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LICENSING INFORMATION
LICENSE & PERMIT REVOCATION INFORMATION The MDIFW Commissioner may, at their discretion, revoke the hunting privileges of anyone convicted of a hunting violation, or any violation of fish and wildlife laws. This is in addition to any penalties imposed by a court of law. Some violations result in a mandatory revocation( summarized below):
Minimum Mandatory Ten Year Revocation of Hunting Licenses If a person is convicted of Assault While Hunting [ 17A MRSA § 208( A)] and the offense occurred in the context of hunting activity, and if, through failure of the hunter to make proper target identification, the offense resulted in the injury or death of another person.
Minimum Mandatory Five Year Revocation of Hunting Licenses
• Shooting a domestic animal while hunting.
• Conviction of a violation of 17A MRSA while on a hunting or fishing trip or in the pursuit of wild animals, birds or fish and when the wounding or killing of a human being has occurred.
• Conviction of night hunting with night vision equipment or thermal imaging equipment.
Minimum Mandatory Three Year Revocation of ALL MDIFW Licenses
• Disturbing traps.
• Conviction of any of the violations listed within 12 MRSA § 10902-6 while having a firearm with a noise suppressor device.
Minimum Mandatory Two Year Revocation of ALL MDIFW Licenses
• Burglary or criminal trespass of a building located within any unorganized township.
• Theft of any equipment used for hunting, fishing and trapping.
• Theft of any animal which has been obtained by hunting or trapping and which was in the possession or control of the person who hunted or trapped the animal.
DISTURBING TRAPS
It is unlawful to take or disturb any trap or wild animal caught in a trap without permission from the owner of the trap. An individual convicted of disturbing a trap, will lose any license in effect, and be ineligible to purchase any license issued by the Department for 3 years.
KEEP YOUR LICENSE WITH YOU
You are required to keep an electronic and / or paper copy of your hunting license and any necessary permits with you while hunting or transporting wild birds and wild animals and, if requested to do so, must present it for inspection to any warden, law enforcement officer, MDIFW employee, guide or landowner upon whose land you are hunting.
Minimum Mandatory Two Year Revocation of Hunting Licenses
• Second offense of placing or hunting over bait for deer.
• A second violation of civil trespass with a hunting dog.
Hunting Offenses with a Minimum One Year License Revocation
• Illegally hunting and / or possessing deer, bear, or moose during closed season.
• Night hunting.
• Discharging a firearm or archery equipment within 100 yards of a building or residential dwelling without permission of the owner, or in the owner’ s absence, an adult occupant who dwells in that location.
• Illegally buying and / or selling deer, bear, moose or wild turkeys.
• Illegally hunting / possessing wild turkeys including using illegal hunting methods.
• Hunting deer, bear, moose, or wild turkey after having killed one and / or exceeding the bag limit.
• First offense of placing or hunting over bait for deer.
• Destroying or tearing down a property posting sign.
• Hunting over another person’ s bear bait without written permission from that person.
• Hunting under the influence of liquor or drugs.
• Hunting while license is revoked.
• Civil trespass with a hunting dog.
• Coyote night hunting without a permit.
• Coyote night hunting outside December 16th-August 31st.
Littering on WMAs In addition to penalties provided by Maine’ s littering laws, a person convicted of littering on a state owned wildlife management area or sanctuary as defined in Title 12 shall surrender their hunting and / or fishing licenses for a period of up to one year.
Interstate Violations / Suspensions Maine is a participating member of the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, an agreement that recognizes suspension of hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses across member states. This means that illegal activities in one state can affect a person’ s hunting, fishing, or trapping privileges in all participating states as well. If a person plans to hunt, fish, or trap in another state, and they have a license suspension in Maine, it is their responsibility to contact the other state to see if they can legally hunt, fish, or trap in that state. Similarly, if someone is suspended or revoked in another state and plans to hunt in Maine, it is their responsibility to contact the Maine Warden Service to ensure their privilege to hunt in Maine is not revoked.
Suspension or Revocation of or Refusal to Issue a License or Permit Any conviction, adjudication, deferred disposition pursuant to Title 17‐A, section 1902, subsection 1 or written filing agreement with the State for a violation of MDIFW Title 12 Part 13 laws is grounds for suspension of any license or permit issued under this Part. Except when provided by law, the commissioner shall determine the suspension period.
Refusal to Issue License or Permit If a person is convicted, is adjudicated, enters into a deferred disposition pursuant to Title 17‐A, section 1902, subsection 1 or enters into a written filing agreement with the State in violation of MDIFW Title 12 Part 13 laws and is not the holder of a valid license or permit issued under this Part, the commissioner may refuse to issue a related license or permit to that person for up to 5 years following the date of conviction or adjudication, except when the killing or wounding of a human being has occurred, in which case the commissioner may refuse to issue the license or permit for a period of not less than 5 years.
Failure to Pay Fine or Reinstatement Fee If a license, permit or registration is suspended pursuant to this section or Title 14, section 3142, the suspension remains in effect until the person pays the fine and the reinstatement fee.
2025-26 STATE OF MAINE SUMMARY OF LAWS & RULES HUNTING QUESTIONS? CALL 207 287-8000