HB4281 HFLR Page 1
BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES - FLOOR VERSION
STATE OF OKLAHOMA
2nd Session of the 58th Legislature (2022)
HOUSE BILL 4281 By: Sneed
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to game and fish; amending 29 O.S.
2021, Section 5-203.1, which relates to spotl ighting;
allowing the spotlighting of coyo tes; allowing the
use of night vision equipment to hunt coyotes; and
providing an effective date .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 29 O.S. 2021, Section 5-203.1, is
amended to read as follows:
A. No person may attempt to take, tak e, attempt to catch,
catch, attempt to capture, capture, attempt to kill, or kill any
deer, feral animal or other wildlife except fish and, frogs and
coyotes by the use of a vehicle mounted spotlight or other powerful
light at night, by what is commonly kn own as "headlighting".
Provided, however, nothing in this section shall prevent one from
possessing a .22 caliber rimfire rifle or .22 pistol and a light
carried while in pursuit of furbearers with h ounds during the legal,
open furbearers season, while po ssessing a valid hunting license.
HB4281 HFLR Page 2
BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
Furthermore, any person may use enhanced night vision equipment to
attempt to take, take, attempt to catch, catch, attempt t o capture,
capture, attempt to kill, or ki ll any coyote.
B. Any person may use a shotgun, using N o. 6 size shot or
smaller, longbow, light and a call for the purpose of hunting
predatory animals, provided that written permission is obtained from
the local game warden for each twenty -four-hour period of hunting.
C. It shall be illegal to hunt from a b oat with a firearm from
sunset until one-half (1/2) hour before sunrise. This shall not
pertain to hunting of waterfowl enroute from bank to blind with
unloaded shotguns.
D. Except as otherwise prov ided for in this section, no person
may harass, attempt to capture, capture, attempt to take or take,
kill or attempt to kill any wildlife with the aid of any motor -
driven land, air or water conveyance. A nonambul atory person may
hunt from said conveyance s with written permission of the Director
of Wildlife Conservation. A person may hunt from an air conveyance
if issued a permit pursuant to Section 1 of this act. Nothing in
this section shall prevent the use of motor-driven land or water
conveyances for following dogs in the act of hunting, when use is
restricted to public roads or waterways. Motor -driven land or water
conveyances may be used on private property for following dogs in
the act of hunting with the permission of the landowner or occupant.
HB4281 HFLR Page 3
BOLD FACE denotes Committee Amendments. 1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
E. Employees of the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food,
and Forestry Wildlife Services Division and the United States
Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services while engaged in
wildlife management activitie s for the protection of agriculture,
property, human health and safety and natural resources shall be
exempt from the provisions of this section.
F. Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this
section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and shal l be punished by a
fine of not less than T wo Hundred Fifty Dollars ($250.00) for a
first offense and not less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) for a
second offense or by imprisonment in the county jail for not less
than ten (10) days nor more than one ( 1) year, or by confiscation
pursuant to Section 5-402 of this title or by such fine,
imprisonment and confiscation.
SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2022.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON WILDLIFE, dated 03/03/2022 - DO
PASS.