Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §7901-A, sub-§7, ķE, as enacted by PL 2001, c. 421, Pt. B, §88 and affected by Pt. C, §1, is amended to read:

E. The following are Class E crimes for which the court shall impose a fine of not less than $500, none of which may be suspended:

(1) Illegally hunting wild turkeys as described in section 7469, subsection 1; and

(2) Illegally possessing wild turkeys as described in section 7469, subsection 2.;

(3)__Using an aircraft to aid or assist in hunting big game as described in section 7406, subsection 24 if the violation involves the taking of a big game animal; and

(4)__Hunting big game on the same hunting day a person has flown in a chartered or privately owned aircraft as described in section 7406, subsection 25 if the violation involves the taking of a big game animal.

The court also shall impose a fine of $500 for each turkey illegally possessed or killed, none of which may be suspended.

SUMMARY

This bill prohibits the use of aircraft to hunt big game and prohibits a person from hunting big game on the same hunting day that the person has flown on a chartered or privately owned aircraft.