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B.__The bait is used in conjunction with the operation of a | feeding station for bear in order to prevent damage to | commercial timberland, as long as the bait is used by owners | or operators of that land, or their employees, pursuant to a | permit granted by the department, but in no event for the | purpose of killing bear; or |
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| C.__The bait is used by the department or pursuant to a | permit granted by the department to an accredited university | for scientific or research purposes, but in no event for the | purpose of killing bear. |
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| | Sec. A-13. 12 MRSA §7452, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 1979, c. 420, §1, | is repealed and the following enacted in its place: |
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| | 1.__Unlawfully hunting or pursuing bear with dogs; hounding.__ | The following provisions govern hunting or pursuing bear with | dogs, also known as hounding. |
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| A.__It is unlawful to use a dog or dogs to hunt or pursue | bear, except as provided in paragraph B. |
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| B.__The use of a dog or dogs to hunt or pursue bear is | lawful in the following circumstances: |
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| (1)__The dog or dogs are used by state or federal | employees to pursue a specific offending animal when | the employees, or their designees, are acting in their | official capacity for purposes of protecting livestock, | domestic animals, threatened or endangered wildlife, | public or private property or public safety; or |
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| (2)__The dog or dogs are used by the department or | pursuant to a permit granted by the department to an | accredited university for scientific or research | purposes, but in no event for the purpose of killing | bear. |
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| | Sec. A-14. 12 MRSA §7452, sub-§1-A, as amended by PL 1989, c. 493, | §30, is repealed. |
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| | Sec. A-15. 12 MRSA §7452, sub-§1-B, as enacted by PL 1987, c. 696, | §10, is amended to read: |
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| | 1-B. Illegal harvest of bear. A person is guilty of | illegally harvesting bear if may not, without the permission of | the person conducting the hunt that person kills, kill or wounds | wound a bear that is treed or held at bay by another person's dog | or dogs person. |
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