An Act To Increase Safety on a Youth Hunting Day for Hunting Bear by Allowing an Accompanying Adult To Possess a Firearm
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §11251, as amended by PL 2017, c. 164, §12, is further amended to read:
§ 11251. Open and closed seasons
1. Open season on bear; commissioner's authority. This subsection governs the open and closed seasons on bear.
A. There is an open season on hunting bear from the first Monday preceding September 1st to November 30th annually. The commissioner may, pursuant to section 10104, subsection 1, adopt rules prohibiting the use of bait to hunt black bear during any portion of the open bear hunting season. Rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
B. There is an open season on using a dog or dogs in conjunction with bear hunting from the first Monday preceding September 1st to the day preceding the open firearm season on deer provided in sections 11401 and 11402.
3. Youth bear hunting day. The commissioner may establish by rule a youth hunting day for hunting bear. An adult supervisor, parent or guardian accompanying a youth on a youth hunting day for hunting bear may possess a firearm while the youth is hunting bear.
Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
SUMMARY
This bill allows the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife to establish a youth hunting day for hunting bear. An adult supervisor, parent or guardian accompanying the youth is allowed to possess a firearm while the youth is hunting bear.