HB1035_S_Cmte_Amend

SECTION 1. (1) The Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks shall establish and regulate special hunts during velvet hunting season, outside of the regular open season on deer. Velvet hunting season shall begin on September 10, and end no later than September 20, and shall be for no less than three (3) consecutive days in length, and for no more than five (5) consecutive days in length, and only hunting with bow and arrow or crossbows shall be allowed during such season. The special season shall be open on private lands and any Wildlife Management Areas as deemed appropriate by the department. Only bucks that meet the antler criteria for the respective deer management unit may be harvested.

(2) The commission shall establish a special hunting permit for velvet hunting season. Such special hunting permit for velvet hunting season shall be authorized for a time period beginning on September 10, and ending no later than September 20, and shall be valid for no less than three (3) consecutive days in length, and for no more than five (5) consecutive days in length. The commission shall, set the cost of permits.

SECTION 2. Section 49-7-31, Mississippi Code of 1972, is amended as follows:

49-7-31. (1) The open season on deer shall be as follows:

(a) With bow and arrow: October 1 through the Friday prior to Thanksgiving.

(b) With guns and with dogs: from the Saturday prior to Thanksgiving through December 1.

(d) With guns and without dogs: December 16 through December 23. However, the commission may allow hunting statewide or in specific areas with any legal weapon which it may designate without dogs after the end of the last season for hunting deer with guns and with dogs, but the season with legal designated weapons and without dogs shall not extend beyond January 31.

(e) The commission shall establish an extended season with primitive weapons and bow and arrow without dogs from February 1 through February 15 for the area south of U.S. Highway 84 and east of Mississippi Highway 35 only for legal bucks. Any antlered deer taken in this area during any open season under this section must be a legal buck as defined in this paragraph. For purposes of this paragraph, the term "legal buck" means a deer with antlers of four (4) points or more with a minimum inside spread of ten (10) inches or a minimum main beam length of thirteen (13) inches. The commission may regulate the taking of deer with antlers of four (4) points or less under this paragraph for the proper management of antlered deer. The commission may delay the opening date and change the length of bow and arrow season in paragraph (a) in this area.

(f) With guns and with dogs: December 24 through a date fixed by the commission that will provide a total of thirty-nine (39) days of hunting deer with guns and with dogs when added to the number of days provided for hunting deer with guns and with dogs in paragraph (b).

(g) When the open season on deer ends on a Friday, the commission shall have the authority to extend the season until thirty (30) minutes after sunset on the following Sunday.

(2) The commission may set and regulate the deer seasons on wildlife management areas which it administers.

(3) (a) The commission may allow the harvesting of antlerless deer in the districts or zones upon the recommendation of the executive director based upon good and substantial quantitative data and research evaluations that demonstrate that the harvesting is necessary to properly manage the herd.

(b) The commission, only upon the recommendation of the executive director, may allow the harvesting of antlerless deer during the deer season with guns and with dogs by a majority vote of the commission.

(c) Nothing in this subsection prohibits the harvesting of either-sex deer by landowners or leaseholders on private lands under the deer management assistance program prescribed or approved by the executive director.

(4) The commission may provide a special permit for the harvesting of deer when they are depredating and destroying crops. The department shall supervise the harvesting and provide for the salvaging of the meat of the animals. The commission may authorize the department to assist any farmer in this state, who sustains crop damage by wildlife, in eradication of the problem wildlife.

(5) (a) During any open season on deer with primitive weapons after November 30, a person may use any legal weapon of choice on private lands only, if the person is:

(i) The title owner of the land;

(ii) The lessee of the hunting rights on the land;

(iii) A member of a hunting club leasing the hunting rights on the land; or

(iv) A guest of a person specified in subparagraph (i), (ii) or (iii).

(b) If the person is required to have a hunting license, the person must have a primitive weapon license, Sportsman's License or a Lifetime Sportsman's License.

(6) The commission shall establish and regulate special hunts during velvet hunting season, outside of the regular open season on deer, as provided in Section 1 of this act.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect and be in force from and after July 1, 2022, and shall stand repealed on June 30, 2022.