An Act To Allow the Use of Crossbows during the Archery Season
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0137
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: HARVELL, CRAFTS, JACKSON, CLARK, CRAY, CROCKETT, GIFFORD, LIBBY, PARRY, SHAW, WILLETTE
Amends: 12 MRSA §10952, 12 MRSA §10953, 12 MRSA §11109-A, 12 MRSA §11403, 12 MRSA §11603

Legislative Document 
No. 137 
H.P. 119 
House of Representatives, January 20, 2011 
An Act To Allow the Use of Crossbows during the Archery Season 
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative HARVELL of Farmington. 
Cosponsored by Representative CRAFTS of Lisbon, Senator JACKSON of Aroostook and 
Representatives: CLARK of Millinocket, CRAY of Palmyra, CROCKETT of Bethel, 
GIFFORD of Lincoln, LIBBY of Waterboro, PARRY of Arundel, SHAW of Standish, 
WILLETTE of Mapleton. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §10952, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and affected 
by Pt. D, §7 and c. 614, §9, is amended to read: 
§10952.  Open seasons for hunting with bow and arrow and crossbow 
A person may, except as otherwise provided in this Part, hunt any wild bird or wild 
animal with a hand-held bow and arrow or a crossbow during any open season on that 
bird or animal. 
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §10953, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2005, c. 419, §2 and 
affected by §12, is amended to read: 
1.  Species and seasons.  Except as provided in this Part, a person may hunt bear 
with a crossbow during the open season on bear as provided in section 11251 and may 
hunt deer with a crossbow during the open firearm season on deer as provided in section 
11401.  This subsection does not authorize a person to hunt deer with a crossbow during 
an expanded archery season established under section 11403 or in an expanded archery 
zone or during the muzzle-loading-only deer hunting season established under section 
11404. 
Sec. 3.  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-only 
archery and crossbow season or the special muzzle-loading season in accordance with 
sections 11401, 11403 and 11404, respectively; 
Sec. 4.  12 MRSA §11403, as amended by PL 2007, c. 163, §2 and affected by §3, 
is further amended to read: 
§11403.  Regular archery and crossbow deer hunting season 
1.  License required.  Except as provided in section 11108, subsection 1 or otherwise 
authorized by this Part, a person 16 years of age or older may not hunt deer with a bow 
and arrow or crossbow during the special open season on deer as provided under this 
section unless that person has a valid archery hunting license or crossbow hunting license. 
Each day a person violates this subsection that person commits a Class E crime for which 
a minimum fine of $50 and an amount equal to twice the applicable license fee must be 
imposed. 
2.  Open archery and crossbow season on deer.  The commissioner shall by rule 
establish a regular archery-only archery 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 only and crossbow.  During the regular archery-only archery and crossbow season 
on deer, the following restrictions apply. 
A.  A person may not take a deer during a regular archery-only archery and crossbow 
season unless that person uses a crossbow as allowed in section 10953 or a hand-held 
bow and broadhead arrow with the following specifications. 
 (1)  Bows must have a minimum draw weight of 35 pounds. 
 (2)  Arrowheads, including mechanical broadheads when open, must be at least 
7/8 inch in width. 
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-only archery 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 who holds a valid permit to carry a concealed firearm pursuant to Title 25, 
section 2003 from carrying a firearm. 
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-only archery 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 and crossbow, including the 
transportation, registration and possession of deer taken by this method. 
A person who violates this subsection commits a Class E crime. 
Sec. 5.  12 MRSA §11603, sub-§1, as amended by PL 2005, c. 477, §13, is 
further amended to read: 
1.  Prohibition.  A Except as provided in section 10952, a person may not use a .17 
or .22 caliber rimfire firearm, a shotgun using shot loads or a crossbow to hunt moose. 
SUMMARY 
This bill allows the use of crossbows during the regular archery season.