August 15, 2013

MDIFW Clarifies Junior Hunter/Anterless Deer Law

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife would like to clarify a law having to do with junior hunters and antlerless deer after the law was incorrectly reported in the media.

According to law, junior hunters without an antlerless deer permit are only able to take a doe during Youth Hunting Day in October. They are not permitted to take a doe during the regular season on deer without an antlerless deer permit.

The original bill having to do with this, LD 101, intended to allow a junior hunter to take an antlerless deer without an antlerless deer permit, but that part of the bill was removed.

The section of the bill that did pass instructs the Commissioner to provide at least 25 percent of the available antlerless deer permits in a WMD to persons with a valid junior hunting license who apply for an antlerless deer permit in that district. The bill is now Public Law 2013 Chapter 213 and can be found in the Summary of New Laws on the Department?s web site at www.mefishwildlife.com.