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An Act To Allow the Use of Crossbows during the Archery Season on Deer
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §10953, sub-§1, ¶D, as amended by PL 2013, c. 538, §14, is further amended to read:
 
D. Hunt deer with a crossbow during the open firearm season on deer as provided in section 11401 and during the regular archery and crossbow season on deer as provided in section 11403.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §11109-A, sub-§3, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2007, c. 163, §1 and affected by §3, is amended to read:
 
A. One deer during either the regular open firearm season or the regular archery-onlyarchery and crossbow season or the special muzzle-loading season in accordance with sections 11401, 11403 and 11404, respectively;
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §11403, as amended by PL 2017, c. 357, §2, is further amended to read:
§ 11403.Regular archery and crossbow deer hunting season
 
2. Open archery and crossbow season on deer.   The commissioner shall by rule establish a regular archery-onlyarchery and crossbow season beginning at least 30 days prior and extending to the beginning of the regular deer hunting season, as described in section 11401, subsection 1, paragraph A, for the purpose of hunting deer with bow and arrow onlyand crossbow. During the regular archery-onlyarchery and crossbow season on deer the following restrictions apply.
 
A. A person may not take a deer with bow and arrow during a regular archery-onlyarchery and crossbow season unless that person uses a hand-held bow and broadhead arrow in accordance with section 11214, subsection 1, paragraph P.
 
A-1.  A person may not take a deer with a crossbow during a regular archery and crossbow season unless that person uses a crossbow in accordance with section 10953, subsection 3.
 
B. A person may not carry firearms of any kind while hunting any species of wildlife with bow and arrow or crossbow during the regular archery-onlyarchery and crossbow 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 from carrying a concealed weapon in accordance with Title 25, section 2001-A.
 
C. Except as provided in section 11109-A, subsection 3, if a person takes a deer with bow and arrow or crossbow during the regular archery-onlyarchery and crossbow season on deer, that person is precluded from further hunting for deer during that year.
 
D. Except as provided in this subsection, the provisions of this Part concerning deer are applicable to the taking of deer with bow and arrow or crossbow, including the transportation, registration and possession of deer taken by this method.
 
A person who violates this subsection commits a Class E crime.
 
SUMMARY
This bill allows crossbows to be used during the regular archery-only deer hunting season.