Maine § 11106. - Eligibility for archery hunting license

§ 11106.. Eligibility for archery hunting license

1.  Age requirement.  A person is eligible to obtain an archery hunting license as provided in this section.

A. A resident or nonresident 16 years of age or older who has satisfied the requirements of subsection 2 or holds an apprenticeship hunter license, or who is exempt under subsection 3, may obtain an archery hunting license to hunt with archery equipment in accordance with section 10952 from the commissioner or the commissioner's authorized agent.   [PL 2023, c. 239, §14 (AMD).]

B. A resident or nonresident under 16 years of age may hunt with archery equipment if that person holds a valid junior hunting license.   [PL 2023, c. 239, §14 (AMD).]

Beginning January 1, 2016, for those persons who obtain a junior hunting license and turn 16 years of age during the same calendar year, the archery hunting license is included even after the person has turned 16 years of age as long as that person is hunting on that person's valid junior hunting license and not longer than the remainder of the calendar year for which the license is issued.  

2.  Archery hunter education requirements.  Except as provided in paragraph A and subsection 3, a person who applies for an archery hunting license other than a junior hunting license or an apprenticeship hunter license must submit proof of having successfully completed an archery hunter education course as described in section 10108 or an equivalent archery hunter education course or satisfactory evidence of having previously held a valid adult archery hunting license issued specifically for the purpose of hunting with bow and arrow in this State or any other state, province or country in any year after 1979 or satisfactory evidence of previously holding a crossbow permit issued in this State as of December 31, 2023.

When proof or evidence cannot be otherwise provided, the applicant may substitute a signed affidavit that the applicant has previously held the required adult archery hunting license or has successfully completed the required archery hunter education course.  

A. A person who is an enrolled member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe, the Penobscot Nation, the Houlton Band of Maliseet Indians or the Mi'kmaq Nation who presents certification from the respective reservation governor or the Mi'kmaq Nation Tribal Council stating that the person is an enrolled member of a federally recognized nation, band or tribe listed in this paragraph is exempt from the requirements of this subsection.   [PL 2023, c. 239, §15 (AMD).]

3.  Archery hunter education course exemption for members of armed forces domiciled in State.  A member of the Armed Forces of the United States on active duty who is permanently stationed outside of the United States and home on leave is exempt from archery hunter education course requirements under subsection 2 if that member shows proof at the time of application for the license that that member's home state of record, as recorded in that person's military service records, is Maine. A person who no longer meets the conditions for an exemption under this subsection must satisfy the requirements of subsection 2.