An Act To Create an Apprentice Trapper License
Maine Legislature, Session 125, LD 0650
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: SARTY, JACKSON, CLARK, CRAFTS, CURTIS, GIFFORD, JOHNSON, SANDERSON, WATERHOUSE, WOOD
Amends: 12 MRSA §12204

Legislative Document 
No. 650 
H.P. 480 
House of Representatives, February 17, 2011 
An Act To Create an Apprentice Trapper License 
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed. 
HEATHER J.R. PRIEST 
Clerk 
Presented by Representative SARTY of Denmark. 
Cosponsored by Senator JACKSON of Aroostook and 
Representatives: CLARK of Millinocket, CRAFTS of Lisbon, CURTIS of Madison, 
GIFFORD of Lincoln, JOHNSON of Greenville, SANDERSON of Chelsea, WATERHOUSE 
of Bridgton, WOOD of Sabattus. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §12204 is enacted to read: 
§12204.  Apprentice trapper license 
1.  Definitions.  As used in this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, the 
following terms have the following meanings. 
A.  "In the presence of" means in visual and voice contact without the use of visual or 
audio enhancement devices, including binoculars and citizen band radios. 
B.  "Supervisor" means a person who is 18 years of age or older, has held a valid 
trapping license under this subchapter for 3 consecutive years and is trapping with a 
person holding an apprentice trapper license. 
2.  Supervisor required.  A holder of an apprentice trapper license may not trap 
other than in the presence of a supervisor. 
3.  Supervisor responsibility.  A supervisor shall ensure that the holder of an 
apprentice trapper license follows safe and ethical trapping protocol and adheres to the 
laws under this Part. A supervisor may not intentionally permit a person trapping under 
an apprentice trapper license with that supervisor to violate subsection 2. 
4.  Eligibility.  A resident or nonresident 16 years of age or older who has never held 
a valid trapping license or junior trapping license in this State, or any other state, province 
or country, is eligible to obtain an apprentice trapper license, except that a person may not 
be issued an apprentice trapper license after having previously held an apprentice trapper 
license under this section.  A person is eligible to obtain an apprentice trapper license 
without having successfully completed a trapper education course as described in section 
10108, subsection 7. 
5.  Expiration of apprentice trapper license.  An apprentice trapper license is valid 
for up to 12 calendar months and expires on June 30th. 
6.  Issuance; fee.  The commissioner, through the commissioner's authorized agent, 
shall issue an apprentice trapper license to an eligible person. The fee for an apprentice 
trapper license is $35 for residents and $317 for nonresidents. 
7.  Restrictions.  The holder of an apprentice trapper license is not eligible to obtain 
a permit to trap for bear under section 12260-A. 
8.  Penalties.  The following penalties apply to violations of this section. 
A.  A person who violates this section commits a civil violation for which a fine of 
not less than $100 and not more than $500 may be adjudged. 
B.  A person who violates this section after having been adjudicated as having 
committed 3 or more civil violations under this Part within the previous 5-year period 
commits a Class E crime. 
SUMMARY 
This bill creates an apprentice trapper license.  An apprentice trapper license allows a 
person who has never held a trapping license to go trapping with an experienced trapper 
for up to one year without having to take a trapper education course.  The holder of an 
apprentice trapper license must, while trapping, be under the direct supervision of an 
experienced trapper at all times.  An apprentice trapper license allows a person to trap for 
all species that may be legally trapped, except black bear.  The fee for an apprentice 
trapper license is the same as for a regular trapping license.