4. Illegally possessing or transporting wild hares or rabbits. A person is guilty of illegally possessing or transporting wild hares or rabbits if he that person possesses or transports at any time any wild hares or rabbits taken:

A. During the closed season; or.

B. By any method or with any device prohibited by subsection 1, paragraph A, or section 7432, subsection 11, paragraphs A, B and C.

Sec. 30. 12 MRSA §7653, sub-§1, as amended by PL 1995, c. 455, §39, is further amended to read:

1. Public use. The commissioner may, pursuant to section 7035, subsection 1, adopt rules regulating hunting, fishing, trapping or other public use of any wildlife management area or wildlife sanctuary as designated in section 7651, subsection 1, except that a landowner may not be prohibited from operating any vehicle on land on which that person is domiciled.

Sec. 31. 12 MRSA §7653, sub-§3, as enacted by PL 1979, c. 420, §1, is repealed.

Sec. 32. 12 MRSA §7948, as enacted by PL 1979, c. 420, §1, is repealed.

Sec. 33. 25 MRSA §2001, sub-§6, as enacted by PL 1989, c. 917, §6, is amended to read:

6. Licensed hunters and trappers. Firearms carried by any person engaged in conduct for which a state-issued hunting or trapping license is required and possessing the required license, or firearms carried by a resident person engaged in conduct expressly authorized by Title 12, section 7377, subsections subsection 1 and 2. This subsection does not authorize or permit the carrying of a concealed or loaded firearm in a motor vehicle.

SUMMARY

This bill prohibits the trapping of fur-bearing animals, except for mice and rats and except when authorized by the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. The commissioner may authorize a person to use a padded leg-hold trap to capture a nuisance fur-bearing animal if the person has attempted to utilize methods other than certain body-gripping traps and has