AN ACT to allow the use of domestically propagated waterfowl and game birds in dog training under certain conditions.

The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:

SECTION 1.  G.S. 113‑291.1(d) reads as rewritten:
"(d)	In accordance with governing rules of the Wildlife Resources Commission imposing further restrictions that may be necessary, hunters may conduct field trials with dogs in areas and at times authorized with the use of approved weapons and ammunition. The Wildlife Resources Commission may authorize organized retriever field trials, utilizing domestically raised waterfowl and game birds, to be held under its permit."
SECTION 2.  G.S. 113‑291.1(d1) reads as rewritten:
"(d1)	Except in areas closed to protect sensitive wildlife populations, and subject to conditions and restrictions contained in rules of the Wildlife Resources Commission, hunters may train dogs during the closed season:
(1)	With the use of weapons and ammunition approved by the Wildlife Resources Commission;
(2)	If reasonable control is exercised to prevent the dogs from running unsupervised at large and from killing wild animals and wild  birds;
(3)	On land owned or leased by the dog trainer or upon which the person has written permission to train dogs; and
(4)	Using domestically raised waterfowl and game birds, provided the birds are marked and sources are documented as required by the Wildlife Resources Commission."
SECTION 3.  At its first meeting after this act becomes law, the Wildlife Resources Commission shall initiate rule making to implement provisions of this act to regulate dog training.  Until the rules become effective, persons may participate in dog training activities for retrievers and bird dogs as permitted by G.S. 113‑291.1(d1), as amended by this act, using shotguns and nontoxic shot of #4 size or smaller and using only domestically propagated waterfowl and game birds that have been obtained and marked as currently set forth in 15A NCAC 10B.0114.
SECTION 4.  This act is effective when it becomes law.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 1st day of June, 2005.

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		 Beverly E. Perdue
	 President of the Senate

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		 James B. Black
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives

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		 Michael F. Easley
	 Governor

Approved __________.m. this ______________ day of ___________________, 2005