Maine Duck Hunting Season Underway

Maine sea duck hunting season is underway, usually starting October 1^st and running through mid-January with seven ducks per day limits. About 10,000 duck hunters buy the state bird permit but the number of duck hunters has dropped dramatically over the past 40 years. In 1970 the number of duck huntesr was three times higher than it is now. An aging hunting population along with failure to recruit young hunters to the sport are a few of the reasons for the decline..

There is a difference in the sea duck hunting season and regular ducks including blacks, scaups, pintails and American coots. Regular duck season runs from September 26 to December 3 in the North Zone and from October 1 to October 22 and from November 8 to December 24 in the South Zone. There’s not much change in this duck season as compared to past but there is one thing you should be aware of. There is a mercury advisory for ducks living in one marsh in Frankfort. Few hunters hunt in Mendall Marsh Wildlife Management Area, but if you do, take notice to the warning of limiting consumption of those ducks.