New Maine Hunting Laws Take Effect January 1st

Some new hunting laws take effect in Maine in 2016, including a law that eliminates the minimum hunting age of 10.

The Maine Fish and Wildlife Department outlined the changes that will allow kids of any age to hunt, with adult supervision:

Starting January 1, any hunter under the age of 16 may purchase a junior hunting license and hunt in Maine. Hunters under 10 must be accompanied by an adult supervisor who remains within 20 feet of the young hunter at all times.

Hunters from 10 to 15 years old must be in the presence of and under the effective control of an adult. The adult supervisor of the junior hunter must hold, or have held, a valid adult hunting license or have successfully completed a hunter safety course.

This new law also increases the number of times a person may hold an apprentice hunter license from twice to 5 times before becoming ineligible to purchase the license.

Click to view the full language of the law titled P.L.C. 136.

Another new law increases hunting and trapping license fees by $1 and directs the Dept. of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to use that revenue to educate the public on the management of game species.  Click to view the full language of P.L.C. 245, An Act To Expand Public Opportunities for Wildlife Management Education.

An Act To Clarify and Simplify the Licensing and Registration Provisions of the Inland Fisheries & Wildlife Laws contains several provisions related to young hunters, complimentary licenses for hunters 70 and older, disabled veterans, and members of a federally recognized nation, band or tribe.  Click to view the full language of P.L.C. 281,

Maine’s hunting laws are available online at www.eregulations.com/maine/hunting/

CLICK HERE for the 2016 hunting seasons and bag and possession limits.