S*0592(Rat #0084, Act #0053 of 2015)  General Bill, By Campsen
 AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 50-11-710, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA,
 1976, RELATING TO THE HUNTING OF FERAL HOGS, COYOTES, AND ARMADILLOS AT NIGHT,
 SO AS TO RESTRUCTURE THE EXISTING PROVISIONS THAT REGULATE THE HUNTING OF
 THESE ANIMALS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE NIGHT HUNTING OF THESE ANIMALS BY A
 PERSON WITH A CENTER FIRE RIFLE USING CENTER FIRE AMMUNITION OR SUBSONIC
 CENTER FIRE AMMUNITION. - ratified title

   03/25/15  Senate Introduced and read first time (Senate Journal-page 3)
   03/25/15  Senate Referred to Committee on Fish, Game and Forestry
                     (Senate Journal-page 3)
   04/16/15  Senate Committee report: Favorable Fish, Game and
                     Forestry (Senate Journal-page 13)
   04/22/15  Senate Read second time (Senate Journal-page 13)
   04/22/15  Senate Roll call Ayes-39  Nays-0 (Senate Journal-page 13)
   04/23/15  Senate Read third time and sent to House
                     (Senate Journal-page 19)
   04/28/15  House  Introduced and read first time (House Journal-page 9)
   04/28/15  House  Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Natural
                     Resources and Environmental Affairs
                     (House Journal-page 9)
   05/14/15  House  Recalled from Committee on Agriculture, Natural
                     Resources and Environmental Affairs
                     (House Journal-page 20)
   05/20/15  House  Debate adjourned until Wed., 5-27-15
                     (House Journal-page 27)
   05/27/15  House  Read second time (House Journal-page 19)
   05/27/15  House  Roll call Yeas-89  Nays-0 (House Journal-page 19)
   05/28/15  House  Read third time and enrolled (House Journal-page 16)
   06/02/15         Ratified R 84
   06/03/15         Signed By Governor
   06/08/15         Effective date 06/03/15
   06/09/15         Act No. 53

(A53, R84, S592)

AN ACT TO AMEND SECTION 50-11-710, AS AMENDED, CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, RELATING TO THE HUNTING OF FERAL HOGS, COYOTES, AND ARMADILLOS AT NIGHT, SO AS TO RESTRUCTURE THE EXISTING PROVISIONS THAT REGULATE THE HUNTING OF THESE ANIMALS, AND TO PROVIDE FOR THE NIGHT HUNTING OF THESE ANIMALS BY A PERSON WITH A CENTER FIRE RIFLE USING CENTER FIRE AMMUNITION OR SUBSONIC CENTER FIRE AMMUNITION.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

Night hunting

SECTION    1.    Section 50-11-710(A) of the 1976 Code, as last amended by Act 228 of 2012, is further amended to read:

"Section 50-11-710.    (A)    Night hunting in this State is unlawful except that:

(1)    Raccoons, opossums, foxes, mink, and skunk may be hunted at night; however, they may not be hunted with artificial lights except when treed or cornered with dogs, and may not be hunted with buckshot or any shot larger than a number four, or any rifle ammunition larger than a twenty-two rimfire.

(2)    Feral hogs may be hunted at night with or without the aid of bait, electronic calls, artificial light, or night vision devices:

(a)    at any time of the year with a bow and arrow other than a crossbow, or pistol having iron sights, a barrel length not exceeding nine inches, and which is not equipped with a butt-stock, scope, or laser site;

(b)    at any time of the year under authority of and pursuant to the conditions contained in a depredation permit issued by the department pursuant to Section 50-11-2570; and

(c)    from the last day of February to the first day of July of that same year with any legal firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow when notice is given to the department pursuant to subsection (D). When hunting at night with a center fire rifle pursuant to this item:

(i)        a hunter using supersonic center fire ammunition must hunt from an elevated position at least ten feet from the ground;

(ii)    a hunter using subsonic center fire ammunition is not required to hunt from an elevated position provided that he is not carrying supersonic center fire ammunition for the same rifle.

(3)    Coyotes and armadillos may be hunted at night with or without the aid of bait, electronic calls, artificial light, or night vision devices:

(a)    at any time of the year with a bow and arrow other than a crossbow, a rimfire rifle, a shotgun with shot size no larger than a BB, or a pistol of any caliber having iron sights, a barrel length not exceeding nine inches, and which is not equipped with a butt-stock, scope, or laser light;

(b)    at any time of the year under authority of and pursuant to the conditions contained in a depredation permit issued by the department pursuant to Section 50-11-2570; and

(c)    from the last day of February to the first day of July of that same year with any legal firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow when notice is given to the department pursuant to subsection (D). When hunting at night with a center fire rifle pursuant to this item:

(i)        a hunter using supersonic center fire ammunition must hunt from an elevated position at least ten feet from the ground;                        (ii)    a hunter using subsonic center fire ammunition is not required to hunt from an elevated position provided that he is not carrying supersonic center fire ammunition for the same rifle."

Time effective

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.

Ratified the 2nd day of June, 2015.

Approved the 3rd day of June, 2015.