Sponsored by:

Assemblyman JOHN J. BURZICHELLI

District 3 (Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem)

Assemblywoman ALISON LITTELL MCHOSE

District 24 (Morris, Sussex and Warren)

SYNOPSIS

Authorizes deer hunting with firearm on Sundays on private property.

CURRENT VERSION OF TEXT

Introduced Pending Technical Review by Legislative Counsel

An Act concerning the hunting of deer 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.23:4-34 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) 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 humanely dispatch 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; or

(4) a person using a firearm to hunt deer during any firearm hunting season for deer prescribed by the State Fish and Game Code, provided the person possesses a valid firearm hunting 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 private property.

b. This section shall not prevent 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 immediately.

STATEMENT

This bill would authorize deer hunting with a firearm on Sundays, subject to certain requirements and restrictions. Current law provides for a general statutory prohibition against hunting on
Sundays, with, however, certain limited exceptions. This bill would create an additional exception by authorizing Sunday deer hunting with a firearm on private property during any firearm season for deer prescribed by the State Fish and Game Code, provided that the person hunting possesses a valid firearm hunting license, or a valid "All Around Sportsman License" if applicable, and abides by all applicable provisions of the State Fish and Game Code.