The tradition of deer hunting in Maine is rich. Allowing a bonus deer to firearm hunters would break with hunting regulations that have existed for at least 75 years. Consider:

. In 1873, the first bag limit was set at three deer per hunter per year.

. In 1895, it was reduced to two deer.

. In 1907, the first “bucks only” law was imposed, restricting hunters in York and Cumberland counties to one buck.

. In 1913, the one deer per one hunter tradition began in southern Maine with a bag limit of one deer.

. In 1925, the rest of the hunters in the state joined their southern counterparts when the bag limit was set at one deer of either sex statewide.

(Source: Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife)