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An Act Regarding Youth Hunting Day for Hunting Bear and Carrying a Handgun during the Regular Archery-only Season on Deer
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.
Rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §11403, sub-§2, ¶B, as amended by PL 2011, c. 298, §1, is further amended to read:
 
B. A person may not carry firearms of any kind while hunting any species of wildlife with bow and arrow during the regular archery-only season on deer, except that a person who holds a license that allows hunting with firearms may carry a handgun. This paragraph may not be construed to prohibit a person who holds a valid permit to carryfrom carrying a concealed handgun pursuant toweapon in accordance with Title 25, section 2003 from carrying a handgun2001-A.
 
Effective 90 days following adjournment of the 128th Legislature, Second Regular Session, unless otherwise indicated.