HOUSE BILL No. 5331

 

October 18, 2007, Introduced by Reps. Walker, Moolenaar, Nitz, Meekhof, Palmer, Hansen, Elsenheimer, Hildenbrand, Casperson, McDowell, Emmons, Meadows, Mayes, Booher, Moore, Caswell, Pastor and Miller and referred to the Committee on Tourism, Outdoor Recreation and Natural Resources.

 

     A bill to amend 1994 PA 451, entitled

 

"Natural resources and environmental protection act,"

 

by amending sections 43523, 43528, and 43531 (MCL 324.43523,

 

324.43528, and 324.43531), section 43523 as amended by 2006 PA 280

 

and sections 43528 and 43531 as amended by 1996 PA 585.

 

THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:

 

     Sec. 43523. (1) Except as otherwise provided in this part, a

 

person shall not hunt small game without unless the person

 

possesses a current small game license. Each A small game license

 

authorizes the person named in the license to hunt for small game

 

except for animals or birds that require a special license.

 

     (2) If authorized in an order issued under part 401, a

 

resident possessing a current small game license may take specified

 


fur-bearing animals by means other than trapping during the open

 

season for hunting these fur-bearing animals. However, such an

 

order shall not require a person who participates in a bobcat hunt

 

to possess a license if the person does not carry a firearm or use

 

a firearm to take bobcat.

 

     (3) The fee for a small game license is as follows:

 

     (a) Subject to subdivision (b), for a resident, $15.00.

 

     (b) For a resident or nonresident minor child, $1.00.

 

     (c) Subject to subdivision (b), for a nonresident, $69.00.

 

However, a nonresident may purchase a limited nonresident small

 

game license entitling that person to hunt for a 3-day period all

 

species of small game that are available to hunt under a

 

nonresident small game license. The fee for a limited nonresident

 

small game license is $30.00.

 

     (4) (2) A small game license is void between the hours of 1/2

 

hour after sunset and 1/2 hour before sunrise.

 

     Sec. 43528. (1) A person shall not hunt bear without unless

 

the person possesses a bear hunting license. However, a person who

 

participates in a bear hunt is not required to possess a license if

 

the person does not carry a firearm or use a firearm to take bear.

 

     (2) The fee for a resident bear hunting license is $13.00.

 

Beginning in 1999, the fee for a resident bear hunting license is

 

$14.00. Beginning in 2001, the fee for a resident bear hunting

 

license is $15.00. The fee for a nonresident bear hunting license

 

is $150.00.

 

     (3) (2) The department may issue a tag with, or as a part of,

 

a bear hunting license. Section 43526(2) applies with respect to a

 


bear hunting license.

 

     (4) (3) In addition to the license fees in subsection (1), the

 

department shall charge a nonrefundable application fee not to

 

exceed $4.00 for each person who applies for a bear hunting

 

license.

 

     Sec. 43531. (1) Except as otherwise provided in section

 

43523(1) 43523(2), a person shall not trap or hunt fur-bearing

 

animals without purchasing and possessing unless the person

 

possesses a fur harvester's license. However, a person who

 

participates in a bobcat hunt is not required to possess a license

 

if the person does not carry a firearm or use a firearm to take

 

bobcat.

 

     (2) The fee for a resident fur harvester's license is $13.00.

 

Beginning in 1999, the fee for a resident fur harvester's license

 

is $14.00. Beginning in 2001, the fee for a resident fur

 

harvester's license is $15.00. The fee for a resident or

 

nonresident who is 12 years of age through 16 years of age for a

 

fur harvester's license shall be discounted 50% from the cost of

 

the resident fur harvester's license.

 

     (3) (2) The department may issue a nonresident fur harvester's

 

license to a nonresident of this state if the state, province, or

 

country in which the nonresident applicant resides allows residents

 

of this state to obtain equivalent hunting and trapping privileges

 

in that state, province, or country. The fee for an eligible

 

nonresident fur harvester's license is $150.00. Nonresident fur

 

harvester's licenses shall not be sold or purchased prior to before

 

November 15 of each year.

 


     (4) (3) A person who holds a fur harvester's license may hunt

 

fur-bearing animals during the season open to taking fur-bearing

 

animals with firearms and may trap fur-bearing animals during the

 

season open to trapping fur-bearing animals.