The 2026 Maine antlerless deer permit lottery results are here

By Susan Bard, Bangor Daily News Outdoors Editor

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has released the results of the 2026 antlerless deer permit lottery.

An antlerless deer permit authorizes a hunter to harvest any doe or any deer with antlers measuring less than 3 inches in length. 

Won a permit? Claim and purchase your permit at https://deer.web.maine.gov/online/deer_permit/start.html?submit=Purchase+My+Permit+Online.

An antlerless deer permit is valid for only one designated wildlife management district or subunit. Hunters with a permit can also harvest one antlered deer statewide.

Hunters who were not selected in the lottery still have opportunities to get an antlerless deer permit.

Extra permits will go on sale online on Sept. 15 on a first-come, first-served basis. A second sale period will begin Sept. 29. Hunters who did not enter the lottery, entered but were not selected or already received a lottery permit may purchase extra permits during these sales.

Hunters interested in WMDs 21-25 and 29 have an additional opportunity. Those districts are designated as unlimited permit districts for 2026, meaning permits are guaranteed to remain available throughout the deer hunting seasons. Hunters are still limited to a maximum of four antlerless permits.