An Act Related to Hunting Dogs and Civil Trespass
Maine Legislature, Session 130, LD 1951
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Amends: 12 MRSA §10265, 12 MRSA §10657-A, 12 MRSA §10902, 12 MRSA §11163, 12 MRSA §11228, 12 MRSA §12051

Legislative Document
No. 1951
H.P. 1454
House of Representatives, January 26, 2022
An Act Related to Hunting Dogs and Civil Trespass
Reported by Representative LANDRY of Farmington for the Joint Standing Committee on 
Inland Fisheries and Wildlife pursuant to Resolve 2021, chapter 77, section 2.
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered printed 
pursuant to Joint Rule 218.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §10265, as amended by PL 2019, c. 501, §7, is further amended 
to read:
§10265.  Landowner Relations Fund
The Landowner Relations Fund, referred to in this section as "the fund," is established 
within the department as a nonlapsing fund to be used by the commissioner to fund or assist 
in funding the landowner relations program established pursuant to section 10108, 
subsection 4‑A and the Keep Maine Clean program established in section 10108, 
subsection 4‑B.  All funds from fees collected under section 10108, subsection 4‑A, 
paragraph C and money accepted by the commissioner pursuant to section 10108, 
subsection 4‑B must be deposited in the fund.  Funds from fees collected under section 
11163, subsection 3, after the deduction of any administrative costs incurred in collecting 
the fees, must be deposited in the fund. The fund receives any other funds appropriated or 
allocated to the fund.  The commissioner may accept and deposit into the fund monetary 
gifts, donations or other contributions from public or private sources for the purposes 
specified in this section.  The fund must be held separate and apart from all other money, 
funds and accounts.
Sec. 2.  12 MRSA §10657-A is enacted to read:
§10657-A.  Civil trespass with hunting dog
1.  Definitions.  For the purposes of this section, unless the context otherwise indicates, 
the following terms have the following meanings.
A.  "Dog handler" means a person involved in releasing a dog to pursue a wild animal, 
including but not limited to the owner of the dog and any person involved in 
transporting, loading, unloading, catching, restraining, releasing or tracking the dog.
B.  ''Turn a hunting dog loose" means to release or to be involved as a dog handler in 
the release of a dog to pursue a wild animal for the purposes of hunting the wild animal 
or in order to train the dog in hunting wild animals and includes but is not limited to 
the release of the dog to join other dogs already in pursuit of the wild animal.
2.  Prohibition.  While engaging in any activity regulated under this Part, a person may 
not turn a hunting dog loose in pursuit of a bear, coyote, bobcat, fox or raccoon:
A.  Onto the property of another if:
(1)  The landowner or the landowner's agent has personally communicated to a dog 
handler of the dog that the landowner does not want a hunting dog released onto 
that property; or
(2)  The property is posted in accordance with Title 17-A, section 402, subsection 
or in a manner reasonably likely to come to the attention of a person, unless a 
dog handler of the dog has express permission from the landowner or the 
landowner's agent to turn a hunting dog loose onto that property; or
B.  In a manner that results in the hunting dog entering the property of another, if a 
hunting dog has been previously found on that property and any dog handler of the 
hunting dog has been notified in writing by a law enforcement officer within the 
previous 365 days that the landowner does not permit hunting dogs on that property.
3.  Civil 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 $250 and not more than $500 may be adjudged.
B.  A person who violates this section after having been adjudicated of violating this 
section in the prior 365 days commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than 
$500 and not more than $1,000 may be adjudged.
Sec. 3.  12 MRSA §10902, sub-§6, ¶I, as amended by PL 2013, c. 538, §7, is 
further amended to read:
I.  Hunting bear over another person's bait without written permission of that person in 
violation of section 11301, subsection 1‑A; or
Sec. 4.  12 MRSA §10902, sub-§6, ¶J, as enacted by PL 2013, c. 538, §8, is 
amended to read:
J.  Hunting or any violation of section 10906 while that person's license is revoked.; or
Sec. 5.  12 MRSA §10902, sub-§6, ¶K is enacted to read:
K.  A 2nd violation of civil trespass with a hunting dog in violation of section 10657-A.
Sec. 6.  12 MRSA §10902, sub-§7-D is enacted to read:
7-D.  Civil trespass with hunting dog.  The commissioner shall revoke the dog 
training and hunting permit of a person convicted or adjudicated of civil trespass with a 
hunting dog in violation of section 10657-A, and that person is ineligible to obtain a dog 
training and hunting permit under section 11163 as follows:
A.  For a first offense, for a period of one year from the date of adjudication; and
B.  For a 2nd offense, for a period of 2 years from the date of adjudication.
Sec. 7.  12 MRSA §11163 is enacted to read:
§11163.  Dog training and hunting permit
1.  Permit required.  Except as otherwise authorized pursuant to this Part, a person 
may not train a hunting dog on bear, fox or raccoon or hunt bear, coyote, bobcat, fox or 
raccoon with a dog without a valid dog training and hunting permit issued under this 
section. A person who is training or hunting with a dog under the supervision of and in the 
presence of a licensed guide who has a valid dog training and hunting permit is exempt 
from this subsection.
