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SENATE FLOOR VERSION
February 26, 2024
SENATE BILL NO. 1846 By: Dahm
An Act relating to the Oklahoma Wildlife Conservation
Code; amending 29 O.S. 20 21, Section 5-202, which
relates to recreational activity upon the land of
another; assigning a duty for a game warden to inform
a person only when requested to do so; prohibiting
game warden from entering a private property und er
certain circumstances unless reque sted; stating that
suspicion of possession of a firearm or discharge of
a weapon shall not itself constitute sufficient
probable cause to authorize entry to private
property; making language gender neutral; updating
statutory language; and providing an effective date .
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. AMENDATORY 29 O.S. 20 21, Section 5-202, is
amended to read as follows:
Section 5-202. A. Except as otherwise pro vided, no person may
hunt or take by any means or method upon t he land of another with out
the consent of the owner, lessee , or occupant of such land.
B. For purposes of this section, consent shall be presumed to
be valid for not more than one ( 1) year, unless the owner, lessee,
or occupant specifical ly grants consent for a specified period of
time.
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C. Excluding land primarily d evoted to farming, ranching, or
forestry purposes as set forth in Section 1835.2 of Tit le 21 of the
Oklahoma Statutes, areas exempt from the provisions of subsection A
of this section are lands belonging to this stat e which are not
leased and occupied by a resident, excluding school land.
D. Any game warden investigating a hunter in the field has the
does not have a duty, unless the landowner, lessee, or occupant has
requested a game warden to do so, to inform the hunter that it is
necessary to obtain the consent of the landowner, lessee , or
occupant to hunt or take on the particular property. Prosecution
for violations of the provisio ns of this section may be commenced
only upon written complain t of such owner, less ee, or occupant filed
before any court authorized to punish such violation, or upon
written complaint to any game warden or officer authorized to make
arrest for such offenses.
E. Unless otherwise requested by a pro perty owner, lessee, or
tenant, a game warden shall not be authorized to enter private
property on the suspicion of the possible possession or di scharge of
a firearm or bow.
F. Suspicion of the possible possession or discharge o f a
firearm or bow shall not itself constitute sufficient probable cause
for authorizing a game warden to enter private property.
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G. No person shall operate a motor -driven conveyance on lands
that are fenced and posted or are in cultivation without permission
of the landowner, less ee, or occupant.
F. H. The consent of any owner, lessee, or occupant of land
authorizing a person to hunt, take, fish or engage in any
recreational activity upon the land of any such owner, lessee , or
occupant shall not be construed to create any additional d uty of
care or impose any additional liability other than specified by
Sections 16-71.2 and 16-71.3 of Title 2 of the Oklahoma Statutes.
G. I. The obtaining of consent from any owner, les see, or
occupant of land authorizing a person to hunt, take, fis h or engage
in any recreational activity shall not relieve the authorized person
using the land from any obligation which the person may have in the
absence of obtaining such consent to exercise care in the use of
such land and in activities thereon, or from th e legal consequences
of failure to employ such care.
H. J. 1. It shall be an affirmative defense to prosecution
under subsection A of this section that the accused had express or
implied permission or legal authority to be on the property.
2. If an accused reasonably believed he or she was upon
property for which they he or she had permission to be upon , it
shall be an affirmative defense to prosecution under subsection A of
this section that the accused had with him or her, on his or her
person, written permissio n from the surface owner, surface lessee,
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hunting lessee, or lawf ul occupant to be upon such person’s land
while the accused was upon any adjoining property. This defense
shall not be available to the accused if:
a. the accused has previous ly pled guilty, nolo
contendere, or has been convicted of any act of
trespass or has been found civilly lia ble of any act
of trespass, or
b. the accused, while the accused was upon the adjoining
property, does not have with him or her, on his or her
person, the written p ermission specified in this
paragraph.
I. K. Any person convicted for the first time of vio lating any
provisions of this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and
punished by the impo sition of a fine of not less than Five Hundred
Dollars ($500.00) nor more than One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars
($1,500.00), or by im prisonment in the county ja il for thirty (30)
days, or by both fine and imprisonment.
J. L. Any person convicted for the second or subsequent time of
violating any provisions of this section shall be guilty of a
misdemeanor and punished by the imposition of a fine of not less
than One Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ($1,500.00) nor more than Two
Thousand Five Hundred Dollars ( $2,500.00), or by imprisonment in the
county jail for not less than six (6) months, or by both fine and
imprisonment.
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SECTION 2. This act shall become effective November 1, 2024.
COMMITTEE REPORT BY: COMMITTEE ON TOURISM AND WILDLIFE
February 26, 2024 - DO PASS