STATE OF OKLAHOMA

2nd Session of the 54th Legislature (2014)

HOUSE BILL 2552	By:	Roberts (Dustin)

AS INTRODUCED

An Act relating to game and fish; amending 29 O.S. 2011, Section 5-203.1, which relates to hunting with aid of lights or a motor-driven land, air or water conveyance; allowing certain disabled persons to hunt from a motor-driven conveyance with a permit; providing for fee and duration of permit; updating statutory reference; and providing an effective date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1.     AMENDATORY     29 O.S. 2011, Section 5-203.1, is amended to read as follows:
Section 5-203.1  A.  No person may attempt to take, take, attempt to catch, catch, attempt to capture, capture, attempt to kill, or kill any deer, feral animal or other wildlife except fish and frogs by the use of a vehicle mounted spotlight or other powerful light at night, by what is commonly known as "headlighting".  Provided, however, nothing in this section shall prevent one from possessing a .22 caliber rimfire rifle or .22 pistol and a light carried while in pursuit of furbearers with hounds during the legal, open furbearers season, while possessing a valid hunting license.
B.  Any person may use a shotgun, using No. 6 size shot or smaller, longbow, light and a call for the purpose of hunting predatory animals, provided that written permission is obtained from the local game warden for each twenty-four-hour period of hunting.
C.  It shall be illegal to hunt from a boat with a firearm from sunset until one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise.  This shall not pertain to hunting of waterfowl enroute from bank to blind with unloaded shotguns.
D.  Except as otherwise provided for in this section, no person may harass, attempt to capture, capture, attempt to take or take, kill or attempt to kill any wildlife with the aid of any motor-driven land, air or water conveyance.
E.  A person who is physically disabled so that the person is permanently or temporarily nonambulatory person may hunt from said motor-driven land or water conveyances with written permission of if issued a permit from the Director of Wildlife Conservation.  The fee for the permit shall not exceed Twenty Dollars ($20.00) and the permit shall be valid for five (5) years.
F.  A person may hunt from an air conveyance if issued a permit pursuant to Section 1 4-107.2 of this act title.
G.  Nothing in this section shall prevent the use of motor-driven land or water conveyances for following dogs in the act of hunting, when use is restricted to public roads or waterways.  Motor-driven land or water conveyances may be used on private property for following dogs in the act of hunting with the permission of the landowner or occupant.
E. H.  Employees of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry Wildlife Services Division and the United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services while engaged in wildlife management activities for the protection of agriculture, property, human health and safety and natural resources shall be exempt from the provisions of this section.
F. I.  Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be punished by a fine of not less than Two Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) for a first offense and not less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for a second offense or by imprisonment in the county jail for not less than ten (10) days nor more than one (1) year, or by confiscation pursuant to Section 5-402 of this title or by such fine, imprisonment and confiscation.
SECTION 2.  This act shall become effective November 1, 2014.

54-2-9295	KB	01/14/14