A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT to establish a black bear management stamp that must be procured before taking bear within the state and to amend the law restricting the taking of black bear with bait.
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 113‑270.3 reads as rewritten:
"§ 113‑270.3.  Special activity licenses; stamps; big game kill reports.
(a)	In addition to any hunting, trapping, or fishing license that may be required pursuant to G.S. 113‑270.1B(a), individuals engaging in specially regulated activities must have the appropriate special activity license and stamp prescribed in this section before engaging in the regulated activity.
(b)	The special activity licenses and stamp issued by the Wildlife Resources Commission are as follows:
(1)	Resident Big Game Hunting License – $10.00. This license shall be issued only to an individual resident of the State and entitles the holder to take big game by all lawful methods and during all open seasons.
(1a)	Nonresident Bear Hunting License – $225.00. This license is valid for use only by an individual within the State and must be procured before taking any bear within the State. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a nonresident individual may not take any bear within the State without procuring this license; provided, that those persons who have a nonresident lifetime sportsman combination license purchased prior to May 24, 1994, shall not have to purchase this license.
(1b)	Bear Management Stamp – $10.00. This electronically generated stamp must be procured before taking any bear within the State. Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a resident or nonresident individual may not take any bear within the State without procuring this stamp; provided, that those persons who have purchased a lifetime license established by G.S. 113‑270.1D(b), 113‑270.2(c)(2) or 113‑351(c)(3) prior to July 1, 2014, and those persons exempt from the license requirements as set forth in G.S. 113‑276(c) and G.S. 113‑276(n) shall obtain this stamp free of charge.
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SECTION 2.  G.S. 113‑291.1(b) reads as rewritten:
"(b)	No wild animals or wild birds may be taken:
(1)	From or with the use of any vehicle; vessel, other than one manually propelled; airplane; or other conveyance except that the use of vehicles and vessels is authorized:
a.	As hunting stands, subject to the following limitations. No wild animal or wild bird may be taken from any vessel under sail, under power, or with the engine running or while still in motion from such propulsion. No wild animal or wild bird may be taken from any vehicle if it is in motion, the engine is running, or the passenger area of the vehicle is occupied. The prohibition of occupying the passenger area of a vehicle does not apply to a disabled individual whose mobility is restricted.
b.	For transportation incidental to the taking.
(2)	With the use or aid of any artificial light, net, trap, snare, electronic or recorded animal or bird call, or fire, except as may be otherwise provided by statute[;] provided, however, that the Wildlife Resources Commission may adopt rules prescribing seasons and the manner of taking of wild animals and wild birds with the use of artificial light and electronic calls. No wild birds may be taken with the use or aid of salt, grain, fruit, or other bait. No black bear may be taken with the use or aid of any salt, salt lick, grain, fruit, honey, sugar‑based material, animal parts or products, or other bait, except as provided by the rules of the Wildlife Resources Commission. No wild turkey may be taken from an area in which bait has been placed until the expiration of 10 days after the bait has been consumed or otherwise removed. The taking of wild animals and wild birds with poisons, drugs, explosives, and electricity is governed by G.S. 113‑261, G.S. 113‑262, and Article 22A of this Subchapter.
Upon finding that the placement of processed food products in areas frequented by black bears is detrimental to the health of individual black bears or is attracting and holding black bears in an area to the extent that the natural pattern of movement and distribution of black bears is disrupted and bears' vulnerability to mortality factors, including hunting, is increased to a level that causes concern for the population, the Wildlife Resources Commission may adopt rules to regulate, restrict, or prohibit the placement of those products and prescribe time limits during which hunting is prohibited in areas where those products have been placed.
Any person who is convicted of unlawfully taking bear with the use or aid of any type of bait as provided by this subsection or by rules adopted pursuant to this subsection is punishable as provided by G.S. 113‑294(c1)."
SECTION 3.  Chapter 828 of the 1981 Session Laws is repealed.
SECTION 4.  G.S. 113‑276 reads as rewritten:
"§ 113‑276.  Exemptions and exceptions to license and permit requirements.
(a),	(b) Repealed by Session Laws 1979, c. 830, s. 1.
(c)	Except as otherwise provided in this Subchapter, every landholder, his spouse, and dependents under 18 years of age residing with him may take wildlife upon the land held by the landholder without any license required by G.S. 113‑270.1B or G.S. 113‑270.3(a), except that such persons are not exempt from the bear management stamp established in G.S. 113‑270.3(b)(1b) and the falconry license described in G.S. 113‑270.3(b)(4).
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(n)	The Wildlife Resources Commission may adopt rules to exempt individuals from the hunting and fishing license requirements of G.S. 113‑270.1B, 113‑270.3(b)(1), 113‑270.3(b)(1a), 113‑270.3(b)(1b), 113‑270.3(b)(2), 113‑270.3(b)(3), 113‑270.3(b)(5), 113‑271, 113‑272, and 113‑272.2(c)(1) who participate in organized hunting and fishing events for the specified time and place of the event when the purpose of the event is consistent with the conservation objectives of the Commission. A person exempted from licensing requirements under this subsection is responsible for complying with any reporting requirements prescribed by rule of the Wildlife Resources Commission, purchasing any federal migratory waterfowl stamps as a result of waterfowl hunting activity, and complying with any other requirements that the holder of a North Carolina license is subject to. Those exempted persons shall comply with the hunter safety requirements of G.S. 113‑270.1A or shall be accompanied by a properly licensed adult who maintains a proximity to the license exempt individual which enables the adult to monitor the activities of, and communicate with, the individual at all times."
SECTION 5.  Sections 1 and 4 of this act become effective July 1, 2014. The remainder of this act is effective when it becomes law.