Maine Legislature Maine Revised Statutes
  • Session Law
  • Statutes
  • Maine State Constitution
  • Information
  • Ch. 915 PDF
  • Ch. 915 MS-Word
  • Statute Search
  • Title 12 Contents
  • List of Titles
  • Maine Law & Disclaimer
  • Revisor's Office
  • Maine Legislature
Title 12, Chapter 915: HUNTING: SEASONS, REQUIREMENTS AND RESTRICTIONS

Subchapter 1: GENERAL HUNTING SEASON PROVISIONS

12 §10951. Closed season 
12 §10952. Open seasons for hunting with archery equipment 
12 §10953. Open seasons for hunting with crossbow (REPEALED) 
12 §10954. Open season on upland game 

Subchapter 2: HUNTING LICENSE REQUIREMENTS AND FEES

12 §11101. Application and issuance 
12 §11102. Age limitation for obtaining hunting license (REPEALED) 
12 §11103. Prohibition for convicted felons, domestic violence offenders and certain nonviolent juvenile offenders 
12 §11104. Mental deficiency or illness; eligibility 
12 §11105. Safety course 
12 §11106. Eligibility for archery hunting license 
12 §11106-A. Eligibility for crossbow hunting license (REPEALED) 
12 §11107. Eligibility for hunting with muzzle-loader 
12 §11108. Hunting without license 
12 §11108-A. Junior hunting license restrictions (REPEALED) 
12 §11108-B. Apprentice hunter license restrictions 
12 §11108-C. Eligibility and restrictions for a junior hunting license 
12 §11109. Licenses and fees 
12 §11109-A. Super pack license 
12 §11110. Transfer of hunting areas or zones 
12 §11111. Tracking wounded animals with a leashed dog 

Subchapter 3: HUNTING PERMIT REQUIREMENTS AND FEES

12 §11151. Bear hunting permit 
12 §11151-A. Nonresident late season bear hunting permit 
12 §11152. Antlerless deer; regulation and authority to issue permits 
12 §11153. Special season deer permits; fees 
12 §11154. Moose permit 
12 §11155. Wild turkey hunting permits 
12 §11156. Pheasant hunting permit 
12 §11157. Migratory waterfowl permit 
12 §11158. Migratory game bird certification 
12 §11159. Falconry hunting permit 
12 §11160. Coyote night hunting permit 
12 §11161. Noise suppression devices (REPEALED) 
12 §11162. Eligibility for crossbow hunting permit (REALLOCATED FROM TITLE 12, SECTION 11161) (REPEALED) 
12 §11163. Dog training and hunting permit 

Subchapter 4: GENERAL UNLAWFUL ACTS PERTAINING TO HUNTING

12 §11201. Hunting during closed season 
12 §11202. Unity Utilities District; closed season 
12 §11203. Hunter orange clothing 
12 §11204. Criminal trespass 
12 §11205. Hunting on Sunday 
12 §11206. Night hunting 
12 §11207. Twilight hunting (REPEALED) 
12 §11208. Unlawful shooting or discharge of firearm or archery equipment 
12 §11209. Discharge of firearm or archery equipment near dwelling or building 
12 §11209-A. Discharge of firearm within 300 feet of state-owned boat launching ramp 
12 §11210. Shooting domestic animals 
12 §11211. Unlawful use of firearm in Southport 
12 §11212. Motor vehicles and motorboats (REPEALED) 
12 §11212-A. Having a loaded firearm or crossbow in a motor vehicle or hunting or shooting from a motor vehicle or motorboat with a firearm or archery equipment 
12 §11213. Shooting at or near wildfowl decoys (REPEALED) 
12 §11213-A. Shooting at or near decoys 
12 §11214. Unlawful use or possession of implements or aids 
12 §11215. Use of motorized vehicle to kill, injure or molest wild animals or wild birds 
12 §11216. Hunting with aid of aircraft 
12 §11217. Buying and selling wild animals and wild birds 
12 §11218. Game fees 
12 §11219. Hunting on state game farm 
12 §11220. Hunting in licensed wildlife exhibit 
12 §11221. Disposal of offal; littering 
12 §11222. Target identification while hunting 
12 §11223. Aid to injured person and reporting hunting accident 
12 §11224. Waste of game 
12 §11225. Retrieval of wounded or killed big game after hours (REPEALED) 
12 §11226. Alien big game hunter; guide required (REALLOCATED FROM TITLE 12, SECTION 11224) (REPEALED) 
12 §11226-A. Canadian big game hunter; guide required (REPEALED) 
12 §11226-B. Canadian big game hunter; guide required 
12 §11227. Placement of bait for hunting 
12 §11228. Hunting with dogs 

Subchapter 5: BEAR HUNTING

Article 1: BEAR SEASONS

12 §11251. Open and closed seasons 

Article 2: HUNTING METHODS SPECIFIC TO BEAR

12 §11301. Placing of bear bait 
12 §11302. Hunting bear with dogs 
12 §11303. Hunting bear near dumps 
12 §11304. Permission to harvest another person's bear 
12 §11305. Unlawful firearms for hunting bear 

Article 3: POSSESSION OF BEAR

12 §11351. Bear bag limit 
12 §11352. Bear tags and tagging bear 
12 §11353. Leaving harvested bear (REPEALED) 
12 §11354. Possessing gift bear 

Subchapter 6: DEER HUNTING

Article 1: DEER SEASONS

12 §11401. Open and closed seasons for deer 
12 §11402. Special regulations 
12 §11403. Regular archery-only deer hunting season 
12 §11404. Muzzle-loading-only deer hunting season 

Article 2: HUNTING METHODS SPECIFIC TO DEER

12 §11451. Hunting deer with unconventional weapon; license (REPEALED) 
12 §11452. Baiting deer 
12 §11453. Driving deer 
12 §11454. Hunting deer with .22 caliber rimfire cartridge 

Article 3: POSSESSION OF DEER

12 §11501. Bag limit 
12 §11502. Deer tags and tagging 
12 §11503. Gift deer 

Subchapter 7: MOOSE HUNTING

Article 1: COMMISSIONER'S AUTHORITY TO REGULATE MOOSE HUNTING AND TO SET HUNTING SEASONS AND AREAS

12 §11551. Commissioner authority regarding moose 
12 §11552. Moose hunting areas 

Article 2: HUNTING METHODS SPECIFIC TO MOOSE

12 §11601. Unlawful hunting of moose 
12 §11602. Driving moose 
12 §11603. Unlawful firearms for hunting moose 
12 §11604. Unlawful hunting methods (REPEALED) 
12 §11605. Baiting moose 

Article 3: POSSESSION OF MOOSE

12 §11651. Unlawful possession of moose (REPEALED) 
12 §11651-A. Hunting moose after having killed one 
12 §11652. Bag limits 
12 §11653. Tagging moose 
12 §11654. Unlawful possession of gift moose 

Subchapter 8: WILD TURKEY HUNTING

Article 1: COMMISSIONER'S AUTHORITY TO REGULATE THE HUNTING OF WILD TURKEY; HUNTING LAWS

12 §11701. Authority of commissioner; wild turkey hunting 
12 §11702. Wild turkey hunting hours (REPEALED) 

Article 2: POSSESSION OF WILD TURKEYS

12 §11751. Unlawful possession of wild turkey (REPEALED) 
12 §11751-A. Unlawful possession of wild turkeys 
12 §11752. Tagging wild turkey 
12 §11753. Gift wild turkey 

Article 3: HUNTING METHODS SPECIFIC TO WILD TURKEYS

12 §11801. Prohibited hunting methods 
12 §11802. Baiting wild turkeys 

Subchapter 9: GAME BIRD HUNTING

12 §11851. Hunting or trapping wild birds 
12 §11852. Reopening season (REPEALED) 
12 §11853. Closed season; Haley Pond 
12 §11854. Nest or eggs of wild birds 
12 §11855. Unlawful use of migratory game birds 
12 §11856. Pheasants 
12 §11857. Unlawful possession of ruffed grouse (REPEALED) 

Subchapter 9-A: UPLAND GAME SPECIES HUNTING

12 §11871. Unlawful possession of upland game species 

Subchapter 10: RACCOON HUNTING

12 §11901. Raccoons 

Subchapter 11: HARE AND RABBIT HUNTING

12 §11951. Hunting hares and rabbits with dogs 
12 §11952. Unlawful harvest of wild rabbits or hares 
12 §11953. Unlawful possession of wild hares or wild rabbits 

Subchapter 12: COYOTE HUNTING

12 §12001. Night season and restrictions 

Subchapter 13: HUNTING DOG TRAINING AND FIELD TRAINING

12 §12051. Training 
12 §12052. Special dog training area license 
12 §12053. Unlawful use of licensed dog training area 
12 §12054. Field trials; raccoon and rabbits 
12 §12055. License to hold field trials; wild birds 

Subchapter 14: COMMERCIAL SHOOTING AREAS

12 §12101. License to operate commercial shooting area 
12 §12102. Importation permit for mallard ducks, quail, Chukar partridge and Hungarian partridge 
12 §12103. Remote-control hunting (REPEALED) 

Subchapter 15: WILDLIFE IMPORTATION AND POSSESSION PERMITS AND REQUIREMENTS

12 §12151. Keeping wildlife in captivity 
12 §12152. Permit to possess wildlife in captivity 
12 §12153. Violation of rules regarding wild animals in captivity (REPEALED) 
12 §12154. Department breeding or rearing wild birds 
12 §12155. Importation permit for wildlife (REPEALED) 
12 §12156. Release of wildlife into wild 
12 §12157. Permit to transport wildlife for breeding and advertising 
12 §12158. Importation permit for pheasants (REPEALED) 
12 §12159. Taking reptiles and amphibians from the wild 
12 §12160. Disposition of wolf hybrids 
12 §12161. Taking of certain nonmarine invertebrates from the wild for commercial purposes 
The Revisor's Office cannot provide legal advice or interpretation of Maine law to the public.
If you need legal advice, please consult a qualified attorney.
Office of the Revisor of Statutes · 7 State House Station · State House Room 108 · Augusta, Maine 04333-0007
Data for this page extracted on 1/07/2025 11:10:17.
Maine Government
Legislature • Executive • Judicial • Agency Rules
Visit the State House
Tour Guide • Accessibility • Security Screening • Directions & Parking
Email
Office of the Revisor of Statutes