APPROVED CHAPTER
JUNE 17, 2025 333
BY GOVERNOR PUBLIC LAW
STATE OF MAINE
_____
IN THE YEAR OF OUR LORD
TWO THOUSAND TWENTY-FIVE
_____
H.P. 60 - L.D. 95
An Act to Amend and Simplify Certain Wildlife Laws
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §10851, sub-§1, ¶D, as amended by PL 2023, c. 239, §11, is
further amended to read:
D. For a resident 70 years of age or older. For a person who holds a valid senior
lifetime license under this section at any time during the calendar year that person turns
70 years of age, that lifetime license includes all hunting permits and licenses
authorized in this Part and may renew at no cost a guide license under section 12853.
A license holder under this paragraph who qualifies to hunt during the special expanded
archery season on deer under section 11153 and who meets the eligibility requirements
of section 11106 must have included in that person's license one antlerless deer permit
and one either-sex permit. A person who is 70 years of age or older may purchase a
senior lifetime license that entitles the holder to all the privileges described in this
paragraph for a one-time $8 fee.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §10853, sub-§3, as repealed and replaced by PL 2019, c. 638,
§1, is amended to read:
3. Paraplegics. A resident paraplegic or a nonresident paraplegic who is a resident
of another state may obtain upon application, at no cost, all hunting, trapping and fishing
licenses, including permits, stamps and other permission needed to hunt, trap and fish. A
license holder under this subsection who qualifies to hunt during the special expanded
archery season on deer under section 11153 and who meets the eligibility requirements of
section 11106 must have included in that person's license one antlerless deer permit and
one either-sex permit. The commissioner shall issue all fishing, trapping and hunting
licenses and permits applied for under this subsection if the commissioner determines the
applicant meets the requirements of this subsection and is not otherwise ineligible to hold
that permit or license. For the purposes of this subsection, "paraplegic" means a person who
has lost, or who has permanently lost the use of, both lower extremities.
A license issued to a resident paraplegic under this subsection remains valid for the life of
the license holder if the license holder continues to be a resident as that term is defined
under section 10001, subsection 53 and the license is not revoked or suspended. A
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nonresident paraplegic may apply for and be qualified to be issued the complimentary
licenses and permits referred to in this subsection as long as the state where the person
resides provides a reciprocal privilege for resident paraplegics of this State.
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §10853, sub-§4, as repealed and replaced by PL 2017, c. 475,
Pt. A, §19, is amended to read:
4. Disabled veteran. A resident disabled veteran or a nonresident disabled veteran
who is a resident of another state may obtain upon application, at no cost, all hunting,
trapping and fishing licenses, including permits, stamps and other permission needed to
hunt, trap and fish, and, upon meeting the qualifications as established in section 12853,
subsection 4, a guide license. A license holder under this subsection who qualifies to hunt
during the special expanded archery season on deer under section 11153 and who meets
the eligibility requirements of section 11106 must have included in that person's license
one antlerless deer permit and one either-sex permit. The commissioner shall issue all
fishing, trapping and hunting licenses and permits requested under this subsection if the
commissioner determines the applicant meets the requirements of this subsection and is not
otherwise ineligible to hold that permit or license. For the purposes of this subsection,
"disabled veteran" means a person who:
B. Was honorably discharged from the Armed Forces of the United States or the
National Guard; and
C. Has a service-connected disability evaluated at 50% or more.
Each application must be accompanied by satisfactory evidence that the applicant meets
the requirements of this subsection. An applicant for a license or permit under this section
is subject to the provisions of this Part, including, but not limited to, a lottery or drawing
system for issuing a particular license or permit. A permit or license issued under this
subsection remains valid for the life of the permit or license holder, as long as the permit
or license holder continues to remain a resident of this State or another state and the permit
or license issued under this subsection is not revoked or suspended. For a nonresident to
be eligible under this subsection, that nonresident's state must have a reciprocal agreement
with this State.
Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §10853, sub-§8, as amended by PL 2023, c. 646, Pt. A, §15, is
further amended to read:
8. Members of federally recognized Indian nation, band or tribe. The
commissioner shall issue a hunting, trapping and fishing license, including an archery
hunting license under this chapter, and including all permits, stamps and other permission
needed to hunt, trap and fish, to a person who is an enrolled member of the Passamaquoddy
Tribe, the Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians or the Mi'kmaq Nation
that is valid for the life of that person without any charge or fee pursuant to section 11109,
if the person presents certification from the appropriate reservation chief or governor or the
Mi'kmaq Nation Tribal Council stating that the person described is an enrolled member of
a federally recognized Indian nation, band or tribe listed in this subsection. Holders of
these licenses are subject to this Part, including, but not limited to, a lottery or drawing
system for issuing a particular license or permit. Members of a federally recognized Indian
nation, band or tribe listed in this subsection are exempt from the trapper education program
required for a license under section 12201, the bear trapping education course required by
section 12260‑A, subsection 4 and the archery hunter education course under section
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11106. A license holder under this subsection who qualifies to hunt during the special
expanded archery season on deer under section 11153 and who meets the eligibility
requirements of section 11106 must have included in that person's license one antlerless
deer permit and one either-sex permit.
Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §11109, sub-§3, ¶A, as amended by PL 2023, c. 431, §2 and
affected by §23, is further amended to read:
A. A resident junior hunting license, for a person under 16 years of age, is $8 and
permits hunting of all legal species, subject to the permit requirements in subchapter 3.
Notwithstanding the permit fees established in subchapter 3, a resident junior hunting
license includes all permits, stamps and other permissions needed to hunt at no
additional cost. A license holder under this paragraph who qualifies to hunt during the
special expanded archery season on deer under section 11153 and who meets the
eligibility requirements of section 11106 must have included in that person's license
one antlerless deer permit and one either-sex permit. A resident junior hunting license
does not exempt the holder of the license from lottery-related application requirements
under this Part. A resident under 16 years of age who hunts without a resident junior
hunting license commits a civil violation.
Sec. 6. 12 MRSA §11109, sub-§3, ¶F, as amended by PL 2023, c. 431, §3 and
affected by §23, is further amended to read:
F. A nonresident junior hunting license, for a person under 16 years of age, is $35 and
permits hunting of all legal species, subject to the permit requirements in subchapter 3.
Notwithstanding the permit fees established in subchapter 3, a nonresident junior
hunting license includes all permits, stamps and other permissions needed to hunt at no
additional cost. A license holder under this paragraph who qualifies to hunt during the
special expanded archery season on deer under section 11153 and who meets the
eligibility requirements of section 11106 must have included in that person's license
one antlerless deer permit and one either-sex permit. A nonresident junior hunting
license does not exempt the holder of the license from lottery-related application
requirements under this Part. A nonresident under 16 years of age who hunts without
a nonresident junior hunting license commits a civil violation.
Sec. 7. 12 MRSA §11109-A, sub-§3, ¶C, as amended by PL 2023, c. 49, §1 and
affected by §3, is further amended to read:
C. Three antlerless deer and one deer of either sex during the special expanded archery
season in accordance with section 11402, subsection 4 rules adopted pursuant to
section 11401.
Sec. 8. 12 MRSA §11153, as amended by PL 2015, c. 281, Pt. C, §5, is further
amended by amending the section headnote to read:
§11153. Special season Expanded archery season deer permits; fees
Sec. 9. 12 MRSA §11153, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2015, c. 281, Pt. C, §5, is
further amended to read:
1. Special season Expanded archery season deer hunting permits; authority to
issue for special season; fees. The commissioner may implement a permit system to
regulate hunter participation in a special season the expanded archery season established
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by the commissioner pursuant to section 11402, subsection 4, paragraph B 11401,
subsection 2, paragraph B and the number, sex and age of deer harvested. A person may
hunt or possess a deer of either sex during a special season the expanded archery season on
deer if that person has a valid permit issued by the commissioner. If permits are issued, the
fee for an either-sex permit is $32 and the fee for an antlerless deer permit is $12.
Sec. 10. 12 MRSA §11153, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and
affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read:
2. Prohibition. Except as otherwise authorized pursuant to this Part, a person may
not hunt deer during a special season the expanded archery season established under this
section unless that person has a valid permit issued pursuant to this section.
