Maine Canned Hunting Statutes and Regulations

No Ban: Mammals permitted.

Statute

Maine Revised Statutes define commercial large game shooting area as "an enclosed area in which large game are kept and a fee is charged to pursue and kill or pursue and attempt to kill large game" (§7-202-A-1341).

The Commissioner may issue a license to "establish or operate a commercial large game shooting area" (§7-202-A-1342).

To qualify for a license, the shooting area must meet the following requirements: "Each shooting zone in which domesticated cervids are enclosed is a minimum of 50 acres; Each shooting zone in which large game other than domesticated cervids are enclosed is a minimum of 200 acres; The total area of land enclosed for operation as a commercial large game shooting area does not exceed 400 acres; A shooting zone is encompassed by fencing or other barriers sufficient to contain the species of large game contained in that shooting area; The applicant owns or leases all of the land to be used as a commercial large game shooting area" (§7-202-A-1342-2).

The fee for a commercial large game shooting area is $1,000, unless domesticated cervids are the only harvested animal, in which case the fee is $500. (§7-202-A-1342-3).

A person may transfer a license issued in accordance with this section. (§7-202-A-1342-5).  According to the Maine Attorney General a license-holder may only transfer his or her license to a person who will operate a shooting area on same property.

Large game "may not be tethered in a shooting area and must be free to roam. A person may shoot or attempt to shoot large game within a shooting area only when that person is in a tree stand or accompanied by the license holder or an employee of the license holder" (§7-202-A-1342-6).

Prior to issuing a license, the commissioner must verify "that the applicant operated a commercial large game shooting area during the period beginning October 1, 1999 and ending March 15, 2000" (§7-202-A-1342-9). 

The operator of a commercial large game shooting area "must provide a transport tag for each large game animal killed in that area" (§7-202-A-1343).  

This chapter does not exempt a person "from the provisions of chapter 739 or Title 17, chapter 42, subchapter III," referring to cruelty to animals (§7-202-A-1345).

Return to canned hunting map.