Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Official page of the Maine Dept of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife and the Maine Warden Service Please consider this when creating posts and comments. Keep it legal.

Welcome to the Official page for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries & Wildlife! This page is dedicated to promoting hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and enjoying the Maine outdoors as well as sharing information about MDIFW programs and initiatives. If you're looking for the official source of information about MDIFW, please visit our homepage at: www.mefishwildlife.com

Remember

, this page is a family-friendly forum enjoyed by individuals of all ages. All posts and comments must comply with the MDIFW rules for posting and must meet the requirements below. Use appropriate language. Please do not use profanity or crude language. Comments or posts that are graphic, obscene, explicit, abusive, hateful, or potentially libelous will be removed. Don't get yourself into trouble by defaming others, plotting illegal activities such as poaching, or posting other people's private information. Do not create content of a discriminatory or derogatory nature. Rich debate is important and can be done without being offensive, humiliating, or intimidating based on:
race, ethnicity, nationality, or physical characteristics
gender or sexual orientation
religion or non-religious viewpoints
political opinion
Do not advertise commercial products or services. Advertising includes promotion or endorsements of any financial, commercial, or non-governmental agency. NOTE: MDIFW will permanently remove fans who violate these rules. We do our best to keep up with correspondence on our page, but MDIFW does not have the staff resources to always respond to individual posts. For detailed information about fish and wildlife topics, please visit our website or contact us at (207) 287-8000 Monday-Friday from 8am-5pm. Comments submitted on the MDIFW page are considered public records and are subject to public disclosure. If you post comments on the MDIFW page, you are responsible for any information contained in your comments. You participate at your own risk, taking personal responsibility for your comments, your username, and any information provided. We reserve the right to remove any post, comment, photo, video, or link from this page. If you have questions or wish to speak with someone, our contact information is available at: https://www.maine.gov/ifw/about/contact/index.html

Because our page is not monitored 24/7 please remember that if you need immediate assistance from a Maine Game Warden you need to contact your nearest State Police Dispatch center:

Augusta..............................1-800-452-4664
Houlton..............................1-800-924-2261
Bangor................................1-800-432-7381

We're banding together for peregrine falcon conservation!Every year, we collaborate with MaineDOT, and the Biodiversity ...
06/08/2026

We're banding together for peregrine falcon conservation!

Every year, we collaborate with MaineDOT, and the Biodiversity Research Institute to monitor nest sites in urban landscapes, band chicks, and collect biological samples where birds are accessible. This effort is part of decades of conservation work that supports Maine's State Endangered peregrine falcon.

Banding helps biologists learn more about peregrine movements and survival. Each chick is carefully fitted with a silver federal band on the left leg, engraved with a unique identification number, and a color band on the right leg, inscribed with a unique letter and number combination.

Biologists are trained and certified to band birds, but anyone can report them! If you are lucky enough to spot a peregrine falcon through your binoculars, look for a band.

All federal bird bands can be reported at www.reportband.gov.
Please report color bands on peregrine falcons directly to our raptor biologist at [email protected].

It's National Black Bear Day!We've spent the last 50 years getting to know Maine's black bears, and we have to say... th...
06/06/2026

It's National Black Bear Day!

We've spent the last 50 years getting to know Maine's black bears, and we have to say... they truly are a part of what makes the Maine woods such a special place!

Generations of Maine biologists have dedicated their lives to studying black bears. The goal? A healthy and sustainable population with opportunities for future generations to enjoy black bears while minimizing human-wildlife conflict.

Take a look at what the last 50 years of Maine black bear research has accomplished, and what it means to those who have been a part of it in our short documentary, Fifty Seasons: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt_he4pRrag

Fresh out of K9 school and already making a difference in the field!While most recognized for their work in search and r...
06/05/2026

Fresh out of K9 school and already making a difference in the field!

While most recognized for their work in search and rescue, Maine Game Warden K9 teams are trained in multiple disciplines including location of evidence that may be used to solve fish and wildlife cases.

Game Warden Avery Boucher and K9 Foster were recently called to assist on an evidence search through information received in an Maine Operation Game Thief complaint involving illegal hunting. K9 Foster was deployed in a large field and located key evidence to support the case.

Game Warden Dory Kulis and K9 Lucy were called to assist in a potential case of shooting too close to a dwelling. K9 Lucy was deployed and successfully located shotgun wads to assist in the investigation.

Learn more about what our K9 team is trained to do: https://www.maine.gov/ifw/warden-service/specialty-teams/k9.html

The MDIFW Augusta headquarters will be closed for walk-in services Wednesday, June 10 and Wednesday, June 17 due to temp...
06/05/2026

The MDIFW Augusta headquarters will be closed for walk-in services Wednesday, June 10 and Wednesday, June 17 due to temporary staffing shortages.

Phone and online services will still be available at (207) 287-8000 and mefishwildlife.com.

Thank you for your patience.

You're looking at the three newest Maine Game Warden K9 Teams!It's official - after 14 weeks of Maine Warden Service Bas...
06/04/2026

You're looking at the three newest Maine Game Warden K9 Teams!

It's official - after 14 weeks of Maine Warden Service Basic K9 Detection School, they're certified and ready to hit the woods in four-paw drive to protect Maine's natural resources, and the people who enjoy them.

