Weapons authorized for use under certain hunting approvals, prohibiting certain persons from obtaining or using hunting approvals, authorizing issuance of archery hunting approvals and nonfirearm hunting approvals for hunting certain animals, and providing a penalty

This bill prohibits a person who, under current law, is prohibited from possessing a firearm from obtaining or using a license, permit, or other approval (approval) issued by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) if the approval authorizes hunting with a firearm. The bill provides that a person who violates this prohibition is subject to a forfeiture of not less than $500 nor more than $1,000. In addition, the court must revoke all hunting approvals issued to that person by DNR and prohibit that person from holding such an approval for a period of five years.

Under current law, the statutes for some of the hunting licenses issued by DNR specify whether firearms, bows and arrows, or crossbows may be used for hunting under those licenses. For other licenses, the allowable weapon is specified in the administrative code. This bill clarifies in the statutes which weapons may be used under the authority of existing hunting licenses. The bill changes the name of a small game hunting license to a small game hunting general license, changes the name of a wild turkey hunting license to a wild turkey hunting general license, and changes the name of a Class A bear license to a Class A bear general license. The bill also creates three new licenses. The bill creates a small game hunting nonfirearm license, a wild turkey hunting archery license, and a Class A bear archery license. All three of these new licenses authorize hunting with a bow and arrow or with a crossbow if the holder has a permit that authorizes the holder to use a crossbow or if the holder is a resident senior citizen. The small game hunting nonfirearm license also allows the holder to hunt with an airgun.