SB222: Bill Text

2009 Senate BILL 222

May 26, 2009 - Introduced by Senators Decker, Holperin, Hansen, Hopper and Taylor, cosponsored by Representatives Jorgensen, Petrowski, Spanbauer and Zigmunt. Referred to Committee on Transportation, Tourism, Forestry, and Natural Resources.

SB222,1,6 An Act to repeal 29.324 (1) (a) and 29.324 (2) (a); to renumber and amend 167.31 (2) (b); to consolidate, renumber and amend 29.324 (1) (intro.) and (b) and 29.324 (2) (intro.) and (b); to amend 29.324 (3); and to create 29.324 (2m) and 167.31 (2) (b) 3. of the statutes; relating to: group deer hunting requirements and restrictions on placing, possessing, or transporting a firearm, bow, or crossbow in or on a vehicle.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill changes to the current law regulating hunting by persons in a group. Current law provides that, if two or more persons are hunting in a group and each of those persons holds a deer hunting license and is hunting with a firearm, then one of the members of the group deer hunting party may kill a deer for another member of the group deer hunting party under certain circumstances. Those circumstances require that the person for whom the deer is killed must possess a current unused deer carcass tag authorized for use on that deer and also require that the person who kills the deer must be in contact with the person for whom the deer is killed. This bill eliminates the requirement that the member of the group deer hunting party who kills the deer must be in contact with the person for whom the deer is killed.

This bill also extends certain hunting privileges to persons who hunt in a group and who all use a bow and arrow. The bill provides that a member of such a group may kill a deer for another member of the group if that deer is an antlerless deer and if the person for whom the antlerless deer is killed possesses a current unused deer carcass tag authorized for use on that deer.

Current law also requires a person who kills a deer for another member of a qualifying group deer hunting party to ensure that a member of the group deer hunting party attaches a current deer carcass tag to the deer without delay. This bill requires a person who kills a deer for another member of any qualifying group deer hunting party to inform another member of his or her group deer hunting party of the kill and to ensure that the informed member attaches his or her deer carcass tag to the deer within one hour after the deer is killed.

This bill also expands the exceptions to general restrictions on possessing or transporting a firearm, bow, or crossbow in or on a vehicle. Under current law, with certain exceptions, no person may place, possess, or transport (place) a firearm, bow, or crossbow in or on a vehicle unless: 1) for a firearm, the firearm is unloaded and completely enclosed in a case that is made for the purpose of containing a firearm; or 2) for a bow or crossbow, the bow or crossbow is either unstrung or enclosed in a carrying case. This bill eliminates the requirement that an unloaded firearm placed in a vehicle be in a case. The bill also provides that the prohibitions against the placement of a firearm, bow, or crossbow in a vehicle do not apply if the vehicle is stationary. The bill does not change the current law prohibition against shooting a firearm, bolt, or arrow from a vehicle.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB222, s. 1 Section 1. 29.324 (1) (intro.) and (b) of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered 29.324 (1) and amended to read:

SB222,2,5 29.324 (1) In this section: (b) "Group, "group deer hunting party" means 2 or more hunters hunting in a group all using firearms, each of whom holds an individual license to hunt deer.

SB222, s. 2 Section 2. 29.324 (1) (a) of the statutes is repealed.

SB222, s. 3 Section 3. 29.324 (2) (intro.) and (b) of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered 29.324 (2) and amended to read:

SB222,3,2 29.324 (2) Any member of a group deer hunting party , the members of which are all using firearms, may kill a deer for another member of the group deer hunting party if both of the following conditions exist: (b) The the person for whom the deer is killed possesses a current unused deer carcass tag which is authorized for use on the deer killed.

SB222, s. 4 Section 4. 29.324 (2) (a) of the statutes is repealed.

SB222, s. 5 Section 5. 29.324 (2m) of the statutes is created to read:

SB222,3,9 29.324 (2m) Any member of a group deer hunting party, the members of which are all using bows and arrows, may kill an antlerless deer for another member of the group deer hunting party if the person for whom the antlerless deer is killed possesses a current unused deer carcass tag that is authorized for use on the antlerless deer killed.

SB222, s. 6 Section 6. 29.324 (3) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB222,3,16 29.324 (3) A person who kills a deer under sub. (2) or (2m) shall ensure that inform a member of his or her group deer hunting party without delay of the kill and shall ensure that the member attaches a his or her current validated deer carcass tag to the deer in the manner specified under s. 29.347 (2). The person who kills the deer may not leave the deer unattended until after it is tagged within one hour after the deer is killed.

SB222, s. 7 Section 7. 167.31 (2) (b) of the statutes is renumbered 167.31 (2) (b) (intro.) and amended to read:

SB222,3,21 167.31 (2) (b) (intro.) Except as provided in sub. (4), no person may place, possess, or transport a firearm, bow, or crossbow in or on a vehicle, unless the any of the following applies:

SB222,3,23 1. If the person has a firearm, the firearm is unloaded and encased or unless the.

SB222,3,25 2. If the person has a bow or crossbow, the bow or crossbow is unstrung or is enclosed in a carrying case.

SB222, s. 8 Section 8. 167.31 (2) (b) 3. of the statutes is created to read:

SB222,4,2 167.31 (2) (b) 3. The vehicle is stationary.

SB222,4,3 (End)