Sec. 11. 12 MRSA §11401, sub-§1, ¶A, as amended by PL 2009, c. 134, §1, is
further amended to read:
A. Except as otherwise provided in this subsection and sections 10952, 11152, 11153,
11403 and 11404 or by rule adopted by the commissioner pursuant to section 11402,
subsection 4 subsection 2, there is an open season for deer in each calendar year in all
counties of the State between September 15th and December 20th annually. In a year
that the regular season extends beyond November 30th, the regular season must start
no later than the 4th Monday preceding Thanksgiving.
Sec. 12. 12 MRSA §11401, sub-§2 is enacted to read:
2. Rule. The commissioner by rule may:
A. Open any of the areas closed to deer hunting listed in rule, as long as the legislative
body of each affected town approves the opening. For purposes of this subsection,
"affected town" means a town, township or municipality that contains within its borders
any area proposed to be opened pursuant to this paragraph;
B. Create special hunting seasons or expanded archery seasons for the taking of deer
in any part of the State to maintain deer populations in balance with available habitat,
subject to the provisions of this paragraph.
(1) The demarcation of each area must follow recognizable physical boundaries,
such as rivers, roads and railroad rights-of-way.
(2) The commissioner may establish limits on the number of deer taken or
possessed by persons during a special season or expanded archery season. Limits
established by the commissioner under this subparagraph are exceptions to the
limits imposed under section 11501.
(3) The commissioner may specify types of weapons and hunting methods to be
used during a special season or expanded archery season.
(4) The commissioner may specify fees for permits issued during a special season,
as long as they do not exceed the fees established in section 11153; and
C. Establish a 2-day youth deer hunting period, to be held on the Friday and Saturday
preceding the Saturday designated as an open day for residents of the State pursuant to
section 11401.
Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5,
chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.
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 Sec. 13. 12 MRSA §11402, as amended by PL 2023, c. 593, §2, is repealed.
Sec. 14. 12 MRSA §12804, as amended by PL 2015, c. 301, §40, is further amended
to read:
§12804. Conservation of threatened and endangered species
1. Conservation of nongame threatened and endangered species. The
commissioner may establish such programs as are necessary to bring any endangered or
threatened species to the point where it is no longer endangered or threatened, including:
A. Acquisition of land or aquatic habitat or interests in land or aquatic habitat;
B. Propagation;
C. Live trapping;
D. Transplantation. Prior to the transplantation, introduction or reintroduction of an
endangered or threatened species in the State, the commissioner shall, in conjunction
with the Department of Marine Resources, when appropriate, develop a recovery plan
for that species, conduct a public hearing on that recovery plan pursuant to Title 5, Part
18 and submit that plan to the joint standing committee of the Legislature having
jurisdiction over inland fisheries and wildlife matters. The introduction or
reintroduction of that species must be conducted in accordance with the recovery plan
developed under this paragraph and may not begin sooner than 90 days after all
conditions of this paragraph have been met; and
E. In the extraordinary case where population pressures within a given group
ecosystem can not for a given species cannot be otherwise relieved, regulated taking.
2. Habitat. For species designated as endangered or threatened under this subchapter
the commissioner may by rule identify areas currently or historically providing physical or
biological features essential to the conservation of the species and that may require special
management considerations. Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2‑A.
3. Protection guidelines. The commissioner may by rule develop guidelines for the
protection of species designated as endangered or threatened under this subchapter. Rules
adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter
375, subchapter 2‑A.
5. Confidential information. Specific information concerning the location of a
threatened or endangered species or species of special concern is confidential and not a
public record under Title 1, chapter 13 if, in the judgment of the commissioner, disclosure
of that information would threaten the continued existence of the threatened or endangered
species or species of special concern. If the commissioner determines that information is
confidential under this subsection, the commissioner may not disclose the information
except to the landowner whose property is the location of the threatened or endangered
species or species of special concern.
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Statutes affected:
Bill Text ACTPUB , Chapter 333: 12.10851, 12.10853, 12.11109, 12.11153, 12.11401, 12.11402, 12.12804