Summary of Maine Hunting Laws 2022 2023 | Page 9

LICENSING INFORMATION 7

SPECIAL LICENSES Special Privilege Licenses Military Currently Stationed in Maine : Anyone serving in the U . S . Armed Forces and permanently stationed at a military base in Maine ( including spouse and dependent children if they permanently reside with that person ) may purchase a resident license to hunt , trap , or fish .

Maine Resident Military Currently Stationed Outside of Maine : Residents who are on active duty in the U . S . Armed Forces and permanently stationed outside of Maine may purchase either a hunting , fishing , trapping , or combination hunting and fishing license for the Maine Resident Serviceman combination price upon verification that Maine is their home of record . Their spouse and any dependent children residing with them are also entitled to discounted rates . See page 8 .

Exchange Students : Any citizen of a foreign nation under age 21 who is living with a family in Maine for a cultural or educational exchange program may purchase a resident license to hunt or fish .

Nonresident College Student license : Allows an applicant between the ages of 18 and 23 , inclusive , to obtain a license at the Maine Resident cost . The applicant must be a full-time student , and have completed at least one semester prior to applying for the license . To obtain the license they need to apply through Augusta MDIFW . The student will need to fill out the application , provide us with a current college ID card and last semester ' s transcripts .

Complimentary Licenses

Disabled Veterans : Maine resident and non-resident veterans ( if reciprocal privileges exist in their home state ) who have been honorably discharged from the U . S . Armed Forces or the National Guard and have a service-connected disability of 50 % or more will be issued , upon

OUTDOOR SAFETY COURSES

Maine law requires all firearms , archery , or trapping license applicants to complete an outdoor safety course , unless they have previously held an adult license . Crossbow safety is now included in the archery course . See pg 16 for more details . For bear trapping education course requirements , please see page 28 .

Firearms and archery hunter safety and bear trapping education courses are available in three formats ; online , homestudy , or traditional . Homestudy includes the completion of the hunter education workbook , or online course , followed by a skills and exam day . An in-person skills and exam session is required for students ages 10-15 who take

application , a complimentary license that entitles the holder to all privileges they are qualified to receive including hunting , trapping , archery , and fishing . The license also includes the following permits : bear hunt , bear trap , muzzleloader , migratory waterfowl , pheasant , spring and fall turkey , coyote night hunt , one expanded archery antlerless and one either-sex . Veterans must still apply for antlerless deer and moose permits each year . These licenses may only be obtained from MDIFW ’ s main office in Augusta .

Native Americans : The commissioner shall issue a complimentary lifetime hunting , archery , trapping and fishing license , including permits and other permissions needed to hunt , trap and fish , to a person , who is an enrolled member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe , the Penobscot Nation , the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians , or the Aroostook Band of Micmacs , if the person presents certification from the respective reservation governor or the Aroostook Micmac Council stating that they are an enrolled member of that federally recognized nation , band or tribe . firearms and archery safety courses online .

The in-person classes are sponsored by school districts , sports clubs , civic groups , and others , and are taught statewide by volunteer instructors certified by MDIFW . Pre-registration is typically required .

To begin taking a course online or to register for an in-person course , visit mefishwildlife . com / safetycourses . For information on becoming a volunteer instructor , contact your local Regional Safety Coordinator or the Recreational Safety Division Office .

Recreational Safety Division ( 207 ) 287-5220

Other Licenses Available at the Augusta Office only . For detailed information on the following licenses , contact MDIFW at ( 207 ) 287-5232 .

• Hide Dealers License : See prohibition regarding selling of wild animals section on page 11 .

• Seasonal Hide Dealers License : Required for any place of business that butchers wild animals and commercially sells or barters the heads or untanned hides of deer or moose that they have butchered .

• Taxidermist License : Allows a place of business to lawfully possess fish or wildlife for the sole purpose of preparing and mounting them and to also buy , sell or barter raw , untanned hides or heads of wild animals . This includes skull and bone mounts , commonly referred to as European mounts , reptile and amphibians , and freeze-dried mounts .

• Guides License : Required for anyone who receives any form of remuneration for their services in accompanying or assisting others while hunting , fishing , trapping , boating , snowmobiling , ATVing , or camping at a primitive camping area .

APPRENTICE HUNTER LICENSE An apprentice hunter license is available to a resident or non-resident 16 years or older who has never held a valid adult hunting license . A person may not obtain an apprentice hunter license more than five times . A person holding this license may not hunt other than in the presence of an apprentice supervisor at least 18 years of age who has held a valid hunting license for the prior three consecutive years . The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the holder of an apprentice hunter license follows safe hunting protocol as well as all hunting laws .

QUESTIONS ? CALL 207 287-8000