A N A C T
RELATING TO DEER HUNTING
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 20-15-1 of the General Laws in Chapter 20-15 entitled "Deer Hunting" is hereby amended to read as follows:
20-15-1. Deer hunting prohibited except as provided -- No person shall hunt, pursue, or shoot, or attempt to hunt, pursue, or shoot, deer in this state except as provided in this chapter. Deer hunting shall be limited to seasons, times, manner of taking, and bag limits established in regulations adopted by the director pursuant to section 20-1-12. The regulations shall be formulated to include the best methods to provide for the safety both of hunters and residents. In any event, the following prohibitions and restrictions shall always apply to deer hunting:
(1) No firearm deer hunting shall be done within five hundred feet (500') of any building or dwelling house in use, without the specific written permission of the owner or tenant; thereof.
(a) No archery deer hunting shall be done within two hundred feet (200') of any building or dwelling house in use without the specific written permission of the owner or tenant thereof unless otherwise established in regulations adopted by the director or his designee for the purpose of wildlife management.
(2) Hunting shall only be permitted from one half (1/2) hour before sunrise to one half (1/2) hour after sunset;
(3) No dog shall be employed in any deer hunting activities;
(4) No hunting shall be done on any privately owned land without the written permission of the owner of the land;
(5) Only a shotgun, muzzle loading rifle, or long bow (straight limb, reflex, recurve, and compound bow) and arrow shall be utilized in deer hunting;
(6) No person shall make, set, or use any trap or snare, or salt lick or other device for the purpose of ensnaring, enticing, taking, injuring, or killing a deer;
(7) No person shall individually, or in conjunction with others, use an artificial light at any time to illuminate, jack light, locate, attempt to locate, or show up wild birds or mammals or any other vertebrates when that person or persons have in their actual possession, in the passenger compartment of their vehicle, or in the storage area of a truck or van, unless locked in a case, a crossbow, long bow (straight limb, reflex, recurve, and compound bow) rifle, gun, or pistol; and
(8) Upon conviction of a violation of any provision of this section or the rules and regulations promulgated under this section and section 20-1-12, in addition to the penalties provided by section 20-1-16, any weapons, guns, lights, or other equipment used in killing or attempting to kill any deer shall be forfeited to the state.
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.