An Act Related to Sunday Hunting
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 2014
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Amends: 12 MRSA §10501, 12 MRSA §11205

Legislative Document
No. 2014
S.P. 730
In Senate, March 9, 2022
An Act Related to Sunday Hunting
Reported by Senator DILL of Penobscot for the Joint Standing Committee on Inland 
Fisheries and Wildlife pursuant to Resolve 2021, chapter 107, section 5.
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered printed 
pursuant to Joint Rule 218.
DAREK M. GRANT
Secretary of the Senate
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §10501, sub-§9, ¶B, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 
and affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read:
B.  The hunting equipment is fastened in a case; or
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §10501, sub-§9, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 
and affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read:
C.  The hunting equipment is carried in at least 2 separate pieces in such a manner that 
it can not be fired, unless the separate pieces are joined together.  For the purpose of 
this subsection, a clip, magazine or cylinder of a firearm may not be considered a piece 
of the hunting equipment.  Bows and arrows must be kept in a case or cover if 
broadheads or field points are kept attached to the arrows.; or
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §10501, sub-§9, ¶D is enacted to read:
D.  The person possessing the hunting equipment is hunting on Sunday pursuant to 
section 11205, subsection 1-A.
Sec. 4.  12 MRSA §11205, as affected by PL 2003, c. 614, §9 and amended by c. 
655, Pt. B, §137 and affected by §422, is further amended to read:
§11205.  Hunting on Sunday
1.  Prohibition.  A person may not:
A.  Hunt wild animals or wild birds on Sunday, except as provided in subsection 1-A; 
or
B.  Possess any wild animal or wild bird taken in violation of paragraph A except as 
otherwise provided in this Part.
1-A.  Hunting allowed on Sunday in certain areas of the State; hunting allowed on 
Sunday with written permission.  A person may hunt wild animals or wild birds on 
Sunday north of U.S. Route 2 from the New Hampshire border to Bangor, north of Route 
from Bangor to the Canadian border and within any portion of the White Mountain 
National Forest in the State, subject to all other requirements, laws and rules governing that 
hunting. In all other areas of the State, a landowner or a person with written consent of that 
landowner may hunt wild animals or wild birds on that landowner's land on Sunday, subject 
to all other requirements, laws and rules governing that hunting. The department shall adopt 
rules to implement this subsection.  Rules adopted pursuant to this subsection are routine 
technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter 2-A.
2.  Penalties.  A person who violates subsection 1 commits a Class E crime.
SUMMARY
This bill allows persons to hunt wild animals and wild birds on Sunday north of U.S. 
Route 2 from the New Hampshire border to Bangor, north of Route 9 from Bangor to the 
Canadian border and within any portion of the White Mountain National Forest in the State. 
The bill also allows landowners in all other areas in the State to hunt wild animals and wild 
birds on their private property on Sunday. It also authorizes a person with written 
permission from the landowner to hunt wild animals and wild birds on the landowner's 
private property on Sunday. The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife is directed to 
adopt rules to implement these provisions.