The school, instructed by Maine Game Warden Corporal Lucas Bellanceau, prepares both K9s and handlers for tracking, off-lead search and rescue, evidence searches, and human remains detection. They kept their noses to the grindstone, logging 560 training hours leading up to certification in each discipline through the Maine Criminal Justice Academy.

Meet the graduates:

Fryeburg District - Corporal Lucas Bellanceau and K9 Tulsi
Farmington District - Warden Avery Boucher and K9 Foster
Georgetown District - Warden Dory Kulis and K9 Lucy

Please join us in congratulating these dedicated handlers and their extraordinary K9 partners on this achievement, and wishing them luck and safety throughout their service.

Maine Warden Service is looking for information regarding the owner and operator of a side by side ATV that struck and d...
06/03/2026

Maine Warden Service is looking for information regarding the owner and operator of a side by side ATV that struck and dragged a landowner who had stopped the ATV on his property.

Last night at approximately 8:30 p.m. on the Pequawket Lake Road in Limington, a landowner watched a side by side ATV ride through their property at a high rate of speed. When the ATV returned a few minutes later, the landowner was able to stop the ATV, and told him he needed to slow down. When the landowner attempted to photograph the ATV and the registration, the operator rapidly accelerated, striking the landowner and dragging him 75 feet before he got away. The landowner was treated at the hospital for abrasions and contusions and was released last night.

The ATV is a one bench side by side that seats two people and is gray and black in color with a prominent brush guard on the front of the ATV. The ATV was driven by a male operator in an orange shirt, with a female passenger who had dark hair.

Anyone with any information is encouraged to contact the Regional Communications Center dispatch in Augusta at 207-624-7076 ext. 9 or contact MaineOperation Game Thief at 1-800-ALERT-US or maineogt.org if they wish to remain anonymous.

Bear attacks are very uncommon and black bears rarely become aggressive when encountered, but it's still wise to give be...
06/02/2026

Bear attacks are very uncommon and black bears rarely become aggressive when encountered, but it's still wise to give bears space and know what to do if an unexpected encounter happens in the Maine outdoors.

To avoid black bear encounters while hiking:

👀 Be aware of your surroundings and keep kids within sight.
đŸ‘„ Hike in groups, stay together, and make noise in thick cover.
đŸ¶ Keep dogs on a leash or leave them home.
đŸ» Carry bear spray, and know how to use it.

Learn more: mefishwildlife.com/livingwithblackbears

June in Maine is hard to beat. The mosquitoes and blackflies are hungry—but so are the fish.Across the state, our fisher...
06/01/2026

June in Maine is hard to beat. The mosquitoes and blackflies are hungry—but so are the fish.

Across the state, our fisheries biologists are reporting cool water temperatures, strong insect hatches, active fish, and some of the best angling opportunities of the season. From tiny brook trout streams and remote ponds to big lakes full of salmon and bass, June is prime time to wet a line.

Don’t be afraid to explore. The small brook you pass every day, the pond down a logging road, or the lake you’ve never tried before might just become your new favorite fishing spot.

June is also one of the best times to get kids hooked—fish are active, eager, and often easy to catch, which means plenty of action from the bank, dock, or boat (and hopefully a few fish stories on the ride home).

Read the full June Fishing Report to see what’s happening in your region: mefishwildlife.com/fishingreport

Level up your next adventure by becoming an Outdoor Partner!It's easy to opt in when you buy your hunting or fishing lic...
06/01/2026

Level up your next adventure by becoming an Outdoor Partner!

It's easy to opt in when you buy your hunting or fishing license online, or score Outdoor Partners merch from our store. Every contribution helps protect access to the places you play. Plus, you'll be entered into weekly drawings for prizes that amplify adventure.

Shoutout to Outdoor Partners Program sponsors for crushing it with June prizes!

NEMO Equipment Endless Promise Backpack
L.L.Bean Quest Travel Rod & Reel
Old Town Watercraft hat and tshirt
Outdoor Partners water bottle and Minus33 Merino Wool Clothing socks

Join the mission: mefishwildlife.com/outdoorpartners.

Maine Warden Service is proud to announce the promotion of Investigator Josh Smith to the position of Investigator Serge...
05/31/2026

Maine Warden Service is proud to announce the promotion of Investigator Josh Smith to the position of Investigator Sergeant.

An experienced police officer with a degree in conservation law enforcement, Sergeant Smith began his career as a warden in 2006. He patrolled Monticello and Rumford districts until he was promoted to Investigator in 2020.

Sergeant Smith has been an important figure in the agency’s hiring and training process. A mentor for new wardens, he has served as a member of the cadre staff for several Maine Criminal Justice Academy and Advanced Warden Training Academy classes.

Well-versed in search warrants and major case investigations, his experience and meticulous attention to detail are perfectly suited for his new supervisory role. Sergeant Smith will lead our statewide investigative unit and will be instrumental in the Department’s ongoing efforts to protect Maine’s waters from aquatic invasive species.

Congratulations Investigator Sergeant Smith!

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353 Water Street
Augusta, ME
04330

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Tuesday 8am - 4:30pm
Wednesday 8am - 4:30pm
Thursday 8am - 4:30pm
Friday 8am - 4:30pm

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