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An Act To Provide for an Expanded Muzzle-loading-only Deer Hunting Season
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. 12 MRSA §11404, sub-§1-A, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 280, §2, is amended to read:
 
1-A. Muzzle-loading-only open season on deer.   There is a special muzzle-loading open season on deer immediately following the regular deer hunting season established under section 11401, subsection 1, paragraph A for the purpose of hunting deer only with:
 
A. A muzzleloader as defined in section 10001, subsection 42-A that is 40 caliber or greater and capable of firing only a single charge;
 
B. A muzzle-loading shotgun as defined in section 10001, subsection 42-B; or
 
C. A traditional muzzleloader as defined in section 10001, subsection 62-A that uses projectiles that are 40 caliber or greater or that uses buckshot.
 
The commissioner may terminate this open season at any time in an area if, in the commissioner's opinion, an immediate emergency action is necessary due to adverse weather conditions or severe hunting pressure. The length of the special muzzle-loading season is as follows.
 
The commissioner shall establish by rule the length of the special muzzle-loading season. The commissioner may establish seasons of different lengths in different regions of the State. The season may extendextends for no more than 12 hunting days in any partall parts of the State.
 
SUMMARY
This bill requires that muzzle-loading season on deer extends for 12 hunting days immediately following the regular deer hunting season instead of being determined by the Commissioner of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife.