting the Updating Moose Permit Information Form (PDF) no later than five business days before the hunt.
• Other individuals may accompany the hunters, but only the permit holder or licensed sub-permittee may hunt or harvest a moose.

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Deferrals

A permit may be deferred to the following hunting season under limited circumstances. The Commissioner may authorize a deferral if:

• A member of the permit holder's household also holds a moose permit for the same year
• The permit holder has military obligations
• Medical reasons apply
• Other rare extenuating circumstances are approved

Work travel, vacations, or general scheduling conflicts do not qualify. To request a deferral, submit the moose permit deferral request form (PDF) or email ifw.moosepermit@maine.gov.

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Prohibited Activities

A sub-permittee or alternate sub-permittee designation may not be sold. This is a Class E crime.

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Swapping Permits

Moose permit winners may swap permits with another permit winner, subject to the following conditions:

• Only one swap is allowed per permit
• Both permits must be paid in full before the swap
• Permit holders are responsible for finding and contacting another permit holder to swap with

State law allows two permit holders to exchange their hunting district, season, or permit type, and compensation between those two individuals is permitted. However, it is illegal for a third party to facilitate a swap in exchange for money or anything of value.

How to Complete a Swap

Both permit holders must either:

• Sign a written swap letter, or
• Complete the Moose Permit Swap Application (PDF)

The letter or application must include:

• Both names
• Permit numbers
• Permit types
• Seasons
• Wildlife Management Districts (WMDs)
• A $7 fee (one fee per swap) must be included as a check payable to Treasurer, State of Maine. Do not send cash.

Mail all materials to:
Moose Permit Swap
MDIFW
353 Water Street, 41 SHS
Augusta, ME 04333

Materials must be received by July 30, 2026. Swaps will not be processed after that date.

Finding a Swap

Permit holders may locate others interested in swapping through:

• Moose Permit Swap 
• Moose Swap 

A listing of permit winners available through InforME.

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Other Ways to Receive a Permit

Moose Permit Auction

Each year, MDIFW auctions 10 moose hunting permits through a sealed bid process. Proceeds support youth conservation education programs in Maine and help offset the cost of administering the auction.

Applicants may enter both the moose lottery and the auction but may only receive one permit. If an auction bidder is also selected in the public lottery, they become ineligible for the auction, and their bid and bidding fee will be refunded.

The 2026 Moose Permit Auction application deadline was February 26, 2026.

The Commissioner may decline to issue any permits if the bids received do not reflect the anticipated public value of the program.

How to Submit a Bid

Applicants must submit a completed permit bid form along with a nonrefundable $25 bidding fee by mail to:

MDIFW
353 Water Street, SHS 41
Augusta, ME 04333
Submissions must include two envelopes:

• Mailing Envelope containing:
  • The bid envelope
  • The $25 bidding fee
• Bid Envelope containing:
  • The completed bid form

After the Auction

Bids are opened after the deadline. All applicants will be notified of the results.
Successful bidders must, within 30 days of notification:

• Pay the full bid amount
• Select a Wildlife Management District (WMD), hunting week, and permit type

After You Receive an Auction Permit

• Sub-permittees or alternates may be added or changed up to 30 days before the hunt
• An alternate may replace a sub-permittee up to 5 days before the hunt

Once payment is complete and a sub-permittee is designated, auction permit holders are subject to the same rules and requirements as all other moose permit holders.

Auction winners may choose from any available district, season, or permit type at the time of selection.

Hunting Lodge Permits

Moose permits issued to hunting outfitters are allocated through a separate chance drawing, not the general moose lottery. Applications for hunting lodge permits are posted on this page each November.

The fee for a hunting lodge permit is $1,500.

Authority: Title 12 MRSA §11154

Eligibility and Use

A "hunting outfitter" is a licensed sporting camp that provides package deals including food, lodging, and the services of a licensed guide.
Permits issued to hunting outfitters are subject to the following conditions:

• A permit may be sold or transferred only once, and only as part of a package that includes food, lodging, and guided services
• The hunter receiving the permit must be accompanied by a licensed guide during the hunt
• The outfitter must notify the Department of the hunter's identity
• The permit may not be resold or transferred by the hunter

Outfitters may be issued more than one permit. Each permit is valid only for the specific year, season, permit type, and Wildlife Management District (WMD) for which it is issued.

Permits issued through this process may not exceed 10% of the total permits available for each season, permit type, and WMD.

Hunters receiving a permit through an outfitter must meet all standard eligibility requirements for moose hunting permits.

Use of Proceeds

If proceeds from the annual moose permit auction are less than $107,000, revenue from hunting lodge permits will be used to support youth conservation education programs up to that amount. Any remaining funds are deposited into the Moose Research and Management Fund.

Youth Hunting Adventure Permits

The Commissioner may issue up to five moose permits each year to nonprofit organizations that provide hunting and fishing opportunities to children under age 21 with life-threatening, critical, or terminal illnesses.

At least three of these permits must be issued to eligible nonprofit organizations based in Maine. Any child receiving a permit through a Maine-based organization must be a Maine resident.

Permits are issued upon written request from an eligible nonprofit organization and are provided at no cost.

For more information or to apply, see the Children's Adventure Moose Permit Application (PDF)

Authority: Title 12 MRSA §11154-13

Controlled Moose Hunt for Disabled Veterans

MDIFW allocates 25 moose hunting permits annually for a controlled moose hunt in Aroostook County for disabled veterans, including 15 permits for Maine residents and 10 permits for non-residents.

Most permits are issued to Maine residents with valid disabled veteran hunting licenses through a random lottery drawing. Additional permits may be:

• Issued to sponsored Maine veterans outside of the lottery
• Issued to nonresident disabled veterans who hold a valid big game hunting license and are sponsored by a National Veterans Organization

This is a one-time opportunity. Individuals who have previously harvested a moose through this program are not eligible to participate again.

This hunt is conducted in partnership with the Department of Defense, Veterans, and Emergency Management. Maine Bureau of Veterans' Services and its partners provide logistical support to participating veterans.

For application information or additional details, visit www.maine.gov/veterans.

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