SB 222

This bill changes to the current law regulating hunting by persons in a group.

Current law provides that, if two or more persons are hunting in a group and each

of those persons holds a deer hunting license and is hunting with a firearm, then one

of the members of the group deer hunting party may kill a deer for another member

of the group deer hunting party under certain circumstances. Those circumstances

require that the person for whom the deer is killed must possess a current unused

deer carcass tag authorized for use on that deer and also require that the person who

kills the deer must be in contact with the person for whom the deer is killed. This

bill eliminates the requirement that the member of the group deer hunting party who

kills the deer must be in contact with the person for whom the deer is killed.

This bill also extends certain hunting privileges to persons who hunt in a group

and who all use a bow and arrow. The bill provides that a member of such a group

may kill a deer for another member of the group if that deer is an antlerless deer and

if the person for whom the antlerless deer is killed possesses a current unused deer

carcass tag authorized for use on that deer.

Current law also requires a person who kills a deer for another member of a

qualifying group deer hunting party to ensure that a member of the group deer

hunting party attaches a current deer carcass tag to the deer without delay. This bill

requires a person who kills a deer for another member of any qualifying group deer

hunting party to inform another member of his or her group deer hunting party of

the kill and to ensure that the informed member attaches his or her deer carcass tag

to the deer within one hour after the deer is killed.

This bill also expands the exceptions to general restrictions on possessing or

transporting a firearm, bow, or crossbow in or on a vehicle. Under current law, with

certain exceptions, no person may place, possess, or transport (place) a firearm, bow,

or crossbow in or on a vehicle unless: 1) for a firearm, the firearm is unloaded and

completely enclosed in a case that is made for the purpose of containing a firearm;

or 2) for a bow or crossbow, the bow or crossbow is either unstrung or enclosed in a

carrying case. This bill eliminates the requirement that an unloaded firearm placed

in a vehicle be in a case. The bill also provides that the prohibitions against the

placement of a firearm, bow, or crossbow in a vehicle do not apply if the vehicle is

stationary. The bill does not change the current law prohibition against shooting a

firearm, bolt, or arrow from a vehicle.