An Act to Allow Persons 70 Years of Age or Older to Use a Subpermittee to Harvest Deer
Maine Legislature, Session 131, LD 0090
Committee: Inland Fisheries and Wildlife
Sponsors: STROUT
Amends: 12 MRSA §11164

Legislative Document
No. 90
H.P. 58
House of Representatives, January 9, 2023
An Act to Allow Persons 70 Years of Age or Older to Use a 
Subpermittee to Harvest Deer
(EMERGENCY)
Reference to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife suggested and ordered 
printed.
ROBERT B. HUNT
Clerk
Presented by Representative STROUT of Harrington.
Emergency preamble.  Whereas, acts and resolves of the Legislature do not 
become effective until 90 days after adjournment unless enacted as emergencies; and
Whereas, this bill authorizes a licensed hunter 70 years of age or older to apply for a 
permit allowing the designation of a subpermittee to harvest deer on the permittee's behalf; 
and 
Whereas, the earliest date for hunting deer in Maine is expected to be in early 
September of 2023 with the first day of the 2023 expanded archery season; and
Whereas, this legislation must take effect in time for the start of the next deer hunting 
season; and
Whereas, in the judgment of the Legislature, these facts create an emergency within 
the meaning of the Constitution of Maine and require the following legislation as 
immediately necessary for the preservation of the public peace, health and safety; now, 
therefore,
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §11164 is enacted to read:
§11164.  Authority for persons 70 years of age or older to use subpermittee to harvest 
deer
1.  Designation of subpermittee; permit.  A person 70 years of age or older who 
possesses a valid license to hunt may obtain a permit to designate a subpermittee to harvest 
deer on behalf of the permittee.
2.  Application procedure.  An applicant for a permit under this section shall file a 
written application for a permit on a form furnished by the commissioner.  The application 
must be accompanied by an application fee of $1.
3.  Subpermittees. An applicant for a permit under this section shall indicate on the 
application filed pursuant to subsection 2 the name of a subpermittee-designate who 
possesses a valid license to hunt.  Thirty days prior to the start of the applicable deer hunting 
season, the subpermittee-designate becomes a subpermittee.  The permittee may authorize 
the subpermittee to hunt deer with the permittee and to harvest deer on behalf of the 
permittee.  The permittee may choose not to authorize a subpermittee to hunt deer with the 
permittee and to harvest deer on the permittee’s behalf.
4.  Subpermittee bag limit.  The hunting or killing of deer pursuant to this section by 
a subpermittee does not count toward the subpermittee’s bag limit pursuant to section 
11501.
Emergency clause.  In view of the emergency cited in the preamble, this legislation 
takes effect when approved.
SUMMARY
This bill authorizes a licensed hunter 70 years of age or older to apply for a permit 
allowing the designation of a subpermittee to harvest deer on the permittee’s behalf. Acting 
as a designated subpermittee does not limit the subpermittee’s ability to hunt deer pursuant 
to the subpermittee's own license.