Interesting hunting bill introduced

[lampern]

http://www.legis.ga.gov/Legislation/en-US/display/20192020/SB/72

A BILL to be entitled an Act to amend Chapter 1 of Title 27 of the O.C.G.A., relating to general provisions relative to game and fish, so as to remove a prohibition on hunting on wildlife management areas; to change the date of effective rules and regulations of the Board of Natural Resources; to amend Part 1 of Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 27 of the O.C.G.A., relating to general provisions relative to hunting, so as to provide for regulation of hunting with air guns of not less than 0.30 caliber; to modify seasons and bag limits for deer, opossum, and raccoon; to modify certain prohibitions relating to restrictions on hunting feral hogs; to amend various provisions of the O.C.G.A., so as to make conforming changes; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.

 

[sea trout]

I've never been able to understand the way they word this stuff.
So are they making air guns, 30 cal, legal?

 

[lampern]

Section 5 deals with pig/hog baiting

 

[lampern]

I've never been able to understand the way they word this stuff.
So are they making air guns, 30 cal, legal?

Only air guns shooting projectiles .30 or greater will be legal

 

[Milkman]

@C.Killmaster please help us interpret this

 

[C.Killmaster]

This makes big bore air rifles legal big game weapons with a sunset of 5 years to allow time for the manufacturers to get the Pittman-Robertson excise tax imposed on them, which is currently limited to firearms, ammunition, and archery.

One section grants DNR the authority to regulate the deer bag limit within 12 and manage the extended archery season for metro areas. There's also some cleanup language on the raccoon/possum zone lines that no longer exist and updating the scientific name for cougars.

This also clears up the interference with neighboring properties. I.e you can't bait a property line in such a way that would make hunting on your neighbors land illegal.

 

[Milkman]

This makes big bore air rifles legal big game weapons with a sunset of 5 years to allow time for the manufacturers to get the Pittman-Robertson excise tax imposed on them, which is currently limited to firearms, ammunition, and archery.

One section grants DNR the authority to regulate the deer bag limit within 12 and manage the extended archery season for metro areas. There's also some cleanup language on the raccoon/possum zone lines that no longer exist and updating the scientific name for cougars.

This also codifies baiting into law (currently regulation by executive order) and clears up the interference with neighboring properties. I.e you can't bait a property line in such a way that would make hunting on your neighbors land illegal.

Thanks Charlie!!!

 

[Sixes]

Is there any chance that the extended archery season areas will be increased to include other counties? Mostly curious about south Cherokee, I'm really surprised that it is not included already since our population is very similar to Forsyth county

 

[Mr Bya Lungshot]

They’s ten tons more in this bill than we can shake a stick at.

For one NO CLOSED SEASON OR LIMIT ON FOX. Jan 1- Dec 31

 

[Lukikus2]

What would be the new scientific name for cougars?

 

[C.Killmaster]

What would be the new scientific name for cougars?

Puma concolor, formerly known as Felis concolor.

 

[C.Killmaster]

They’s ten tons more in this bill than we can shake a stick at.

For one NO CLOSED SEASON OR LIMIT ON FOX. Jan 1- Dec 31

That's the existing law, the only new language is anything underlined. That is the legal framework for fox, the seasons are set within that by regulation. The current fox season, which isn't changing, is Dec. 1 to the end of Feb. There never has been a limit in any recent years.

 

[C.Killmaster]

Is there any chance that the extended archery season areas will be increased to include other counties? Mostly curious about south Cherokee, I'm really surprised that it is not included already since our population is very similar to Forsyth county

We would likely base it on a standardized home density per square mile which is how the original metro counties were delineated.

 

[tenpoint2772]

does that mean air rifles over 30 caliber will be legal this deer season

 

[Howard Roark]

A buddy has an air rifle that shoots a 357 projectile.

I will stick with my 270

 

[Lukikus2]

Puma concolor, formerly known as Felis concolor.

And bobcats would be considered the in same category or is this to separate the two.

 

[Lukikus2]

Tough job. Tough decisions. I once hunted property that could not sustain the population of deer on it. State biologists even said. We were backed up by 100's of thousands acres of mountain. The deer congregated every year to our property. The only way to get the population down so the land would sustain them was to pass antlerless days for the whole county. Quite a conundrum for parts of the county that had sparse populations.

 

[C.Killmaster]

does that mean air rifles over 30 caliber will be legal this deer season

If it passes the house, senate, and Governor's office, yes.

 

[C.Killmaster]

And bobcats would be considered the in same category or is this to separate the two.

No, bobcats are listed independently. Cougars/mountain lions used to be classified in the genus Felis, but were later moved into the new genus Puma after genetics showed them to be more different from other cats in the genus Felis. It's just a housekeeping change to use the more current and correct scientific name for the animal.

 

[b rad]

No, bobcats are listed independently. Cougars/mountain lions used to be classified in the genus Felis, but were later moved into the new genus Puma after genetics showed them to be more different from other cats in the genus Felis. It's just a housekeeping change to use the more current and correct scientific name for the animal.

why are they putting puma on the closed season list if they arent in GA?