CHAPTER 123

 

An Act concerning permits issued to control crop damage caused by deer and supplementing Title 23 of the Revised Statutes.


    Be It Enacted by the Senate and General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:


C.23:4-42.1 Killing of deer causing crop damage permitted, conditions.

    1. Notwithstanding the provisions of R.S.23:4-45 or any other law, rule, regulation, or provision of the State Fish and Game Code to the contrary, whenever a permit is issued by the State to a person to kill deer causing crop damage on land under cultivation pursuant to R.S.23:4-42, it shall be lawful for the permittee or authorized agent thereof, for the purposes authorized by the permit and only while on the land or lands under cultivation which are owned or leased by that permittee , but not on or along any public highway adjacent thereto, and for which the permit is issued, to:

    a. Kill either sex deer at any time of day or night , except that the Fish and Game Council may impose such restrictions thereon as may be necessary to protect the general public;

    b. Transport, possess, have in the permittee's or agent's control, or keep firearms authorized pursuant to R.S.23:4-44 uncased, unloaded, and outside the trunk while in or on a motor vehicle or any other kind of vehicle;

    c. Utilize an illuminating device or devices, including but not limited to a spotlight, flashlight, floodlight, or headlight, whether portable or fixed to a motor vehicle or any other kind of vehicle, to locate and stun deer; and

    d. Be assisted by the use of a driver for the motor vehicle or other kind of vehicle, and by a person or persons operating the illuminating device or devices, none of whom shall be required to possess a firearms purchaser identification card while providing such assistance.


C.23:4-42.2 Annual report to include number of deer killed pursuant to permits.

    2. The Division of Fish, Game and Wildlife shall include in its annual report the number of deer killed pursuant to permits issued for the purposes set forth in R.S.23:4-42.


    3. This act shall take effect immediately.


    Approved June 20, 1997.