HB469: relative to areas of the state for hunting by crossbow.

CHAPTER 35

HB 469 - FINAL VERSION

12mar03...0319h

17apr03...1310eba

2003 SESSION

03-0786

10/09

HOUSE BILL 469

AN ACT relative to areas of the state for hunting by crossbow.

SPONSORS: Rep. R. L'Heureux, Hills 58; Rep. Carlson, Hills 44; Rep. Fletcher, Hills 48; Rep. Gorman, Hills 62; Sen. Roberge, Dist 9; Sen. Gallus, Dist 1; Sen. Clegg, Dist 14

COMMITTEE: Fish and Game

ANALYSIS

This bill allows the fish and game department to permit use of crossbow to hunt in certain areas of the state.

This bill was requested by the fish and game department.

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Explanation: Matter added to current law appears in bold italics.

Matter removed from current law appears [in brackets and struckthrough.]

Matter which is either (a) all new or (b) repealed and reenacted appears in regular type.

12mar03...0319h

17apr03...1310eba

03-0786

10/09

STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE

In the Year of Our Lord Two Thousand Three

AN ACT relative to areas of the state for hunting by crossbow.

Be it Enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court convened:

35:1 Hunting; Town of Bow; Crossbow Added. Amend RSA 207:3-b to read as follows:

207:3-b Town of Bow. All hunting is forbidden in the following area of the town of Bow with any firearm other than a shotgun, muzzle loading rifle, [or] bow and arrow, or crossbow as provided in RSA 208:7-a: Southeast from the Concord-Bow boundary line along the west bank of the Merrimack River, then westerly along the Bow-Hooksett boundary line, then northerly along Interstate 93, then westerly along Robinson Road, then northwest along Branch Londonderry Turnpike East, then southerly along Woodhill Road, then southwesterly along Dunbarton Center Road to the Bow-Dunbarton boundary line, then northwesterly along the Bow-Dunbarton boundary line to the Bow-Hopkinton boundary line, then easterly along the Bow-Hopkinton boundary line to the Bow-Concord boundary line, then southeasterly and easterly along the Bow-Concord boundary line to the west bank of the Merrimack River.

35:2 Method of Taking; Reference to Crossbow Added. Amend RSA 208:3 through RSA 208:3-c to read as follows:

208:3 Taking; Mode. Wild deer shall not be taken by the use of a firearm, other than a pistol as permitted in RSA 208:3-d, a shotgun loaded with a single ball or loose buckshot, muzzle-loading rifle, [or] bow and arrow, or crossbow as provided in RSA 208:7-a, in the towns of the following counties as follows:

I. Belknap County: Laconia; Meredith Neck-that part from the Meredith Center Harbor line to Pleasant Street south and east of state route 25.

II. Hillsborough County: Amherst; Bedford; Brookline; Goffstown; Hollis; Hudson; Litchfield; Manchester; Merrimack; Milford; Nashua; Pelham.

III. Merrimack County: Concord; Hooksett-that part lying from the town line of Allenstown, on the westerly side of U.S. No. 3, to a point where the old Portsmouth Railroad crosses said highway, thence south of said Railroad to the town line of Candia; Pembroke that part lying [westerly] southwesterly of the following line: Starting at the Concord town line at Red bridge on [Sheep Davis road] Rt. 106, south to Burrough Road, thence easterly on Burrough road to Fourth Range Road, thence southerly on Fourth Range road to [N.H. Rt. 28, thence southwesterly] Dudley Hill Road, south on Dudley Hill Road to Buck Street, northeast on Buck Street to Rt. 28, South on Rt. 28 to the Allenstown town line.

IV. Rockingham County: Atkinson; Brentwood; Danville; Derry; East Kingston; Exeter; Fremont; Hampstead; Hampton; Hampton Falls; Kensington; Kingston; Londonderry; New Castle; Newfields; Newmarket; Newton; North Hampton; Plaistow; Rye; Salem; Sandown; Seabrook; South Hampton; Windham.

V. Strafford County: Durham; Lee; Madbury; Dover; Rollinsford; Somersworth.

208:3-a Buckshot Prohibited. Wild deer shall not be taken in the towns of Greenland, Newington and Stratham and the city of Portsmouth by use of a firearm, other than a pistol as permitted in RSA 208:3-d, a shotgun loaded with a single ball, a muzzle-loading rifle [or], bow and arrow, or crossbow as provided in RSA 208:7-a.

208:3-b Town of Chester; Taking of Deer. Wild deer shall not be taken in the town of Chester by use of a firearm other than a pistol as permitted in RSA 208:3-d, a shotgun loaded with a single ball, muzzle-loaders as provided in RSA 208:5-a, [or] bow and arrow, or crossbow as provided in RSA 208:7-a.

208:3-c Town of Auburn. Wild deer shall not be taken in the town of Auburn except by the use of a pistol as permitted in RSA 208:3-d, a shotgun loaded with a single ball, [or] a muzzle-loading rifle, [or] a bow and arrow, or crossbow as provided in RSA 208:7-a.

35:3 Hunting from Motor Vehicle, OHRV, Boat, or Aircraft; Crossbows Added. Amend RSA 207:7, II and III to read as follows:

II. No person shall have or carry, in or on a motor vehicle, OHRV, or aircraft, whether moving or stationary, a cocked crossbow, a loaded rifle or loaded shotgun, or a rifle or shotgun with a cartridge in a magazine or clip attached to the gun.

III. No person shall have in or on a boat or other craft while being propelled by mechanical power, or in a boat or other craft being towed by a boat or other craft propelled by mechanical power, a cocked crossbow, a loaded rifle or loaded shotgun, or a rifle or shotgun with a cartridge in a magazine or clip attached to the gun.

35:4 Effective Date. This act shall take effect 60 days after its passage.

(Approved: May 2, 2003)

(Effective Date: July 1, 2003)