A bill for an act relating to the allocation of nonresident deer hunting licenses and including effective date provisions.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Taylor Collins

HF 22 reserves 600 of 6,000 nonresident deer hunting licenses for nonresident landowners, ensuring they have access while maintaining overall hunting opportunities.

Committee report approving bill, renumbered as HF 388.

#deer #hunting #nonresidents

Purpose and Intent

HF 22 is a legislative bill aimed at regulating the allocation of nonresident deer hunting licenses in the state. The bill seeks to ensure that a portion of these licenses is reserved for nonresident landowners, thereby promoting hunting opportunities for individuals who own agricultural land in the state.

Key Provisions

License Cap: The bill maintains the annual limit of 6,000 nonresident licenses for antlered or any sex deer hunting.

Reservation for Landowners: At least 600 of the 6,000 licenses must be reserved specifically for nonresident landowners who own a minimum of 40 acres of land zoned for agricultural purposes within the state.

Excess License Allocation: If fewer than 600 landowners apply for the reserved licenses by the designated deadline, any unissued licenses will be made available for general purchase alongside other excess nonresident licenses.

Bow Season Licenses: No more than 35% of the reserved licenses and the remaining nonresident licenses can be allocated for bow season hunting.

Antlerless Deer Licenses: Once the cap of 6,000 antlered or any sex licenses is reached, additional licenses will only be issued for antlerless deer. The Natural Resource Commission (NRC) will determine the number of these antlerless licenses available each year.

Affected Parties

Nonresident Hunters: The bill primarily affects nonresident hunters seeking to participate in deer hunting within the state.

Nonresident Landowners: Specifically benefits nonresident landowners by ensuring they have access to a portion of the hunting licenses.

Natural Resource Commission (NRC): The NRC is responsible for implementing the provisions of this bill, including managing the allocation of licenses.

Procedural Aspects

Introduced: January 14, 2025

Committee Actions:

January 21, 2025: Subcommittee meeting held.
January 23, 2025: Subcommittee recommended passage.
February 11, 2025: Committee report recommending amendment and passage; committee vote resulted in 13 in favor and 8 against.
February 13, 2025: Committee report approved the bill, which was renumbered as HF 388.

Effective Date: The provisions of this act will take effect on July 1, 2026.

Conclusion

HF 22 represents a strategic approach to managing nonresident deer hunting licenses, ensuring that nonresident landowners have prioritized access while maintaining overall hunting opportunities in the state. The bill's structured allocation system aims to balance the interests of various stakeholders involved in deer hunting.

Bill