Hunting and Trapping PolicY for U海角社区 and U海角社区 Machias Properties
This policy provides guidelines for utilizing U海角社区 property for hunting and trapping while ensuring faculty, staff, students, and partners can safely engage in education, research, and extension activities.
The University of 海角社区 and the University of 海角社区 at Machias (hereafter referred to as U海角社区) recognize the tradition of hunting and trapping in the state and welcome these activities on many of its properties as part of an ongoing commitment to public service and access. This policy provides guidelines for utilizing U海角社区 property for hunting and trapping while ensuring faculty, staff, students, and partners can safely engage in education, research, and extension activities. It is always the responsibility of the hunter/trapper to be knowledgeable of, and adhere to, all state and local hunting and trapping laws and regulations, as well as landowner expectations, including those of the university. Consistent with state law, individuals engaging in hunting or trapping do so at their own risk. Please note that this policy covers properties owned, leased, or otherwise managed by U海角社区 and is not inclusive of all University of 海角社区 System (UMS) properties.
Types of access
U海角社区 reserves the right to restrict access to its properties, including temporary closures, to accommodate specific research or educational activities. U海角社区 reserves the right to revoke any individual鈥檚 or group鈥檚 privilege to hunt on any U海角社区-managed property, in its sole discretion.
Hunting and trapping are not allowed on the 660-acre main residential campus located in Orono and the adjacent Demeritt Forest in Orono and Old Town, nor on the 240-acre residential campus in Machias. Further, the U海角社区 Firearms Guide prohibits weapons or ammunition from being worn, displayed, used, or possessed on either residential campus.
All U海角社区-managed properties and their current access status are detailed on the U海角社区 Lands Access Status List. This list does not include property owned or managed by other UMS universities or units. Hunting and trapping access on each property is designated as 鈥渦nrestricted,鈥 鈥渂y permission only,鈥 or 鈥渘o hunting.鈥 All U海角社区-managed properties not included on the U海角社区 Lands Access Status List are designated 鈥渘o hunting鈥 unless permission is otherwise granted in writing by the Director of the 海角社区 Agricultural and Forest Experiment Station (MAFES) or their designee.
鈥淯nrestricted鈥 applies to property on which there are no university-imposed restrictions on hunting or trapping. Written permission from the university is not required for access. Please note: 海角社区 law requires written landowner permission for the placement of tree stands, traps, bait piles, and trail and game cameras. To request that permission, please contact the property manager listed on the U海角社区 Lands Access Status List.
鈥淏y permission only鈥 applies to property on which limited hunting or trapping is allowed at the discretion of the property manager, who must provide permission in writing. Links to written permission applications and contact information for property managers can be accessed via the U海角社区 Lands Access Status List. Signs/purple paint are posted at all prominent entrances and every 100鈥 around the property鈥檚 perimeter to the extent practicable, consistent with state law. Even with written permission to hunt or trap on the property, a person may not discharge, or cause a projectile to pass as a result of a discharge, within 100鈥 of a building or residential dwelling.
鈥淣o hunting鈥 applies to property on which hunting or trapping is not allowed. U海角社区 will make reasonable efforts to post signs/purple paint at all prominent entrances and every 100鈥 around the property鈥檚 perimeter to the extent practicable, consistent with state law. If a hunter or trapper is unsure whether a particular property allows hunting or trapping, they should review the U海角社区 Lands Access Status List, which is the authoritative source for hunting and trapping on U海角社区 properties.
Leased Properties
Hunting or trapping on properties leased by U海角社区 is subject to the discretion of the lessor and the lease agreement. If U海角社区 has information for hunters to contact the lessor for policies and permission, that information will be listed on the U海角社区 Lands Access Status List. Please see all properties leased by U海角社区 and their current access status on the U海角社区 Lands Access Status List.
Hunting or trapping on properties leased from U海角社区 are subject to the terms of the lease agreement between U海角社区 and the lessee. Please see all properties leased from U海角社区 and their current access status on the U海角社区 Lands Access Status List. Additionally, there are multiple platforms to determine and contact a landowner (e.g., Onyx Hunt, tax maps, etc.).
Written Permission
All U海角社区 property managers will review applications for written permission, provide permissions in writing, and keep records of permissions granted for hunting or trapping purposes and report those to their immediate supervisor annually prior to the initiation of the relevant hunting season.
Due to the proximity to the main campus in Orono and the potential that university law enforcement may be contacted, records of written permission granted by the university to hunt or trap on U海角社区 properties in Orono or Old Town will be additionally provided to the University of 海角社区 Police Department.
Please note that some U海角社区 properties are accessible only by lands owned by others. Written permission to hunt and trap on university land in no way indicates permission to cross the lands of others.
Guidance for U海角社区 Faculty, Staff, and Students
All U海角社区 faculty, staff, students, and partners conducting teaching, research, or otherwise working in the field are encouraged to familiarize themselves with and .
U海角社区 faculty or staff who manage property should be aware of 海角社区鈥檚 hunting and land access laws and be prepared to address questions from hunters about access according to the landowner’s (or lessor’s) determination.
Hunting safety should be part of fieldwork training.
If you are concerned about hunting activities on or around a U海角社区-managed property you will be conducting activities on, please contact the property manager before going to the field. As noted above, U海角社区 reserves the right to temporarily or permanently close properties or portions of properties for safety and research purposes.
Be hunting conscious. U海角社区 does not control hunting access on neighboring properties. Wear blaze orange while conducting fieldwork, especially during the rifle deer hunting season (the month of November and certain other days designated as 鈥測outh鈥 days etc.).
If you witness suspicious hunting activities, do not interfere. Contact the 海角社区 Warden Service directly. Consider also calling the 海角社区 Operation Game Thief hotline at 1-800-253-7887 (1-800-ALERT-US).
