An Act To Allow the Use of Crossbows during the Archery Season on Deer
Maine Legislature, Session 129, LD 0027
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: THERIAULT, CYRWAY, HANLEY, LYFORD, MASON, NADEAU, REED, SKOLFIELD, DAVIS
Amends: 12 MRSA §10953, 12 MRSA §11109-A, 12 MRSA §11403

Legislative Document
No. 27
H.P. 28
House of Representatives, January 9, 2019
An Act To Allow the Use of Crossbows during the Archery Season 
on Deer
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative THERIAULT of China.
Cosponsored by Senator CYRWAY of Kennebec and
Representatives: HANLEY of Pittston, LYFORD of Eddington, MASON of Lisbon, 
NADEAU of Winslow, REED of Carmel, SKOLFIELD of Weld, Senator: DAVIS of 
Piscataquis.
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §10953, sub-§1, ¶D, as amended by PL 2013, c. 538, §14, is 
further amended to read:
D.  Hunt deer with a crossbow during the open firearm season on deer as provided in 
section 11401 and during the regular archery and crossbow season on deer as 
provided in section 11403.
Sec. 2.  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. 3.  12 MRSA §11403, as amended by PL 2017, c. 357, §2, is further amended 
to read:
§11403.  Regular archery and crossbow deer hunting season
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 with bow and arrow during a regular archery-only 
archery and crossbow season unless that person uses a hand-held bow and broadhead 
arrow in accordance with section 11214, subsection 1, paragraph P.
A-1.  A person may not take a deer with a crossbow during a regular archery and 
crossbow season unless that person uses a crossbow in accordance with section 
10953, subsection 3.
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 from carrying a concealed weapon in accordance with Title 25, section 
2001-A.
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 deer hunting 
season.