Reference is to Printer's Date 3/17/15 -S.
Amend the bill, as and if amended, by striking all after the enacting words and inserting:
/ SECTION 1. Section 50-9-650 of the 1976 Code, as added by Act 233 of 2010, is amended to read:
"Section 50-9-650.
(A) For the
privilege of taking antlerless deer, in addition to the required
hunting license and big game permit, a hunter shall obtain an
annual individual antlerless deer tag issued in his name, and
the fee:
(1)
for a resident is five dollars per
tag;
(2)
for a nonresident is five dollars
per tag.
(A)(1) For
the privilege of hunting and taking deer on property with a Deer
Quota Program permit, a person must possess the required hunting
license, any other required permits, and have access and
authorization to utilize Deer Quota Program tags for the
property on which the person is hunting.
(B)(2)
A landowner or lessee may apply to the
Antlerless Deer Quota Program for an
antlerless deer quota a permit at a cost of
fifty dollars per land tract application. The
applicant may request a quota for anterless deer, antlered deer,
or both antlered and anterless deer. The department shall
determine an appropriate quota of tags
number of Deer Quota Program tags for antlered and antlerless
deer to be issued under each permit, and there is no cost
for these tags.
(B)(1) For
the privilege of hunting and taking deer on property without a
Deer Quota Program permit, a person must obtain required hunting
license, any other required permits, and a set of individual
deer tags from the department issued in the person's name.
(2)(a)
With the purchase of a South Carolina
hunting license and a big game permit, a resident shall be
issued eight date-specific individual anterless deer tags which
are valid only on specified days and three unrestricted
individual antlered deer tags. Persons under the age of
sixteen, lifetime, and gratis licensees may receive these tags
upon request to the department. Residents, including persons
under the age of sixteen, lifetime, and gratis licensees also
may purchase:
(i)
two antler restriction
individual antlered deer tags valid for deer with a minimum of
four points on one antler or a minimum twelve-inch inside antler
spread for five dollars per tag; and
(ii)
additional individual anterless deer tags for
five dollars per tag.
(b)
Fees for nonresident deer tags are as
follows:
(i)
fifty dollars for the first antlered deer tag
and twenty dollars for each additional antlered deer tag up to a
maximum of four tags; two of which must be an antler restriction
individual antlered deer tag valid only for deer with a minimum
of four points on one antler or a minimum twelve-inch inside
antler spread; and
(ii)
ten dollars per individual anterless deer
tag."
SECTION 2. Section 50-9-920(B)(6) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 94 of 2013, is further amended to read:
"(6)
antlerless deer quota permit (ADQP)
Deer Quota Program permit shall be exclusively used to
administer the ADQP program Deer Quota
Program and for deer management and research;"
SECTION 3. Section 50-9-920(B)(7) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 94 of 2013, is further amended to read:
"(7) individual
antlerless and nonresident antlered deer tags shall be
used as follows:
(a)
eighty percent to administer the tag program, deer
management, and research; and
(b)
the remaining twenty percent for law enforcement;"
SECTION 4. Section 50-9-920(B) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 94 of 2013, is further amended by adding an appropriately numbered item at the end:
"() resident antler restriction individual antlered deer tags shall be used to administer the Coyote Management Program."
SECTION 5. Article 3, Chapter 11, Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 50-11-315.
(A) The bag limit for antlered deer
taken with individual antlered deer tags is five per year for
all seasons combined of which two have antler restrictions with
a minimum of four points on one antler or a minimum twelve-inch
inside antler spread. No more than two antlered deer may be
taken daily. For the purpose of this section:
(1)
a point is a projection that is at least one inch long and
longer than wide at some location at least one inch from the tip
of the projection; and
(2)
inside antler spread is measured at a right angle to the
center line of the skull at its widest point between the main
beams. No more than two antlerless deer may be taken daily with
individual tags.
(B) The bag limit for
deer taken on property with a Deer Quota Program permit shall be
set by the department.
(C) It is unlawful to
take more than the legal limit of deer. A person who violates
this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction,
must be fined not less than fifty dollars nor more than five
hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty days.
Each animal over the limit is a separate offense."
