HB1556: Bear hound training; allows training of dogs to hunt bears to occur at night.

HOUSE BILL NO. 1556
Offered January 12, 2011
Prefiled January 3, 2011
A BILL to amend and reenact § 29.1-520 of the Code of Virginia, relating to times for training of bear hounds.
Patron-- Wilt

Referred to Committee on Agriculture, Chesapeake and Natural Resources

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1.  That § 29.1-520 of the Code of Virginia is amended and reenacted as follows:

§ 29.1-520. Times for hunting.

A. Nonmigratory game birds and game animals may be hunted from one-half hour before sunrise to one-half hour after sunset. Bears may be hunted without capturing or taking from one-half hour before sunrise until four and one-half hours after sunset by day or by night during bear hound training season.

B. Fur-bearing animals and nuisance species of birds and animals may be hunted by day or by night, except that muskrats may be hunted by day only.

C. A violation of this section shall be punishable as a Class 3 misdemeanor.