Sponsored by:

Senator JOSEPH M. KYRILLOS, JR.

District 13 (Monmouth)

SYNOPSIS

Authorizes hunting of game animals every day of the week during hunting season.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

An Act concerning hunting and amending R.S.23:4-24.

Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. R.S. 23:4-24 is amended to read as follows:

23:4-24. a. [No person shall hunt with a hound or with firearms or weapons of any kind, or carry a gun in the woods or fields or on the waters on Sunday, under a penalty of $50 for each offense; except that this section shall not apply to :

(1) any person hunting raccoon between midnight on Saturday and sunrise on Sunday during the season prescribed in R.S.23:4-1;

(2)] Hunting of any game animal shall be permitted every day of the week, including Sundays, during any season prescribed pursuant to the State Fish and Game Code for the hunting of that animal.

b. Notwithstanding subsection a. of this section, this section shall not prevent:

(1) a person possessing a valid and proper rifle permit licensed to trap fur-bearing animals pursuant to the provisions of R.S.23:3-1 using a .22 caliber rifle and .22 caliber short rimfire cartridges [to] from humanely [dispatch] dispatching legally trapped animals; or

[(3) a person using a bow and arrow to hunt deer during any bow and arrow hunting season for deer prescribed by the State Fish and Game Code, provided the person possesses a valid bow and arrow license, or a valid "All Around Sportsman License" if applicable, issued by the division, abides by all applicable provisions of the code, and is hunting on a State wildlife management area or on private property.

b. This section shall not prevent] (2) farm land owners, lessees actually occupying or farming the land, members of their immediate families, or their farm employees from hunting and destroying at any time and in any manner crows, woodchuck, fox and vermin on that land.

(cf: P.L.2009, c.48, s.1)

2. This act shall take effect January 1 next following the date of enactment.

STATEMENT

This bill would authorize the hunting of any game animal every day of the week, including Sundays, during any season prescribed pursuant to the State Fish and Game Code for the hunting of that animal. The bill also maintains the provisions of current law that permit:

1) a person with valid and proper rifle permit licensed to trap fur-bearing animals pursuant to the provisions of R.S.23:3-1 using a .22 caliber rifle and .22 caliber short rimfire cartridges to humanely dispatch legally trapped animals; and

2) farm land owners, lessees actually occupying or farming the land, members of their immediate families, or their farm employees to hunt and destroy at any time and in any manner crows, woodchuck, fox and vermin on that land.