Senate Bill 2485

AN ACT TO AUTHORIZE THE ISSUANCE STATEWIDE OF A PERMIT FOR HUNTING WITH DOGS, TO BE PATTERNED AFTER THE PERMIT AUTHORIZED IN HOMOCHITTO NATIONAL FOREST UNDER THE REGULATIONS OF THE MISSISSIPPI DEPARTMENT OF WILDLIFE, FISHERIES AND PARKS; AND FOR RELATED PURPOSES.

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

SECTION 1. The permit for hunting with dogs in Homochitto National Forest shall be authorized statewide under the same terms and conditions, except geographic limitations, applying to the permit under Title 40, Part 2, Chapter 1, Rule 2.2F of the Mississippi Administrative Code on January 1, 2021, as follows:

(a) From November 1 to January 31, all dog hunting groups or individuals hunting with dogs must obtain a permit to use dogs to hunt any animal or to train dogs on areas open to deer hunting with dogs in the State of Mississippi.

(b) There is no cost for this permit. A permit will be issued to the dog hunting group.

(c) All hunters hunting with this group must be listed on the permit prior to hunting, except youth fifteen (15) years of age and younger.

(d) All hunters hunting with dogs or with the dog hunting group must have the permit on their person while hunting.

(e) Five (5) guest permits will be available in addition to the individuals listed on the permit. A guest permit will be valid for four (4) consecutive days and must be filled out with the date, the hunter's name and hunting license number, and the guest permit must be signed by the hunter prior to use.

(f) All guests must have the permit on their person while hunting.

(g) Guest permits must be turned in to the department for replacement guest permits to be issued. When guest permits are turned in, a season permit will be issued for these individuals, and replacement guest permits will be issued to the group.

(h) Permit numbers must be visually displayed on the back window of all vehicles in the hunting group.

(i) A permit number will be provided with each individual permit issued. Hunters must display this permit number using three-inch, block numbers in contrast to the background color.

(j) Permits will be available from the department office.

(k) Dogs must wear a functional tracking collar and be identified at all times with the permit number and the owner's contact information. Dogs must be kept on the lands that allow deer hunting with dogs.

(l) A person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a Class III offense, as provided in Section 49-7-101, and, upon conviction, shall be fined not less than Twenty-Five Dollars ($25.00) nor more than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00).

(m) An administrative review panel of department officials may, upon two (2) convictions for violations of this section, or upon documented evidence of two (2) violations of this section, within a three-year period, revoke the dog hunting permit for a period of twenty (20) days. Upon three (3) convictions for violations of this section, or upon documented evidence of three (3) violations of this section, within a three-year period, the dog hunting permit may be revoked for a period of one (1) year.

(n) Any person who files a false affidavit alleging a violation or violations of this section, provides false information regarding a violation of this section, or facilitates a situation which will cause a violation of this section may be subject to prosecution for perjury and, if found guilty, punished under the provisions of Section 97-9-19, and/or subject to a civil suit for false prosecution by the person accused of the violation.

SECTION 2. Section 1 of this act shall be codified in Title 49, Chapter 7, Mississippi Code of 1972.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2021.