Bill Text: MS HB152 | 2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

Mississippi House Bill 152 (Prior Session Legislation)

Introduced

Bill Title: Wild hogs; authorize to be hunted year-round with proper permit or license.

Sponsorship: Partisan Bill (Democrat 1)

Status: (Failed) 2012-03-06 - Died In Committee [HB152 Detail]

Download: Mississippi-2012-HB152-Introduced.html

MISSISSIPPI LEGISLATURE

2012 Regular Session

To: Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks

By: Representative Holland

House Bill 152

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 49-7-31.5, MISSISSIPPI CODE OF 1972, TO AUTHORIZE THE YEAR-ROUND HUNTING OF WILD HOGS; TO REQUIRE THOSE PERSONS HUNTING WILD HOGS POSSESSES A PERMIT, ALL-GAME HUNTING LICENSE OR TRAPPING LICENSE, UNLESS OTHERWISE EXEMPT; TO REQUIRE PERSONS HUNTING OR TRAPPING WILD HOGS TO PURCHASE A MINIMUM OF TWENTY-FIVE TAGS FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS, TO BE ISSUED ANNUALLY AT THE TIME OF THE PURCHASE OF THE REQUIRED PERMIT OR APPROPRIATE LICENSE; TO AUTHORIZE THE DEPARTMENT TO ESTABLISH RULES AND REGULATION TO REGULATE THE HUNTING OF WILD HOGS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI:

SECTION 1. Section 49-7-31.5, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

49-7-31.5. (1) The hunting, trapping and taking of nuisance animals shall be regulated by the commission. The commission may adopt regulations to regulate the hunting, trapping and taking of nuisance animals and to control the population of nuisance animals.

(2) (a) Landowners, agricultural leaseholders or their designated agents may take predatory and nuisance animals year-round on lands owned or leased by them.

(b) Landowners, agricultural leaseholders or their designated agents may take nuisance animals with any type of weapon and may take nuisance animals during the night after legal hunting hours on lands owned or leased by them with a permit issued by the department.

(c) No license is required for a resident landowner hunting or trapping nuisance animals on his own land. An agricultural leaseholder, designated agent and any other person must possess either an all-game hunting license or trapping license, unless otherwise exempt.

(3) The taking of any animal or animals other than nuisance animals by the use of a trap or traps is unlawful except during the time the season is open for the taking of fur-bearing animals.

(4) Nuisance animals may be run, chased or pursued with dogs, except as provided in Section 49-7-32, year-round by licensed hunters.

(5) Nuisance animals may be hunted with the aid of electronic calls.

(6) Nuisance animals may be hunted or trapped with the aid of bait and lures, on private lands, according to regulations adopted by the commission.

(7) Any part of a nuisance animal may be bought and sold year-round.

(8) Wild hogs may be taken year-round provided that the individual hunting wild hogs possesses a permit, all-game hunting license or trapping license, unless otherwise exempt as a resident landowner under subsection (2)(c) of this section. Each person hunting or trapping wild hogs shall purchase a minimum of twenty-five (25) tags from the department, which shall be issued annually at the time of the purchase of the required permit or appropriate license. The department shall be authorized to establish rules and regulation to regulate the hunting of wild hogs and the fees established with the issuance of tags.

(9) (a) Wild hogs may not be caught or trapped and released into the wild at a location different from the location where the wild hog was caught or trapped.

(b) A violation of this subsection is a Class I violation and is punishable as provided under Section 49-7-141.

(10) When hunting wild hogs during any open gun season on deer, a hunter must wear in full view at least five hundred (500) square inches of solid unbroken fluorescent orange.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2012.