§12251. Closed seasons

1. General. Except as otherwise provided in this Part and except as the commissioner may establish by rule that is not inconsistent with this chapter, there is a perpetual closed season on trapping any wild animal or wild bird.

2. Unity Utilities District. There is a continued closed season on all wild animals and wild birds on property owned by the Unity Utilities District located on Route 139 and Prairie Road in the municipality of Unity in Waldo County.

3. Closed season violation. A person may not trap, or attempt to trap, any wild animal or wild bird during the closed season or possess any wild animal or wild bird taken during the closed season on that wild animal or wild bird.

A person who violates this subsection commits a Class E crime.

Sec. 219. 12 MRSA §12252, sub-§4 is enacted to read:

4.__Penalty.__A person who violates this section commits a Class E crime.

Sec. 220. 12 MRSA §12253, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and affected by Pt. D, §7, is amended to read:

§12253. Consent to trap

1. Trapping without written consent. A person may not, without first obtaining the written consent of the landowner or occupant, trap any wild animal on land in any organized or incorporated place or on the cultivated or pasture area of land that is used for agricultural purposes in any unorganized place and on which land there is an occupied dwelling. The provisions of this subsection do not apply to:

A. Beaver trapping;

B. Trapping with drowning sets in navigable rivers and streams; or

C. Trapping with drowning sets on state-owned land and public rights-of-way.

A person who violates this subsection commits a Class E crime.