Bill Text: GA HB277 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Comm Sub
Bill Title: Hunting; baiting and hunting of deer and feral hogs; regulate; change provisions
Spectrum: Slight Partisan Bill (Republican 5-2)
Status: (Passed) 2011-07-01 - Effective Date [HB277 Detail]
Download: Georgia-2011-HB277-Comm_Sub.html
11 HB
277/CSFA
House
Bill 277 (COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE) (AM)
By:
Representatives Shaw of the
176th,
Maddox of the
172nd,
Roberts of the
154th,
Williams of the
165th,
Black of the
174th,
and others
A
BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
AN ACT
To
amend Part 1 of Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 27 of the Official Code of
Georgia Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to hunting, so as to
change certain provisions relating to unlawful enticement of game and hunting in
the vicinity of feed or bait; to change certain provisions relating to
restrictions on hunting feral hogs; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other
purposes.
BE
IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION
1.
Part
1 of Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 27 of the Official Code of Georgia
Annotated, relating to general provisions relative to hunting, is amended by
revising Code Section 27-3-9, relating to unlawful enticement of game, as
follows:
"27-3-9.
(a)
As used in
this Code section, the term:
(1)
'Northern zone' means the northern zone for hunting deer with firearms as
established pursuant to subsection (c) of Code Section 27-3-15.
(2)
'Southern zone' means the southern zone for hunting deer with firearms as
established pursuant to subsection (c) of Code Section 27-3-15.
(a.1)
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, expose, deposit, distribute, or
scatter any corn, wheat, or other grains, salts, apples, or other feeds or bait
so as to constitute a lure or attraction or enticement for any game bird or game
animal, other
than deer, on or over any area where
hunters are or will be
hunting;
provided, however, that it shall be lawful to hunt deer within the vicinity of
such feeds if the hunter is at least 200 yards away from and not within sight of
the feed or bait.
(a.2)
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, expose, deposit, distribute, or
scatter
any
corn, wheat, or other grains, salts, apples, or other feed or bait so as to
constitute a
lure,
attraction, or enticement for any game bird or game animal within 50 yards of
any
property
ownership boundary.
(b)(1)
Except as otherwise provided by law or regulation, it shall be unlawful for any
person to hunt any game bird or game animal upon, over, around, or near any
place where any
such
corn, wheat,
or other grains, salts, apples, or other
feed or bait has been placed, exposed, deposited, distributed, or scattered so
as to constitute a lure, attraction, or enticement to such birds or animals. It
shall also be unlawful to hunt any game animal or game bird upon, over, around,
or near any such place for a period of ten days following the complete removal
of all such feed or bait.
(2)
The prohibitions of paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not apply
to:
(A)
The hunting of deer in the northern zone, other than on lands under the
ownership or control and management of the state or federal government, if the
hunter is at least 200 yards away from and not within sight of such feed or
bait; and
(B)
The hunting of deer in the southern zone, other than on lands under the
ownership or control and management of the state or federal government, if the
hunter has written permission of the landowner to hunt upon, over, around, or
near such feed or bait,
except
as otherwise provided by paragraph (3) of this subsection.
(3)(A)
The board may by rule or regulation restrict the feeding, baiting, or hunting of
deer upon, over, around, or near such feed or bait in any county wherein there
is a documented occurrence of a communicable disease in deer and in any county
adjoining such county. Such restriction may be imposed in such county and any
adjoining county for a period of up to and including one year and may be
extended for additional periods of up to and including two years each upon
documentation that the communicable disease is still present in deer in such
county. No person shall feed, bait, or hunt deer in violation of any
restriction imposed pursuant to this paragraph.
(B)
The department shall give notice of such restriction by mail or electronic means
to each person holding a current license to hunt whose last known address is
within a restricted county. The department may place or designate the placement
of signs and markers so as to give notice of such restriction.
(4)
Any person who takes any big game animal, other than deer, within 200 yards of
any
place
where any corn, wheat, or other grains, salts, apples, or other feed or bait has
been
placed,
exposed, deposited, distributed, or scattered so as to constitute a lure,
attraction,
or
enticement for any game bird or game animal shall, upon conviction of thereof,
be
guilty
of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature and shall be punished as
provided
by Code Section 17-10-4.
