An Act To Allow a Person To Hunt with a Crossbow during the Archery-only Deer Season
Maine Legislature, Session 126, LD 1374
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: TUTTLE, BURNS, DUTREMBLE, HASKELL, CRAFTS, DAVIS, KUSIAK, SHORT, WOOD
Amends: 12 MRSA §11109, 12 MRSA §11403

Legislative Document 
No. 1374 
S.P. 481 
In Senate, April 9, 2013 
An Act To Allow a Person To Hunt with a Crossbow during the 
Archery-only Deer Season 
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed. 
DAREK M. GRANT 
Secretary of the Senate 
Presented by Senator TUTTLE of York. 
Cosponsored by Senators: BURNS of Washington, DUTREMBLE of York, HASKELL of 
Cumberland, Representatives: CRAFTS of Lisbon, DAVIS of Sangerville, KUSIAK of 
Fairfield, SHORT of Pittsfield, WOOD of Sabattus. 
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §11109, sub-§9, as amended by PL 2009, c. 213, Pt. OO, §5, is 
further amended to read: 
9.  Crossbow licenses and fees.  Crossbow hunting licenses and fees are as follows: 
A.  A resident crossbow hunting license is $25; 
B.  A nonresident crossbow hunting license is $55; and 
C.  An alien crossbow hunting license is $79. 
A person may not hunt with a crossbow without obtaining a crossbow hunting license, 
except that a person may hunt bear, moose or turkey with a crossbow without obtaining a 
crossbow hunting license if the person holds a valid permit to hunt that species and a 
person may hunt deer with a crossbow pursuant to section 11403 without obtaining a 
crossbow hunting license. 
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §11403, as amended by PL 2011, c. 61, §4 and c. 298, §1, 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 during the special open season on deer as provided under this section unless 
that person has a valid archery hunting license.  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 crossbow during the special open season on deer as provided under 
this section unless that person has a valid crossbow hunting license and big game 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, except as provided in section 10952, subsection 2 and section 10953, subsection 
1-A, the following restrictions apply. 
A.  A person may not take a deer with bow and arrow during a regular archery-only 
season unless that person uses 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 handgun pursuant to Title 25, 
section 2003 from carrying a handgun. 
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 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 season and 
allows a person with a valid permit to hunt bear, moose and wild turkey with a crossbow 
without obtaining a crossbow hunting license.