2023 Maine Revised Statutes › TITLE 7: AGRICULTURE AND ANIMALS › Part 3: LICENSING OF DEALERS; AUCTIONS › Chapter 202-A: COMMERCIAL LARGE GAME SHOOTING AREAS › 7 §1342. Commercial large game shooting area license

§1342. Commercial large game shooting area license
Beginning October 1, 2000, a person may not establish or operate a commercial large game shooting area unless that person has a valid license issued in accordance with this section or section 1342‑A.   [PL 2009, c. 249, §2 (AMD).]
Except as provided in section 1342‑A, the commissioner may issue a license under this chapter only to a person who operated a commercial large game shooting area during the period beginning October 1, 1999 and ending March 15, 2000 .   [PL 2009, c. 249, §3 (AMD).]
1.  Application.
An applicant for a commercial large game shooting area license must submit an application on a form provided by the commissioner along with the required license fee as provided under subsection 3. An application under this subsection must be submitted for a specific parcel of land, and the applicant must demonstrate in accordance with subsection 9 that the applicant has operated a commercial large game shooting area on that parcel of land between October 1, 1999 and March 15, 2000. The application must include the name and address of the person applying for the license and a map locating the proposed site in relation to known or easily identifiable terrain features, such as a road junction or a stream and road junction. The map must be a copy of a 7.5 or 15 minute series topographical map produced by the United States Geological Survey or a map of equivalent or superior detail in the location of roads.
[PL 2009, c. 249, §4 (AMD).]
2.  Land and facility requirements.
To qualify for a license under this section, an applicant must demonstrate that the shooting area meets the following.
A. Each shooting zone in which domesticated cervids are enclosed is a minimum of 50 acres.   [PL 2003, c. 386, §10 (AMD).]
B. Each shooting zone in which large game other than domesticated cervids are enclosed is a minimum of 200 acres.   [PL 2003, c. 386, §10 (AMD).]
C. The total area of land enclosed for operation as a commercial large game shooting area does not exceed 400 acres.   [PL 1999, c. 765, §3 (NEW).]
D. A shooting zone is encompassed by fencing or other barriers sufficient to contain the species of large game contained in that shooting area.   [PL 1999, c. 765, §3 (NEW).]
E. The applicant owns or leases all of the land to be used as a commercial large game shooting area.   [PL 1999, c. 765, §3 (NEW).]
[PL 2003, c. 386, §10 (AMD).]
3.  Fees.
The annual fee for a commercial large game shooting area is $1,000, except that the annual fee for a commercial large game shooting area is $500 for an operation that is licensed to possess domesticated cervids under chapter 202 and harvests only domesticated cervids raised on that farm. Except as provided in section 1346, all fees paid for a license issued under this section must be deposited in the Animal Industry Fund established under section 1332.
[PL 2003, c. 386, §10 (AMD).]
4.  Issuance of license.
Upon receipt of a complete application and the license fee, the commissioner shall issue an annual license after determination that the land and facility requirements are met. The commissioner may require inspection of an operation prior to issuing a license to determine compliance with this chapter and rules adopted pursuant to subsection 8. The commissioner may not issue more than one license to a person. Upon issuing a license, the commissioner shall provide the licensee with transport tags to identify an animal killed on the premises of that license holder at a cost of $25 for each tag. Except as provided in section 1346, transport tag fees must be deposited in the Animal Industry Fund.
[PL 1999, c. 765, §3 (NEW).]
5.  Transfer of license.
A person may transfer a license issued in accordance with this section. The license holder must notify the commissioner 30 days prior to a transfer informing the commissioner of the date of the transfer and the name, mailing address and telephone number of the person receiving the transferred license.
[PL 1999, c. 765, §3 (NEW).]
6.  Restrictions.
Large game may not be tethered in a shooting area and must be free to roam. A person may shoot or attempt to shoot large game within a shooting area only when that person is in a tree stand or accompanied by the license holder or an employee of the license holder. Shooting is limited to the time period from 1/2 hour before sunrise as defined in Title 12, section 10001 to 1/2 hour after sunset as defined in Title 12, section 10001. A person who kills or attempts to kill large game in a commercial large game shooting area may use only the following weapons:
A. Firearms of any type permitted for hunting under Title 12, Part 13; and   [PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. B, §12 (AMD); PL 2003, c. 614, §9 (AFF).]
B. Archery equipment of any type permitted for hunting under Title 12, Part 13.   [PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. B, §12 (AMD); PL 2003, c. 614, §9 (AFF).]
[PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. B, §12 (AMD); PL 2003, c. 614, §9 (AFF).]
7.  Inspection.
The commissioner or a veterinarian or other person employed by the State may enter at the direction of the commissioner, at any reasonable time, a commercial large game shooting area to make examinations of or conduct tests on large game for the existence of contagious or infectious diseases and to review records and make observations to determine compliance with this chapter and rules adopted pursuant to subsection 8. When the commissioner requires or conducts tests on large game for the existence of contagious or infectious diseases, the license holder is responsible for costs associated with the tests.
[PL 1999, c. 765, §3 (NEW).]
8.  Rulemaking.
The commissioner shall adopt rules in accordance with Title 5, chapter 375 to implement the provisions of this chapter. The initial rules adopted pursuant to this section are routine technical rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II‑A. Subsequent amendments to those rules are major substantive rules as defined in Title 5, chapter 375, subchapter II‑A.
[PL 1999, c. 765, §3 (NEW).]
9.  Verification of existing commercial large game shooting areas.
Prior to issuing a license, the commissioner must verify that the applicant operated a commercial large game shooting area during the period beginning October 1, 1999 and ending March 15, 2000. An applicant may demonstrate compliance with this requirement:
A. By submitting a copy of a published advertisement describing the large game shooting experience offered. The copy must include the name of the publication and the date of the issue in which the advertisement appeared;   [PL 1999, c. 765, §3 (NEW).]
B. By submitting a dated receipt for services that includes the name and address of the person who paid for a large game shooting experience and supporting financial records; or   [PL 1999, c. 765, §3 (NEW).]
C. By submitting other acceptable verification as determined by the commissioner, including such information required by the commissioner to establish the type of large game harvested or offered for harvesting in that shooting area between October 1, 1999 and March 15, 2000.   [PL 1999, c. 765, §3 (NEW).]
[PL 1999, c. 765, §3 (NEW).]
10.  Expansion of licenses.
A person issued a license under this section shall notify the commissioner prior to offering a genus or species of large game for harvesting that was not offered for harvesting at the time the initial license was issued. The notification must state the additional genus or species that the license holder is proposing to offer. Upon determining that the license holder can meet the requirements of subsection 2, the commissioner shall issue a revised license.
[PL 2009, c. 249, §5 (NEW).]
SECTION HISTORY
PL 1999, c. 765, §3 (NEW). PL 2003, c. 386, §10 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 414, §B12 (AMD). PL 2003, c. 414, §D7 (AFF). PL 2003, c. 614, §9 (AFF). PL 2009, c. 249, §§2-5 (AMD).