Maine’s annual bear hunt gets started for the season on Monday as hunters get ready for another year of pandemic-era fall hunting.
The Maine bear hunt runs from Monday to Nov. 27, though most of the season takes place between now and Sept. 25. That’s the period of the season in which it’s legal to hunt bears using bait.
The season kicked off on Saturday with Youth Bear Day, which is reserved for young hunters.
The state’s other big fall hunting seasons for deer, moose and wild turkey will begin later in the fall. Maine officials have encouraged more hunting during the pandemic because it’s an outdoor activity that requires social distancing.