2.  Issuance of permit.  The commissioner or the commissioner's authorized agent 
shall issue a dog training and hunting permit to an applicant 16 years of age or older 
permitting the applicant to hunt with or train dogs. A person under 16 years of age may, 
without a dog training and hunting permit, hunt with or train dogs in accordance with this 
Part.
3.  Fee.  The fee for a dog training and hunting permit is $12.
4.  Violations.  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.
Sec. 8.  12 MRSA §11228, sub-§1, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 432, §2, is amended 
to read:
1.  Collar required.  A person may not hunt with a dog in pursuit of bear, coyote or, 
bobcat, fox or raccoon unless the dog has a collar with a functioning global positioning 
system tracker and a collar that legibly provides the name, telephone number and address 
of the owner of that dog. For purposes of this subsection, "global positioning system 
tracker" means an electronic device that allows a person hunting with a dog to track the 
dog's location at all times.
A.  A person who violates this subsection commits a civil violation for which a fine of 
not less than $100 or more than $500 may be adjudged.
B.  A person who violates this subsection 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.
Sec. 9.  12 MRSA §11228, sub-§2, as enacted by PL 2011, c. 432, §2, is amended 
to read:
2.  Limit on number of dogs.  A person or persons may not use more than 6 dogs at 
any one time to hunt coyotes, foxes, raccoons or bobcats.  A person who violates this 
subsection commits a Class E crime.
Sec. 10.  12 MRSA §12051, sub-§2-A is enacted to read:
2-A.  Collar requirements.  A person may not train a dog on bear, fox or raccoon 
unless the dog has a collar with a functioning global positioning system tracker and a collar 
that legibly provides the name, telephone number and address of the owner of that dog.  
For purposes of this subsection, "global positioning system tracker" means an electronic 
device that allows a person hunting with a dog to track the dog's location at all times.
A.  A person who violates this subsection 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 subsection 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.
Sec. 11.  12 MRSA §12051, sub-§2-B is enacted to read:
2-B.  Permit requirement.  A person may not train a dog in pursuit of a bear, fox or 
raccoon unless that person has a valid dog training and hunting permit in accordance with 
section 11163. A person who violates this subsection is subject to the penalties provided in 
section 11163.
SUMMARY
This bill, which is reported out by the Joint Standing Committee on Inland Fisheries 
and Wildlife pursuant to Resolve 2021, chapter 77, does the following.
1. It requires a person to obtain a permit to train a hunting dog on bear, fox or raccoon 
or hunt bear, coyote, bobcat, fox or raccoon with a dog. It exempts from the permit 
requirement a person with a junior hunting license and persons hunting or training with a 
guide. It provides for penalties for failure to have a permit and provides that permit fees are 
deposited into the Landowner Relations Fund.
2. It requires a person training a dog in pursuit of a bear, fox or raccoon to have a collar 
on the dog with a functioning global positioning system tracker and a collar that legibly 
provides the name, telephone number and address of the owner of that dog.
3. It requires a person hunting with a dog in pursuit of a bear, coyote, bobcat, fox or 
raccoon to have a collar on the dog that has a functioning global positioning system tracker 
and adds foxes and raccoons to the list of wild animals a person may not hunt with a dog 
unless the dog has a collar that legibly provides the name, telephone number and address 
of the owner of the dog.
4. It limits hunting foxes or raccoons with dogs to not more than 6 dogs. 
5. It prohibits certain types of trespass by a hunting dog. A person may not turn a 
hunting dog loose in pursuit of a bear, coyote, bobcat, fox or raccoon: 
A. Onto the property of another if the property is posted or if the landowner has notified 
the dog handler that hunting dogs are not allowed on the property; or
B. In a manner that results in the hunting dog entering the property of another, if a 
hunting dog has been previously found on that property and any dog handler of the 
hunting dog has been notified in writing by a law enforcement officer within the 
previous 365 days that the landowner does not permit hunting dogs on the property.