Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §7406, sub-§4, as enacted by PL 1979, c. 420, §1, is amended to read:

4. Hunting on Sunday. A person is guilty of hunting on Sunday if he that person hunts wild animals or wild birds on Sunday, unless that person is hunting on lands north of the East- West Highway, which runs on Route 9 from Calais to Bangor, Interstate 95 from Bangor to Newport and Route 2 from Newport to Rumford and on Route 2 from Rumford to New Hampshire.

Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §7945, sub-§§2 and 3, as amended by PL 1997, c. 432, §58, are further amended to read:

2. Hunting equipment fastened. The hunting equipment is fastened in a case; or

3. Hunting equipment in pieces. The hunting equipment is carried in at least 2 separate pieces in such a manner that it can not be fired, unless the separate pieces are joined together. For the purpose of this subsection, a clip, magazine or cylinder of a firearm may not be considered a piece of the hunting equipment. Bows and arrows must be kept in a case or cover if broadheads or field points are kept attached to the arrows.; or

Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §7945, sub-§4 is enacted to read:

4.__Hunting equipment north of East-West Highway.__The hunting equipment is being used on lands north of the East-West Highway as described in section 7406, subsection 4.

SUMMARY

This bill removes the restriction of hunting on Sunday and allows it every day of the open season on lands North of the East-West Highway.