House Fish & Game committee hears bills on air rifles, oysters, HikeSafe, guides and lifetime licenses; several measures advance

The House Fish and Game and Marine Resources Committee held a series of public hearings on Oct. 12 that covered hunting with high‑power compressed‑air rifles (HB211), a study of oyster‑harvesting laws (HB61), changes to the HikeSafe membership language (HB404), authority to set newborn lifetime‑license fees by rule (HB647), and changes to the licensing process for hunting and fishing guides (HB579). Committee members took executive action on several items toward the end of the day.

HB211 — air rifles for big game

Representative James Spillane introduced HB211, a bill that would authorize use of large‑bore compressed‑air rifles for hunting big game subject to technical requirements the department would set. Proponents said modern high‑energy air rifles—fired from a pressurized tank carried or refilled at a cabin—can produce muzzle energy comparable to existing muzzleloaders and that ballistics testing done for the committee supported statutory authorization with technical standards.

Representative Brian Cole, a co‑sponsor who took part in the range demonstrations, told the committee crews measured penetration and kinetic energy in ballistic gelatin and that muzzle energy, not merely caliber, is the operative measure for humane take. Dan Bergeron of the wildlife division and Colonel Kevin Jordan of law enforcement both testified that the department had tested the technology and supported allowing the method subject to technical standards set in rule rather than fixed in statute. Bergeron said rules could allow higher energy thresholds for larger species (for example for moose), while Jordan said the department viewed the technology as potentially safer than some firearms in certain populated areas and favored rulemaking authority.

After…