SB381 Alabama 2021 Session

Summary

Primary Sponsor

Larry StuttsSenator

Republican

Session

Regular Session 2021

Title

Hunting dogs, Dept. of Conservation and Natural Resources, to require a report of citations and warnings for hunters, to require reports to be public records, provide for regulations for hunting dogs, Secs. 9-2-14, 9-11-241 am'd.

Summary

SB381 would regulate hunting with dogs for deer by creating a hunt master registration, mandating dog collars and GPS tracking, increasing transparency with public reporting of wardens’ citations, and adding rules and penalties for dog-related hunting.

What This Bill Does

It requires the Commissioner to publish and share with the House and Senate a public report detailing all citations or warnings issued by game wardens. It creates a no-fee annual registration for hunt masters who use dogs to hunt deer, and imposes penalties for hunting with dogs without registration. It mandates collars/tags on dogs and remote tracking devices with GPS by 2023, with escalating fines for violations, and it allows hunting deer with dogs in most counties while limiting certain areas and setting season rules. It also adds property-owner permission rules for dog hunting on private land and requires reporting to the Advisory Board and Legislature about cited violations.

Who It Affects

• Hunt masters (dog owners/handlers) must register to hunt deer with dogs, wear collars, use tracking devices, and face fines for non-compliance.
• Hunters who participate in hunts but do not own dogs are not required to register, but any dog-related hunting activities would still be subject to the new device and collar requirements.
• Private landowners and land managers gain new protections against dogs entering private property without permission, with specified penalties for violations.
• Law enforcement (game wardens), the Advisory Board, and the Legislature will have new reporting obligations and public access to enforcement data.

Key Provisions

• Provision 1: Establishes a no-fee annual registration for hunt masters who use dogs to hunt deer; non-registration results in a citation and a Class C misdemeanor with a $500 fine.
• Provision 2: Requires dogs used for hunting to wear collars or tags with owner's name, phone number, and Conservation Identification Number; requires remote tracking and behavior correction devices on dogs not physically restrained; GPS/telemetry required by July 1, 2023; tampering incurs a $1,000 fine.
• Provision 3: Directs game wardens to investigate dog killings or injuries during hunting to determine possible violations of state law; strengthens enforcement of animal-cruelty-related concerns.
• Provision 4: Allows hunting deer with dogs in all counties except those prohibited as of January 1, 2020; removes or modifies permit requirements in certain counties and sets general season timing to align with the general gun season; permits hunting in wildlife management areas and national forests unless otherwise restricted.
• Provision 5: Amends Sections 9-2-14 and 9-11-241 to require, prior to semiannual meetings, a report detailing citations or warnings issued within the prior 13 months, to be provided to the Legislature and made public, including the law violated and the county.
• Provision 6: Adds private-property trespass rules for dog hunting with escalating penalties for violations, including warnings, fines, and license revocation after multiple offenses within a hunting season.
• Provision 7: States the bill is exempt from certain local expenditure requirements because it defines a new crime or amends existing crimes.

AI-generated summary using openai/gpt-5-nano on Feb 23, 2026. May contain errors — refer to the official bill text for accuracy.

Subjects

Hunters and Hunting