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An Act To Expand Crossbow Hunting
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §10952, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 61, §1, is amended to read:
 
1. Hunting with a bow and arrow or a crossbow.   A person may, except as otherwise provided in this Part, hunt any wild bird or wild animal with a hand-held bow and arrow or a crossbow during any open season on that bird or animal.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §10952, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 61, §1, is repealed.
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §10953, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2011, c. 61, §2, is repealed and the following enacted in its place:
 
1.  Species and seasons.     Except as provided in this Part, a person may:
 
A.  Hunt bear with a crossbow during the open season on bear as provided in section 11251;
 
B.  Hunt wild turkey with a crossbow during the spring open season on wild turkey in areas open to wild turkey hunting as established by rule in section 11701;
 
C.  Hunt moose with a crossbow in areas of the State open to moose hunting during the open season on moose established by rule in section 11552, subsections 1 and 2 and according to the rules pertaining to moose hunting permits adopted by the commissioner for the protection of the moose resource under section 11551 and in accordance with the provisions of section 11601; and
 
D.  Hunt deer with a crossbow during the open firearm season on deer as provided in section 11401. This paragraph does not authorize a person to hunt deer with a crossbow during an expanded archery season established under section 11403 or in an expanded archery zone or during the muzzle-loading-only deer hunting season established under section 11404, except as provided in subsection 1-A.
Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §11603, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2005, c. 477, §13, is further amended to read:
 
1. Prohibition.   A person may not use a .17 or .22 caliber rimfire firearm,or a shotgun using shot loads or a crossbow to hunt moose.
Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §11603, sub-§1-A, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 61, §5, is repealed.
Sec. 6. 12 MRSA §11701, first ¶, as amended by PL 2003, c. 552, §9 and affected by §15; c. 614, §9; and c. 655, Pt. C, §§2 and 6, is further amended to read:
The commissioner may establish open seasons for hunting wild turkeys, designate areas that are open to the taking of wild turkeys in any part of the State, prescribe the form and regulate the number of permits to be issued, determine the number and sex of the birds to be harvested, establish bag limits, establish permit eligibility requirements, establish legal hunting times, specify the types of weapons to be used during any open wild turkey hunting season and make any other rules that the commissioner considers necessary for the protection of the wild turkey resource. The rules must permit the use of a crossbow during the spring open wild turkey hunting season.
 
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 126th Legislature, First Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.