§11155.__Wild turkey hunting permits

1.__Permit required.__Except as otherwise authorized pursuant to this Part, a person may not hunt wild turkey unless that person has a valid permit issued under this section.__Each day a person violates this subsection that person commits a Class E crime for which a minimum fine of $50 and an amount equal to twice the applicable license fee must be imposed.

2.__Issuance of wild turkey hunting permits.__The percentage of total wild turkey permits issued to nonresident and alien hunters may not exceed the average percentage of applicants for wild turkey permits over the previous 3 years who were nonresidents and aliens and may not be more than 10% of the total wild turkey hunting permits issued statewide.

3.__Eligibility.__When a public chance drawing is utilized to allocate permits, a resident, nonresident or alien who is eligible to obtain a Maine hunting license or who will be eligible to obtain a Maine hunting license by the opening day of the wild turkey hunting season is eligible to apply for a wild turkey hunting permit.

4.__Application procedure and fee.__If wild turkey permits are issued by public chance drawing, persons wishing to apply for a permit must apply in a manner prescribed by the commissioner.__ The application must be accompanied by an application fee of $5 for residents and $10 for nonresidents and aliens.__The application fee may not be refunded.

5.__Wild turkey hunting permit fee.__The fee for a wild turkey hunting permit is $10 for residents and $40 for nonresidents and aliens.

6.__Transfer of turkey permits.__A person who holds a valid wild turkey permit may transfer the permit to a junior hunter or to a person 65 years of age or older by identifying the name, age and address of the transferee on the permit as well as any other information reasonably requested by the commissioner and then returning the permit to the department prior to the start of the turkey season.__The commissioner shall record the transfer and return the permit to the junior hunter or person 65 years of age or older.__A valid permit must be in the possession of the transferee in order for the transferee to hunt turkey.

7.__Landowner; wild turkey permit.__A wild turkey permit system adopted by the commissioner pursuant to subchapter 8 may