State
CWD rules in Maine
CWD zone status
Agency
Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Last verified
June 16, 2026
CWDCrossing provides informational summaries of state CWD carcass-transport regulations. Rules change annually pre-hunting-season; verify with both the origin and destination state wildlife agencies before transport. Failure to comply may result in citations. Not affiliated with the CWD Alliance, the National Deer Association, or any state agency.
Bringing a carcass into Maine
Maine is the regulating authority for what you can bring in. CWD has never been detected in Maine (clean); recent surveillance reported all 909 white-tailed deer samples negative. Restriction applies to imports from ALL states/provinces EXCEPT New Hampshire. maine.gov pages are CloudFront geo-blocked from this environment; rule text verified via search-surfaced Maine IFW content. Verify exact current wording on-page if precision is critical.
Allowed for import
- boned-out meat
- hardened antlers (with or without skull caps)
- skull caps cleaned free of brain and other tissues
- hides without the head portion
- finished taxidermy mounts
Restricted from import
- whole carcass
- head
- brain
- spinal cord/spinal tissue
- bones (other than cleaned skull caps/antlers)
Handling + processing
Illegal to transport high-risk wild cervid carcass parts into Maine from any state/province except New Hampshire; also bans cervids from commercial hunting preserves anywhere. Prohibits temporary importation of cervid carcasses/parts in-transit through Maine. If still attached, skull caps must be cleaned free of brain/tissue.
Taking a carcass out of Maine
When you hunt in Maine and bring the carcass to another state, that destination state sets the rule. Maine is not currently listed as a CWD-affected state in our reading, but check the destination state's affected-state list, since designations change.
Maine on the CWD map
- CWD confirmed in state
- Under heightened surveillance
- No known CWD detections
Zone status is informational, not a hazard rating. Detections expand over time — confirm current status with each state's wildlife agency.
CWDCrossing provides informational summaries of state CWD carcass-transport regulations. Rules change annually pre-hunting-season; verify with both the origin and destination state wildlife agencies before transport. Failure to comply may result in citations. Not affiliated with the CWD Alliance, the National Deer Association, or any state agency.