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An Act To Allow Early Deer Hunting for Senior Hunters
Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1.  12 MRSA §11108-C  is enacted to read:
§ 11108-C. Early hunting for junior and senior hunters
A holder of a valid junior hunting license who is under 16 years of age and a holder of an antlerless deer permit under section 11152 who is 70 years of age or older are allowed to hunt deer on the day immediately preceding the commencement of the open season on deer established pursuant to section 11401.
Sec. 2. 12 MRSA §11402, sub-§4, ¶A, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and affected by c. 614, §9, is amended to read:
 
A.  Open any of the areas closed to deer hunting under subsection 3, as long as the legislative body of each affected town approves the opening. For purposes of this subsection, "affected town" means a town, township or municipality that contains within its borders any area proposed to be opened under this paragraph; and
Sec. 3. 12 MRSA §11402, sub-§4, ¶B, as affected by PL 2003, c. 614, §9 and amended by c. 655, Pt. B, §169 and affected by §422, is further amended to read:
 
B.  Create special hunting seasons for the taking of deer in any part of the State to maintain deer populations in balance with available habitat, subject to the provisions of this paragraph.
 
(1) The demarcation of each area must follow recognizable physical boundaries, such as rivers, roads and railroad rights-of-way.
 
(3) The commissioner may establish limits on the number of deer taken or possessed by persons during a special season. Limits established by the commissioner under this subparagraph are exceptions to the limits imposed under section 11501.
 
(4) The commissioner may specify types of weapons to be used during a special season; and.
Sec. 4. 12 MRSA §11402, sub-§4, ¶C, as enacted by PL 2003, c. 414, Pt. A, §2 and affected by c. 614, §9, is repealed.
 
SUMMARY
This bill provides that the day before the deer hunting season starts is open to a holder of a valid junior hunting license who is under 16 years of age and a holder of an antlerless deer permit who is 70 years of age or older.