Sen. Davis seeks to amend penalties for hunting deer over bait

AUGUSTA – Last session, the Legislature amended the penalties for hunting deer over bait with LD 1083. Sen. Paul Davis, R-Sangerville thinks the House amendment, which was attached after the bill was reported out of committee, went too far and will seek to lessen the penalty for a second offence with LD 1816, “An Act Regarding the Penalties for Hunting Deer over Bait.”

Under the new law, a second-time offence of hunting deer over bait during hunting season will result in a permanent ineligibility for that hunter to obtain a hunting license in Maine. Davis would like to lessen the penalty to a two-year ineligibility period.

“Under the current habitual offender statute, a person must be convicted of three or more criminal violations to have their license revoked, and even then, it isn’t a permanent ban,” Davis said. “That’s why I don’t feel that the punishment included in the new deer baiting law fits the crime. We need to reexamine this.”

Some examples of criminal violations include hunting game animals out of season, hunting on Sunday, night hunting or unlawful possession of a wild animal or bird. None of these violations carry a lifetime loss of hunting rights.

LD 1816 was scheduled to receive a public hearing before the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee on Tuesday, Feb. 13.