An Act To Allow a Spring Bear Hunting Season
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 1020
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: KESCHL, THOMAS, CHASE, FREDETTE, HARMON, HARVELL, JOHNSON, WINSOR, ROSEN
Amends: 12 MRSA §11151, 12 MRSA §11251, 12 MRSA §11301

Legislative Document 
No. 1020 
H.P. 756 
House of Representatives, March 10, 2011 
An Act To Allow a Spring Bear Hunting Season 
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative KESCHL of Belgrade. 
Cosponsored by Senator THOMAS of Somerset and 
Representatives: CHASE of Wells, FREDETTE of Newport, HARMON of Palermo, 
HARVELL of Farmington, JOHNSON of Eddington, WINSOR of Norway, Senator: ROSEN 
of Hancock. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §11151, sub-§1, as affected by PL 2003, c. 614, §9 and 
amended by c. 655, Pt. B, §118 and affected by §422, is further amended to read: 
1.  Permit required.  Except as otherwise authorized pursuant to this Part, a A 
person may not hunt for bear without with a valid permit from the 3rd Monday in May to 
the 4th Saturday in June and from the first Monday preceding September 1st to the day 
preceding the open firearm season on deer.  This section does not apply to trapping for 
bear. 
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. 
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §11251, sub-§1, ¶A, as affected by PL 2003, c. 614, §9 and 
amended by c. 655, Pt. B, §155 and affected by §422, is repealed and the following 
enacted in its place: 
A.  There are open seasons on hunting bear from: 
(1)  The 3rd Monday in May to the 4th Saturday in June annually; and 
(2)  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 seasons. Rules adopted pursuant to this paragraph are routine technical rules 
as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A. 
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §11251, sub-§1, ¶D, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 
and affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read: 
D.    The commissioner may terminate the open season seasons on bear as established 
in paragraphs A and B at any time in any part of the State if, in the commissioner's 
opinion, an immediate emergency action is necessary due to adverse weather 
conditions or severe hunting or trapping pressure. 
Sec. 4.  12 MRSA §11301, sub-§1, ¶E, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 
and affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read: 
E.    The bait is placed not more than 30 days before the opening day of the a season 
and not after October 31st of the fall season and not after June 4th of the spring 
season; 
Sec. 5.  12 MRSA §11301, sub-§1, ¶F, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 
and affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read: 
F.    The bait areas will be cleaned up by November 10th of the fall season and by 
June 11th of the spring season, as defined by the state litter laws; and 
SUMMARY 
This bill establishes a spring season on hunting bear from the 3rd Monday in May to 
the 4th Saturday in June.