09-137-16 Me. Code R. § 10

Current through 2024-51, December 18, 2024

Section 137-16-10 - Wild Turkey Hunting

Spring Season

1.WMDs Open to Hunting

2.Season/WMD Restrictions

3.Permits

4.Bag Limits

5.Legal Weapons / Methods

6.Youth Spring Wild Turkey Hunting Day

1.WMDs Open to Hunting

WMDs 1-29 as described within section 16.15 are open for spring wild turkey hunting.

2.Season

There shall be an open spring season beginning on the Monday closest to May 1^st and continuing for five consecutive weeks for the hunting of wild turkey.

3.Permits

Any person who possesses a big game, small game, or an archery license as provided in 12 M.R.S. §11109 may purchase a wild turkey hunting permit that allows the hunting of turkeys in both the spring and fall seasons.

4.Bag Limits

The bag limit for wild turkey during the spring season is two bearded wild turkeys per permit holder. A hunter may take up to two bearded wild turkeys but cannot exceed an individual WMD bag limit, the order in which they are taken does not matter. Bag limits in specific WMD's will be as follows:

A. One bearded wild turkey in WMDs 1-6 and 8.

B. Two bearded wild turkeys in WMDs 7 and 9-29.

5.Legal Weapons / Methods

A.Weapons

(1) Shotgun gauges 10 through 20 using shot sizes 4 through 6 inclusive, or mixed loads that include shot sizes 4 through 7. In addition, shotgun gauges 10 through 28, including .410, may be used with shot sizes 7 through 9 in Tungsten Super Shot (TSS).

(2) Archery equipment.

B.Methods

(1) A person may not take a turkey while the turkey is in a tree.

(2) See other prohibitions on turkey hunting as provided within Title 12 §11801.

6.Youth Spring Wild Turkey Hunting Day

A. On the designated youth spring wild turkey hunting day, only holders of a valid junior hunting license may hunt wild turkey with either a firearm or archery equipment and must be in the presence of and under the effective control of a junior hunter supervisor as defined by Title 12 M.R.S. §11108-C. The junior hunter supervisor shall not possess a firearm or archery equipment while accompanying a youth hunter on youth hunting day except that the supervisor may carry a handgun pursuant to 25 M.R.S. §2001-A, sub-§2, ¶A-1 but it may not be for the purpose of hunting.

B. The youth spring wild turkey hunting day occurs on the Saturday preceding the opening day of the spring wild turkey hunting season.

C. Except as otherwise provided, all laws pertaining to hunting during the open spring season on wild turkey apply on this day.

Fall Season

7.WMDs Open to Hunting

8.Season

9.Permits

10.Bag Limit

11.Legal Weapons / Methods

12.Requirements for Landowner Privilege

13.Additional Landowner Provisions

14.Youth Fall Wild Turkey Hunting Day

7.WMDs Open to Hunting

WMDs 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 - 29 as described within section 16.15 are open for fall wild turkey hunting.

8.Season

There shall be an open fall season from the Monday closest to the 17^th of September to November 7^th for wild turkey hunting in WMD's open to fall wild turkey hunting, except WMD's listed as closed to fall turkey hunting as described within 16.10-7.

9.Permits

Any person who possesses a hunting license, small game hunting license or an archery license as provided in 12 M.R.S. §11109 may purchase a wild turkey hunting permit that allows the hunting of turkeys in both the spring and fall seasons.

10.Bag Limit

The bag limit for wild turkey during the fall season is five wild turkeys of either sex and any age per permit holder. A hunter may take up to five wild turkeys but cannot exceed an individual WMD bag limit, the order in which they are taken does not matter. No more than two wild turkeys may be harvested per permit holder per day. Bag limits in specific WMD's will be as follows:

FALL WILD TURKEY SEASON
WMD's	FALL SEASON LIMIT
15, 16, 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 & 25	Five (5) Wild Turkeys (either sex & any age per permit holder)
26	Three (3) Wild Turkeys (either sex & any age per permit holder)
28	Two (2) Wild Turkeys (either sex & any age per a permit holder)
6, 7, 8, 10-14, 18, 19, 27 & 29	One (1) Wild Turkey (either sex & any age per a permit holder)
1-5 & 9	Closed to taking of Wild Turkeys

11.Legal Weapons / Methods

A.Weapons:

(1) Shotgun gauges 10 through 20 using shot sizes 4 through 6 inclusive; or using mixed loads that include shot sizes 4 through 7. In addition, shotgun gauges 10 through 28, including .410, may be used with shot sizes 7 through 9 in Tungsten Super Shot (TSS); or

(2) Archery equipment.

B.Methods

(1) A person may not take a turkey while the turkey is in a tree.

(2) See other prohibitions on turkey hunting as provided within Title 12 §11801.

12.Requirements for Landowner Privilege: Any private landowner is eligible to hunt wild turkeys on their own land without a turkey hunting permit if:

A. That person owns a particular piece of land that is 25 or more contiguous acres in size and is located within a WMD open to turkey hunting and designated for the season that they wish to hunt;

B. That person is permanently domiciled on that land;

C. The land is managed for the raising and selling of dairy, dairy products, or beef cattle; and

D. The land is open to hunting including hunting by permission.

13.Additional Landowner Provisions

A. Any family member permanently domiciled on that land is also eligible to hunt wild turkeys on that land without a permit.

B. All other laws and rules of that open season including bag limits, weapon restrictions and tagging and reporting requirements will apply.

C. A landowner must provide proof of eligibility if requested by an agent of the commissioner.

D. Landowners and eligible family members may hunt any and all open days of the open wild turkey hunting seasons, this also allows youth hunters who are eligible family members of the landowner to participate on the youth wild turkey hunt day.

14.Youth Fall Wild Turkey Hunting Day

A. On the designated youth fall wild turkey hunting day, only holders of a valid junior hunting license may hunt wild turkey with either a firearm or archery equipment and must be in the presence of and under the effective control of junior hunter supervisor as defined by Title 12 M.R.S. §11108-C. The junior hunter supervisor shall not possess a firearm or archery equipment while accompanying a youth hunter on youth hunting day except that the supervisor may carry a handgun pursuant to 25 M.R.S. §2001-A, sub-§2, ¶A-1 but it may not be for the purpose of hunting.

B. The youth fall wild turkey hunting day occurs on the Saturday preceding the opening day of the fall wild turkey hunting season.

C. Except as otherwise provided, all laws pertaining to hunting during the open fall season on wild turkey apply on this day.

09-137 C.M.R. ch. 16, § 10