01-670 C.M.R. ch. 54, § 4 - PERMIT APPLICATIONS AND RENEWALS

A. Application Submission Period. The Bureau will accept applications between the first and last business days of February of the first year of each permit period, beginning in 2025. Only one application per individual, per region, will be accepted whether applying as a permittee, co-permittee, or registered Maine guide. An applicant may request multiple sites, but duplicate applications within the same region may not be considered. Applications received after the deadline will remain on file and considered for future vacancies. Successful applicants will be notified of their permit sites by the third Friday in March. Successful applicants must provide payment and any remaining proof of license and insurance by the third Friday in April. Failure to provide payment within this timeframe will result in sites being forfeited and reallocated. Permits will be issued by the second Friday in July.

B. Commercial Bear Bait Sites:

1. Only applicants possessing a guide license with a hunting classification are eligible for commercial bear bait sites, will be subject to the commercial bear bait site fee, and must comply with the insurance requirements of Section 4(B) 4. Applicants possessing a guide license with a hunting classification that apply for a personal bait site waive their opportunity to apply for commercial bear bait sites.

2. An application for a commercial bear bait site must include the following information: the name of any guide, sporting camp, or other hunting related business with which the applicant has a business or financial relationship that pertains to the sites listed on the application form.

3. All applicants for commercial bear bait site permits must provide a valid, current guide license number at the time they submit an application, as such license(s) are required for such activities.

4. All applicants for commercial bear bait sites must possess and provide on request a current certificate of insurance evidencing that they have secured at their expense liability insurance issued by a company fully licensed or designated as an eligible surplus lines insurer to do business in this State by the Maine Department of Professional & Financial Regulation, Bureau of Insurance, which policy includes the activity to be covered by the bear bait site permit with limits of not less than $500,000 per occurrence single limit and an annual aggregate limit of not less than $1,000,000.

5. All applicants shall also list the name and phone number of anyone authorized to place bait at permitted site(s) if other than the applicant.

C. Available bait sites will be allocated to applicants as described below:

1. One-half of the available bear bait sites will be reserved for personal bear bait sites. If more personal site applications are received than are available, the Bureau may limit the number of sites that will be issued to any individual.

2. Personal bear bait sites may be renewed annually for up to 2 years after the first year of the permit period. Commercial bait sites may be renewed annually for up to 5 years after the first year of the permit period. Notice of renewal option will be made by the first business day in February of each renewal year. Acceptance of the renewal option will be due by the last business day in February, after which the site will be forfeited and reallocated. Proof of license, insurance and payment will be due by the third Friday in April, with permit issued by the second Friday in July provided that the applicant has a record of previous compliance with all rules/laws. Sites for which required documentation and payment are not made by the third Friday in April will be forfeited and re-allocated.

3. If bait sites become available after permits are issued, sites will be allocated based on applications from the first year of the permit period. Permits issued after the first year of the permit period will be valid only for the remainder of that permit period.

4. When applications for bear bait sites exceed the number of available sites the Bureau will award bear bait sites by lottery.

Notes

01-670 C.M.R. ch. 54, § 4