Land-Owner Relations

Roughly 94% of Maine's forest land is privately owned, and more than half of that land area is open to the public. In total, landowners voluntarily open up more than 10 million acres of working farms and forests.

This access is an incredible privilege, and to preserve it, everyone who ventures outdoors needs to understand the contribution that landowners make.

Most private landowners are happy to allow outdoor recreation, including hunting and fishing, on their land, as long as their property is treated with respect.

But it's important to remember that the private land you use for recreation belongs to someone else, just as surely as your car or home belongs to you, and accessing it is a privilege, not a right.

Accessing private land: there's the law, and then there's the unwritten rule.

The law - Unlike most other states, Maine operates under an implied permission structure, meaning that if land is not posted, it is legal to use the land. You must however have permission to bait or trap on private property in Maine.

The unwritten rule - Always ask permission. Trapping or otherwise using private land without the owner's permission is a careless move that puts everyone's future access at risk.

When venturing into the Maine woods, follow the unwritten rule.