Proposed Law To Ban Feeding Deer/Turkeys

6809 Views 18 Replies 6 Participants Last post by aroostookbasser, Feb 1, 2007

kenton6

Discussion Starter · Jan 27, 2007

How many of you know about this? And are there any opinions about this?
This is not law but is being considered by the MDIFW legislative committee next month - Feb. 1 and 6 at the Cross Building in Augusta.

Bill Sponsors: Representative LANSLEY of Sabattus Cosponsored By: Representative CEBRA of Naples
Representative NASS of Acton
Representative ROBINSON of Raymond
Representative SAVIELLO of Wilton
Representative VAUGHAN of Durham

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows:
Sec. 1. [FONT=Times New Roman,Times,Georgia,serif]12 MRSA §10657 [/FONT] is enacted to read:
§ 10657. Feeding wild turkey or deer
1. Feeding wild turkey. A person may not intentionally feed a wild turkey. A. A person who violates this subsection commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $100 or more than $500 may be adjudged.
B. A person who violates this subsection after having been adjudicated of a prior violation of this subsection commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $500 or more than $1,000 may be adjudged.
C. A person who violates this subsection after having been adjudicated of 2 or more prior violations of this subsection commits a Class E crime.
D. A person who violates this subsection after having been adjudicated as having committed 3 or more civil violations under this Part within the previous 5-year period commits a Class E crime.

2. Feeding deer. A person may not intentionally feed or provide salt to a deer. A. A person who violates this subsection commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $100 or more than $500 may be adjudged.
B. A person who violates this subsection after having been adjudicated of a prior violation of this subsection commits a civil violation for which a fine of not less than $500 or more than $1,000 may be adjudged.
C. A person who violates this subsection after having been adjudicated of 2 or more prior violations of this subsection commits a Class E crime.
D. A person who violates this subsection after having been adjudicated as having committed 3 or more civil violations under this Part within the previous 5-year period commits a Class E crime.

4. Exceptions. This section does not apply to the feeding of wild turkey or deer pursuant to section 10105, subsection 10 and chapter 915, subchapter 15 and Title 7 sections 1809 and 3933 and Title 7, chapters 202 and 202-A. This section does not apply to activities of the department conducted pursuant to section 10051.

summary
This bill prohibits a person from feeding a wild turkey or deer.

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Cap'n Jack Duggins

· #5 · Jan 28, 2007

The FIRST requirement for any new law is for it to be ENFORCABLE.
The question I have is there are lots of folks who have their land deeded into open space for wildlife management which gives them a certain tax break. One of the requirements is to provide food plots as well as habitat managment in order to keep this land designation.
What would the state do in these cases?

Bottom line, stupid- unnessicary-unenforcable law,

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Cap'n Jack Duggins

· #7 · Jan 28, 2007

Think about it, if someone plants foodplots, spring summer & fall to improve wildlife health on land that is posted, then someone tresspasses and finds these plots and reports them to IF&W, can the wardens then enter that property under a "probable cause" or "suspecting a law being broken"?

When something like this gets to court, wouldn't the "probable cause" (being illegal entry) be thrown out of court thereby making any evidence of the alledged foodplots inadmisable?

If this law passes, what is to prevent people from planting human food, like potatoes, corn, oats, soybeans, beets, squash and more to feed his family and leaving the surplus in the field? Of course, the STATE would have to prove "intent" and that is pretty tough to do.

All this thought from a high school grad, and those "smart" folks in Augusta are writing this stuff?

B R I L L I A N T !:beer:

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Cap'n Jack Duggins

· #17 · Feb 1, 2007 (Edited)

Can't feed deer and turkey but it's OK to feed squirrels, coyote, tweetie birds?

Since when did the animals become "not-so-equal"? Isn't this discrimination? If these poor little critters have all these HUMAN quality's, why not go all the way?

Sounds rediculous, doesn't it?

Maybe this is a local/town issue more than a state-wide issue. It takes more than eight hours to travel top to bottom in Maine, meaning MAINE IS A HUGE PLACE!
How can we have 25 or 30 WMD's and then try to pass a statewide don't-feed-the-wildlife law?

Read my signature, please!

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