MaineMaine outfitters enter separate drawing for moose hunting permits
Outfitters with licensed camps and a record of guided moose hunts can get preference for permits in their camp’s district.
What it does
Eligible outfitters can enter a separate drawing for $1,500 moose permits, subject to limits on permits for outfitters and each season, sex, and district category. An outfitter gets preference in its camp’s district if it names that district first.
An outfitter may transfer a lodge permit once as part of a food-and-lodging package, and a licensed guide must accompany the hunter. The hunter cannot transfer the permit or apply for a public-drawing permit until the fourth calendar year after the last lodge permit was issued.
The department must let lodge-permit applicants choose a preferred season and district in the drawing system, with the goal of reducing permit swaps.
When the year’s authorized auction raises less than $107,000, lodge-permit sales help fund youth conservation education up to that amount, and the rest goes to moose research and management.
Argument forEligible outfitters could get preference near their camp, which may help them arrange guided moose hunts for customers.
Argument againstThe transfer limits and wait to reenter the public drawing could reduce hunters’ choices after they receive a lodge permit.
More detail
The department allocates lodge permits through a separate drawing and charges $1,500 for each permit. A hunting outfitter must operate a licensed sporting camp and meet the listed service and experience requirements. Outfitters may receive no more than 2% of all moose permits, and lodge permits may not exceed 5% of permits for each season, sex, and district category. An outfitter must run a licensed sporting camp, offer the listed food, lodging, and guide services, and have provided guided moose hunts from the camp in at least 3 of the last 5 calendar years. Applicants must sign an affidavit confirming they meet the requirements. An applicant that names its camp’s district as its first choice gets preference for a permit in that district.
An outfitter that receives a lodge permit may transfer or sell it once to an eligible hunter as part of a package that includes food and lodging. A resident or nonresident may hunt with a lodge permit if eligible for a Maine hunting license by the opening day of the moose season. A licensed guide must accompany the hunter, and the outfitter must tell the department who received the permit. The hunter may not transfer the permit, and the outfitter may not buy, barter, or sell it to another outfitter. The permit is for its issued year, season, sex, and district. Lodge permits may be swapped with other lodge permits. A swap with a public-drawing permit is allowed only to move the outfitter’s hunt to the district where its licensed camp is located. A resident or nonresident may hunt with the permit if eligible for a Maine hunting license by the opening day of the moose season. A hunter who receives a lodge permit cannot apply for or receive a public-drawing permit until the fourth calendar year after the last lodge permit was issued.
The department must update its lodge-permit drawing system so applicants can state their preferred season and district. The application preference is for moose hunting lodge permits. The update is intended to reduce the need for outfitters to swap permits.
If auction proceeds in a year are less than $107,000, lodge-permit sale proceeds must help fund youth conservation education, up to $107,000; the remainder goes to the Moose Research and Management Fund. The funding rule applies to proceeds from lodge-permit sales. This funding rule applies only when that year’s proceeds from the authorized auction are less than $107,000. The rule applies in any year when proceeds from the authorized auction are less than $107,000.
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Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed 1st Chamber
- Passed 2nd Chamber
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Apr 16Signed by Governor Janet MillsLatest
- Apr 14PASSED TO BE ENACTED, in concurrence.Passed 2nd Chamber
- Vote recorded RECONSIDER. Result: fail.Upper
- Vote recorded RECEDE AND CONCUR. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 14Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 14PASSED TO BE ENACTED.Became Law
- Apr 14Ordered sent down forthwith.
- Apr 14Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 954 Yeas 0 - Nays 33 - Excused 2 - Absent 0
- Apr 14Motion by Senator BENNETT of Oxford to RECONSIDER whereby the Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (H-976) as Amended by House Amendment "B" (H-1038) FAILED.Minor
- Apr 14Held at the Request of FARRIN of Somerset
- Apr 14Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 952 Yeas 24 - Nays 10 - Excused 1 - Absent 0
- Apr 14On motion by Senator CURRY of Waldo the Senate RECEDED and CONCURRED to PASSAGE TO BE ENGROSSED AS AMENDED BY Committee Amendment "A" (H-976) as Amended by House Amendment "B" (H-1038) thereto PREVAILED.Minor
- Apr 14Senator BALDACCI of Penobscot moved the Senate INSIST on Bill COMMITTED to the Committee on INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE.Minor
- Apr 14Taken from the table by the President
- Apr 14On motion by Senator PIERCE of Cumberland Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending FURTHER CONSIDERATION.
- Apr 9ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Vote recorded ADOPT HBH-1038 to CAH-976. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 9In NON-CONCURRENCE and sent for concurrence.
- Apr 9The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-976) as Amended by House Amendment "B" (H-1038) thereto.Minor
- Apr 9Committee Amendment "A" (H-976) as Amended by House Amendment "B" (H-1038) thereto was ADOPTED.Minor
- Apr 9(Yeas 111 - Nays 37 - Absent 2 - Excused 0 - Vacant 1)
- Apr 9ROLL CALL NO. 799
- Apr 9On motion of Representative CLUCHEY of Bowdoinham, House Amendment "B" (H-1038) to Committee Amendment "A" (H-976) was READ and ADOPTED.
- Apr 9On motion of Speaker FECTEAU of Biddeford, the House RECEDED.
- Apr 8Sent down for concurrence
- Vote recorded COMMIT. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 8Roll Call Ordered Roll Call Number 914 Yeas 19 - Nays 16 - Excused 0 - Absent 0
- Apr 8On motion by Senator BALDACCI of Penobscot Bill and accompanying papers COMMITTED to the Committee on Inland Fisheries and Wildlife PREVAILED in NON-CONCURRENCE
- Apr 8Taken from the table by the President
- Apr 8On motion by Senator STEWART of Aroostook Tabled until Later in Today's Session, pending Motion by Senator BALDACCI of Penobscot to ACCEPT The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-976) Report. Roll Call Ordered
- Apr 8Senator BALDACCI of Penobscot moved to ACCEPT The Majority Ought to Pass As Amended Report.
- Apr 8Reports READ
- Apr 6Reported Out - OTP-AM/ONTP
- Apr 6Sent for concurrence. ORDERED SENT FORTHWITH.
- Apr 6The Bill was PASSED TO BE ENGROSSED as Amended by Committee Amendment "A" (H-976).Minor
- Apr 6Under suspension of the rules, the Bill was given its SECOND READING without REFERENCE to the Committee on Bills in the Second Reading.
- Apr 6Committee Amendment "A" (H-976) was READ and ADOPTED.Minor
- Apr 6The Bill was READ ONCE.Minor
- Apr 6On motion of Representative DILL of Old Town, the Majority Ought to Pass as Amended Report was ACCEPTED.
- Apr 6Reports READ.
- Mar 4Voted - Divided Report
- Mar 4Work Session Held
- Feb 11Work Session Held - TABLED
- 2025
- Dec 9The Bill was REFERRED to the Committee on INLAND FISHERIES AND WILDLIFE pursuant to Joint Rule 308.2 and ordered printed pursuant to Joint Rule 401.Minor
- Dec 9Received by the Clerk of the House on December 9, 2025.Introduced
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