SECTION 6. Article 3, Chapter 11, Title 50 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:
"Section 50-11-320.
(A) The department will issue tags for
the hunting and taking of deer.
(1)
Antlered deer tags issued to individuals are valid
statewide as prescribed by the department except on property
with a Deer Quota Program permit for antlered deer.
(2)
Antlerless deer tags issued to individuals are valid
statewide as prescribed by the department except on property
with a Deer Quota Program permit for antlerless deer.
(3)
Deer Quota Program tags are valid only on properties for
which they are issued.
(B)(1) Deer taken
pursuant to individual deer tags, during any season regardless
of weapon, must be tagged with a valid individual deer tag.
Each tag must be attached to the deer as prescribed by the
department before the animal is moved from the point of
kill.
(2)
Deer taken pursuant to Deer Quota Program tags must be
tagged with a valid Deer Quota Program tag and reported to the
department as prescribed. Each tag must be attached to the deer
as prescribed by the department before the animal is moved from
the point of kill.
(C) It is unlawful for
an individual:
(1)
to harvest or attempt to harvest a deer on property with a
Deer Quota Program permit without having access and
authorization to utilize Deer Quota Program tags for the
property on which the person is hunting;
(2)
to harvest or attempt to harvest a deer on property
without a Deer Quota Program permit unless the person possesses
a set of individual deer tags issued in the person's name;
(3)
to possess, move, or transport an untagged deer;
(4)
to possess more than one set of deer tags or tags issued
in another person's name; and
(5)
to alter a deer tag for fraudulent or unlawful
purposes.
(D) A person who
violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon
conviction, must be fined not less than fifty dollars nor more
than five hundred dollars or imprisoned for not more than thirty
days."
SECTION 7. Section 50-11-390 of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 233 of 2010, is further amended to read:
"Section 50-11-390.
(A)(1) The department
Department of Natural Resources may
promulgate regulations to permit the taking of antlerless
deer between September fifteenth and January first,
inclusive. The department may set bag limits and methods for
hunting and taking of antlerless deer and other restrictions for
the proper control of hunting and taking of antlerless
deer.
(2)
The department must establish a minimum number
of anterless days as follows:
(a)
three days in Game Zone 1;
(b)
eight days in Game Zones 2, 3, and 4.
(B) In all game
zones, the department may issue individual tags for antlerless
deer which must be used as prescribed by the department. These
tags are valid statewide, except on properties
property receiving antlerless deer quota
permits a Deer Quota Program permit for antlerless
deer pursuant to subsection (C), and must be possessed and
used only by the individual to whom they are issued.
(C) In all game zones,
the department may issue antlerless deer quota
Deer Quota Program permits to landowners or lessees.
The department will determine the appropriate number of Deer
Quota Program tags, and issue the tags for the permitted
property.
(D)
Antlerless deer Deer taken
pursuant to individual tags or quota permits
a Deer Quota Program permit must be tagged with a valid
antlerless deer Deer Quota
Program tag and reported to the department as prescribed.
Each tag must be attached to the deer as prescribed by the
department before the animal is moved from the point of kill.
Antlerless deer taken pursuant to quota permits must be
tagged, even if taken on designated either-sex days. (E) The
department may suspend the taking of
antlerless
deer or revoke any Deer Quota Program
quota permit or individual
tags when environmental conditions or other factors
warrant.
(F) It is unlawful to
hunt or take, possess, or transport
antlerless deer, except as permitted by this
section. A person violating the provisions of this section or
the provisions for taking antlerless deer
established by the department is guilty of a misdemeanor and,
upon conviction, must be fined not less than fifty and not more
than five hundred dollars or imprisoned not more than thirty
days."
SECTION 8. Section 50-11-335 of the 1976 Code is repealed.
SECTION 9. The department shall provide a report of a four-year study by July 1, 2022, to the Chairman of the Senate Fish, Game and Forestry Committee and the Chairman of the House Agriculture, Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee. The report will include, but will not be limited to, the status of the white-tailed deer population and a review of the tagging program.
SECTION 10. This act takes effect on July 1, 2017.
Renumber sections to conform.
Amend title to conform.