HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2542        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 920

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

David T. Vieira

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to outdoor heritage.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 2542        FILED ON: 1/19/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 920

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act relative to outdoor heritage.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1. Section 58 of chapter 131 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 official edition, is hereby amended by inserting, in line 6, after the word "thereof" the following words:- , provided that a person may hunt with a bow and arrow from an elevated tree stand not less than 250 feet from any dwelling in use except as authorized by the owner or occupant thereof

SECTION 2. Section 64 of chapter 131 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 official edition, is hereby amended by striking out, in lines 2 and 3, the words “, or any crossbow, except as provided in section 69, nor” and inserting in place thereof the following the word:- nor.

SECTION 3. Said chapter 131 is hereby further amended by striking out section 69, as so appearing, and inserting in place thereof the following section:- Section 69. A person shall not carry or use a bow and arrow or crossbow while hunting unless the bow and arrow or crossbow meet the requirements of the rules and regulations which shall be promulgated by the director. Such rules and regulations shall prescribe general design, weight of pull and type of bows and arrows or crossbows and shall conform to standards generally accepted for hunting purposes.

SECTION 4. Section 5 of chapter 131 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 official edition, is hereby amended by inserting after the second paragraph the following paragraph:- The hunting of deer by bow and arrow shall be permitted on any date, including a Sunday or legal holiday, that the director declares as an open season for such hunting. Except as otherwise provided in the preceding paragraph, an open season declared by the director for the hunting of deer by bow and arrow, which open season period occurs in whole or in part, within the last 3 months of the calendar year, shall be for a period of not less than 7 days that shall be consecutive.

SECTION 5. Section 57 of said chapter 131, as so appearing, is hereby amended by inserting at the end of the paragraph the following sentence:- Notwithstanding, this section shall not prohibit or render unlawful, the hunting of deer by bow and arrow or the carrying on his person a bow and arrow for the purpose of hunting deer, during any Sunday declared as an open season for such hunting, by the director with the approval of the fisheries and wildlife board.