HB302 Alabama 2010 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Thomas JacksonRepresentative

Democrat

Session

Regular Session 2010

Title

Conservation and Natural Resources Department, commercial bird hunting preserve license, alternate license provided where regular hunting license not required, fees, requirements, Secs. 9-11-410, 9-11-412, 9-11-413, 9-11-414, 9-11-417 am'd.; Secs. 9-11-411, 9-11-415, 9-11-416 repealed

Summary

HB302 updates Alabama's rules for commercial bird hunting preserves, adding a seven-day patron license, adjusting licensing and stocking requirements, and repealing several prior provisions.

What This Bill Does

The bill requires operating commercial bird hunting preserves to obtain a license and follow specified rules, including stocking minimums and release requirements for artificial or pen-raised birds. It creates a new seven-day commercial fowl bird hunting preserve license for patrons, priced at $8 plus a $2 issuance fee, allowing hunting only artificial or pen-raised birds. It also allows preserve operators to act as license vendors and requires licenses and fees to be handled through probate courts and the Game and Fish Fund, while repealing certain existing operation requirements. It sets seasonal and harvest rules, notably an 80% annual cap on harvest of released birds, no daily limit for pen-raised quail, and an October 1 to March 31 hunting period for pen-raised birds.

Who It Affects

• Commercial bird hunting preserve operators and probate judges: operators must obtain and maintain licenses, meet stocking and inspection requirements, pay fees, and may serve as license vendors; probate judges issue privilege licenses and handle related fees.
• Hunters, including Alabama residents and non-residents, who hunt on licensed preserves: patrons may hunt under regular licenses or the new seven-day commercial fowl bird license, with specific rules on what birds can be hunted and for how long.

Key Provisions

• Amends licenses for operating bird hunting preserves: requires a bird hunting preserve license to operate and complies with conservation rules; fee structure includes $25 per year for the first 100 acres plus $5 per each additional 100 acres (or part).
• Adds a seven-day commercial fowl bird hunting preserve license (resident or non-resident) costing $8 plus a $2 issuance fee, valid for seven consecutive days and allowed to hunt only artificial or pen-raised birds as designated by the Commissioner.
• Stocking and species: allows only artificially propagated or pen-raised species such as bob-white quail, pheasants, chukar partridge, and other designated birds (excluding pen-raised turkeys) with minimum stock requirements (e.g., 1,000 bob-white quail or 200 of other species) released on the hunting area each period.
• Harvest limits and seasons: holders, guests, and patrons may harvest up to 80% of the total released birds per species per year; no daily limit for pen-raised quail; hunting season for pen-raised birds runs October 1 to March 31.
• Licensing for hunters: Alabama residents hunt under regular game laws; non-residents must have a regular non-resident license or a non-resident trip license, unless using the seven-day preserve license option.
• Vendor and fee handling: preserve operators licensed under this article must act as agent vendors for licenses, with issuance fees remitted to the judge of probate in the county where the preserve is located.
• Repeals: sections 9-11-411, 9-11-415, and 9-11-416 are repealed, removing certain prior operating requirements for preserves.
• Effective date: the act becomes effective on the first day of the third month after its passage and approval.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 24, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Conservation and Natural Resources Department