(c)
When a conservation ranger is aware or becomes aware that a clearly identifiable
area of land or field is baited for doves in such a manner that hunting thereon
would be a violation of
paragraph (1)
of subsection (b) of this Code section, it
shall be the duty of the conservation ranger to require the owner or other
person having lawful possession or control of the baited area of land or field
to remove such bait. The conservation ranger shall require such owner or other
person to erect on the area of land or field signs having printed thereon the
words: 'No Hunting, Baited Field.' Such signs shall remain for ten days after
bait is removed. The printing on such signs shall be clearly visible to a
person with normal eyesight from a distance of at least 50 yards. A sufficient
number of such signs shall be erected to provide reasonable notice to hunters
that the field or area is baited
for
doves. If the conservation ranger cannot
locate the owner or other person having lawful possession or control of the
baited
area of land or field
baited for
doves, it shall be the duty of such
conservation ranger to erect such signs. The owner or other person having
lawful possession or control of
a
baited
an
area or field
baited for
doves who fails to comply with an order of
a conservation ranger requiring the removal of bait or the erection of signs, or
both, as required by this subsection shall be guilty of a misdemeanor. When a
conservation ranger is aware that a clearly identifiable area of land or field
is baited for
doves in such a manner that hunting
thereon would be a violation of
paragraph (1)
of subsection (b) of this Code section
prior to any such violation, no charge may be brought against any person under
paragraph (1)
of subsection (b) of this Code section
unless the provisions of this subsection have been followed. Nothing in this
subsection shall be construed to preclude the owner or other person having
lawful possession or control of a baited area or field from being charged with
and convicted of a violation of subsection
(a)
(a.1)
of this Code section. Nothing in this subsection shall be construed to preclude
a person's being charged with and convicted of a violation of
paragraph (1)
of subsection (b) of this Code section
when such violation is on
a
baited
an
area of land or field
baited for
doves which was not previously identified
by a conservation ranger as provided in this subsection prior to such
violation."
SECTION
2.
Said
part is further amended in Code Section 27-3-24, relating to restrictions on
hunting feral hogs, by revising subsection (a) and adding a new subsection (a.1)
as follows:
"(a)
It shall be unlawful to hunt, or engage in the hunting of, feral
hogs:
(1)
Upon the lands of another or enter upon the lands of another in pursuit of feral
hogs without first obtaining permission from the landowner or lessee of such
land or the lessee of the game rights of such land;
(2)
Upon any land which is posted without having the permission required by
paragraph (1) of this subsection in writing and carried upon the
person;
(3)
Upon, over,
around, or near any land or place upon which any corn, wheat, or other grains,
salts, apples, or other feeds or bait which would constitute a lure, attraction,
or enticement for any feral hog has been placed, exposed, deposited,
distributed, or scattered or upon, over, around, or near any such place for a
period of ten days following the complete removal of all such feed or bait;
provided, however, this paragraph shall not prohibit the use of bait described
in this paragraph for the purpose of trapping feral hogs or hunting feral hogs
by means other than a firearm or bow and
arrow
Reserved;
(4)
From within a vehicle or while riding on a vehicle at night and with the use of
a light;
(5)
At night with a light, except that a light which is carried on the person of a
hunter, affixed to a helmet or hat worn by a hunter, or part of a belt system
worn by a hunter may be used for locating feral hogs; or
(6)
During the firearms deer season unless the hunter and each person accompanying
the hunter are wearing a total of at least 500 square inches of daylight
fluorescent orange material as an outer garment and such material or garment is
worn above the waistline, and may include a head covering.
(a.1)(1)
The board may by rule or regulation restrict the feeding, baiting, or hunting of
feral hogs upon, over, around, or near feed or bait in any county wherein there
is a documented occurrence of a communicable disease in deer and in any county
adjoining such county. Such restriction may be imposed in such county and any
adjoining county for a period of up to and including one year and may be
extended for additional periods of up to and including two years each upon
documentation that the communicable disease is still present in deer in such
county. No person shall feed, bait, or hunt feral hogs in violation of any
restriction imposed pursuant to this paragraph.
(2)
The department shall give notice of such restriction by mail or electronic means
to each person holding a current license to hunt whose last known address is
within a restricted county. The department may place or designate the placement
of signs and markers so as to give notice of such restriction.
(a.2)
It shall be unlawful for any person to place, expose, deposit, distribute, or
scatter
any
corn, wheat, or other grains, salts, apples, or other feed or bait so as to
constitute a
lure,
attraction, or enticement for feral hogs within 50 yards of any property
ownership
boundary."
SECTION
3.
All
laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.