An Act To Expand Turkey Hunting Opportunities
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §11109, sub-§3, ¶C, as amended by PL 2005, c. 12, Pt. III, §4, is further amended to read:
C. A resident small game hunting license, for a person 16 years of age or older, which permits hunting for all legal species except deer, bear, turkey, moose, raccoon and bobcat, is $14.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §11109, sub-§3, ¶¶G and K, as amended by PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. OO, §2, are further amended to read:
G. A nonresident small game hunting license, which permits hunting of all legal species except deer, bear, turkey, moose, raccoon and bobcat, is $74.
K. An alien small game hunting license, which permits hunting of all species except deer, bear, turkey, moose, raccoon and bobcat, is $79.
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §11155, sub-§1-A, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 12, Pt. III, §11, is amended to read:
1-A. Eligibility; license required. A person who possesses a valid license to hunt big game or small game may obtain a permit to hunt for wild turkey from the commissioner or an authorized agent.
Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §11701, sub-§1, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 387, §3, is amended to read:
B. A person to hunt from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset . This paragraph is repealed August 1, 2016; and
Sec. 5. 12 MRSA §11701, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 387, §3, is amended to read:
2. Fall seasons. Beginning with the 2014 2016 fall open season, the commissioner shall establish by rule a 2 fall open season seasons for hunting wild turkeys. Unless the commissioner determines that sound management principles require otherwise, the rule must establish a 2 fall open season seasons that includes include the month of October and a week in the month of November and allow a person to take up to a total of 2 wild turkeys over both seasons regardless of sex without any additional fee for the taking of a 2nd wild turkey.
Sec. 6. Effective date. This Act takes effect January 1, 2016.
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 127th Legislature, First Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.