Are You Aware of the ‘Sunrise and Sunset’ Law in Maine?

Several states have different interpretations of what a ‘sunrise and sunset’ law is. Here in Maine, this is what it means.

Listen, we don’t expect everyone to know every law inside and out, and that’s completely okay. That’s why we’re here to break down this specific law in simple terms, so you can understand it even if you’ve never heard of it before.

With that in mind, why are we talking about sunrise and sunset laws? Where is this coming from, and how do we know how these laws apply in Maine?

In New York, the ‘sunrise and sunset’ law means you must keep your ATV’s headlight and taillight on from a half hour after sunset to a half hour before sunrise, though the DMV recommends keeping them on at all times for safety. But in Maine, according to Maine.gov, the ‘sunrise and sunset’ law means something entirely different.

Alright, now that we've covered that, what exactly is Maine’s sunrise and sunset law? Again, other states interpret that wording differently, so how do we apply it here?

According to Maine law, night hunting is illegal, meaning you cannot hunt between 30 minutes after sunset and 30 minutes before sunrise, except for raccoons and coyotes.

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Breaking this law can result in serious penalties, including jail time, fines, losing your hunting license for a year, and even having your firearm taken away.

The penalties are even harsher if you use night vision equipment or have previous hunting violations.

Well, there you have it! In Maine, when we talk about sunrise and sunset laws, we're talking about hunting. Makes sense, right?

Had you ever heard of the sunrise and sunset law in Maine before? We'd love to hear from you! Feel free to join the conversation by messaging us on the app.

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