09- 137 C.M.R. ch. 25, § 06 - CONDITIONS; LEASHED TRACKING DOG PERMIT

1. A person who has lawfully wounded or killed, or reasonably believes he or she has lawfully wounded or killed a deer, moose or bear during any applicable open season on that animal may engage a permittee to track and recover the animal. That person must, unless physically incapacitated, accompany the permittee when tracking the animal. If that person is physically incapacitated, the permittee may track and dispatch the animal if the permittee is in possession of a written signed statement from that person listing:

(a) the date;

(b) the hunter's name, address, telephone number and license number, and

(c) a certification that that person has engaged the permittee to track the animal that that person has wounded or killed, and that they are unable to accompany the permittee because of physical incapacitation.

2. No person other than the permittee or, during legal hunting periods, the person who has engaged the permittee, may carry a firearm, archery or crossbow equipment while tracking wounded or dead deer, moose or bear pursuant to this rule.

3. During legal hunting periods, the person who has engaged the permittee must dispatch the wounded deer, moose or bear by methods that are lawful during the season in which it was wounded (and in a lawful manner reduce the animal to legal possession). However, the permittee must dispatch the wounded animal if the legal hunting period has ended, when the hunter is not present, or, when in the judgment of the permittee it is unsafe or otherwise inappropriate for the hunter to do so.

4. The permittee may use a handgun legal for hunting deer, moose or bear in Maine to dispatch a wounded animal, at any time, during the open season on that animal, and during the 24 hour period immediately following the last day of any open season on deer, moose or bear provided that the permittee complies with all other provisions of federal, state and local laws and regulations concerning possession and discharge of firearms and the conditions of this permit.

5. Before tracking a wounded or dead animal, the permittee must notify, by telephone or in person, the nearest available game warden assigned to the area where the deer, moose or bear was killed or wounded. Notification must include:

A. The name of the permittee,

B. The name, address, telephone number, and big game license number of the person engaging the permittee,

C. The general location of the wounded animal.

6. The permittee must maintain physical control of the leashed tracking dog at all times while conducting activities pursuant to such permit by means of a lead attached to the dog's collar or harness. This lead must be at least twelve (12) feet in length.

7. The permittee may charge a fee for these dog tracking services without possessing a valid guide license pursuant to 12 M.R.S. § 11111(3).

8. After a deer, moose or bear has been dispatched, the licensed hunter must immediately fill out the appropriate transportation tag in accordance with 12 M.R.S. §§ 11502, 11653 and 11352, respectively. If that person has not accompanied the permittee because of physical incapacitation, the permittee must immediately deliver the deer, moose or bear to that person and that person must immediately fill out the appropriate transportation tag. The permittee must sign the hunter's transportation tag and include their license number. If that person is unavailable the permittee must report the incident to a game warden and deliver the animal to the officer.

9. The permittee must personally carry a valid hunting license that allows the hunting of all legal species and a valid leashed tracking dog permit when conducting activities pursuant to this rule.

10. The permittee must notify the department, in writing, of any change of address within 30 days of that change of address.

11. The permittee must submit to the department a written request for permit renewal.

Notes

09- 137 C.M.R. ch. 25, § 06