SF 141 (LSB 2071XS (3) 85)

SENATE FILE 141

BY  SODDERS

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to game birds only hunting preserves.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  Section 484B.4, subsection 1, Code 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   1.  A person who owns or controls by lease or otherwise for five or more years, a contiguous tract of land having an area of not less than three hundred twenty acres,
 
or in the case of a hunting preserve for game birds only, an area of not less than forty acres, and who desires to establish a hunting preserve, to propagate and sell game birds and their young or unhatched eggs, and shoot game birds and ungulates on the land, under this chapter or the rules of the commission, shall make application to the department for an operator’s license. The application shall be made under oath of the applicant or under oath of one of its principal officers if the applicant is an association or corporation. Under the authority of this license, any property or facilities to be used for propagating, holding, processing, or pasturing of game birds or ungulates shall not be required to be contained within the contiguous land area used for hunting purposes.

An application for a hunting preserve for game birds only, with an area from forty acres up to three hundred twenty acres in size, shall be accompanied by a game bird habitat plan which has been approved by the department. The application shall be accompanied by an operator’s license fee of two hundred dollars.
    Sec. 2.  Section 484B.4, subsection 2, paragraph a, Code 2013, is amended to read as follows:
   a.  The proposed hunting preserve contains at least three hundred twenty acres, or in the case of a hunting preserve for game birds only, at least forty acres, but not more than two thousand five hundred sixty acres.
    Sec. 3.  Section 484B.4, subsection 2, Code 2013, is amended by adding the following new paragraph:
   NEW PARAGRAPH.  0b.  A proposed hunting preserve for game birds only with an area from forty acres up to three hundred twenty acres in size is accompanied by a game bird habitat plan which has been approved by the department, and upon inspection of the proposed hunting preserve, the department is satisfied with implementation of the plan.
EXPLANATION
   This bill relates to the issuance of a license to operate a hunting preserve that is for game birds only. The bill reduces the minimum number of contiguous acres that are required for the establishment of a hunting preserve from 320 acres to 40 acres if the preserve is for game birds only. However, an application for a license to operate such a hunting preserve with an area from 40 acres up to 320 acres must be accompanied by a game bird habitat plan approved by the department of natural resources and upon inspection of the proposed preserve, the department must be satisfied with implementation of the plan before an operator’s license can be issued.