HB 274: "An Act relating to waste of big game animals and wild fowl."
00HOUSE BILL NO. 274 01 "An Act relating to waste of big game animals and wild fowl." 02 BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA: 03 * Section 1. AS 16.30.010(a) is amended to read: 04 (a) It is a class A misdemeanor for a person who kills a big game animal or 05 a species of wild fowl to fail intentionally, knowingly, recklessly, or with criminal 06 negligence to salvage for human consumption the [EDIBLE] meat of the animal or 07 fowl. 08 * Sec. 2. AS 16.30.012 is amended to read: 09 Sec. 16.30.012. Possession of horns or antlers. (a) It is a class A 10 misdemeanor for a person to possess the horns or antlers of a big game animal that 11 was killed after the opening of the current or most recent lawful hunting season for 12 that animal if the person does not possess the [EDIBLE] meat of the animal. 13 (b) A person may not be arrested or prosecuted for a violation of this section 14 unless the arresting officer determines that there is probable cause to believe that the
01 [EDIBLE] meat of the big game animal from which the horns or antlers were taken 02 has not been salvaged. 03 * Sec. 3. AS 16.30.017(a) is amended to read: 04 (a) It is a defense to a criminal charge under AS 16.30.010 or 16.30.012 that 05 the failure to salvage or possess the [EDIBLE] meat was due to circumstances beyond 06 the control of the person charged, including 07 (1) theft of the animal or fowl; 08 (2) unanticipated weather conditions or other acts of God; 09 (3) unavoidable loss in the field to another wild animal. 10 * Sec. 4. AS 16.30.017(b) is amended to read: 11 (b) It is a defense to a criminal charge under AS 16.30.012 that the defendant 12 does not possess the [EDIBLE] meat of the big game animal because the meat was 13 (1) consumed by human beings; or 14 (2) delivered to another person. 15 * Sec. 5. AS 16.30 is amended by adding a new section to read: 16 Sec. 16.30.025. Hunter responsibilities. (a) It is the responsibility of a 17 hunter of a big game animal or wild fowl to 18 (1) have the knowledge necessary to prepare and preserve the meat of 19 big game animals and wild fowl in the field until the meat can be consumed or 20 processed for storage or consumption; 21 (2) be reasonably prepared for weather conditions that may be 22 encountered in the field that may affect the preservation of the meat of big game 23 animals and wild fowl until the meat can be consumed or processed for storage or 24 consumption. 25 (b) The Board of Game may adopt regulations requiring that a hunter of a big 26 game animal or wild fowl demonstrate the knowledge necessary to prepare and 27 preserve the meat of big game animals and wild fowl in the field until the meat can 28 be consumed or processed for storage or consumption and to avoid waste of the meat 29 of big game animals and wild fowl. 30 * Sec. 6. AS 16.30.030(3) is amended to read: 31 (3) "[EDIBLE] meat" means, in the case of big game animals, the flesh
01 [MEAT] of the ribs, neck, brisket, front quarters as far as the distal joint of the radius- 02 ulna (knee), hindquarters as far as the distal joint of the tibia-fibula (hock), and that portion 03 of the animal between the front and hindquarters; in the case of wild fowl, the flesh [MEAT] 04 of the breast; however, "[EDIBLE] meat" of big game or wild fowl does not include 05 (A) flesh [MEAT] of the head; 06 (B) flesh [MEAT] that has been damaged and made inedible by 07 the method of taking; 08 (C) bones, sinew, and incidental flesh [MEAT] reasonably lost 09 as a result of boning or a close trimming of the bones; 10 (D) viscera; 11 * Sec. 7. AS 16.30.030(6) is amended to read: 12 (6) "possess the [EDIBLE] meat" includes possessing portions of the 13 [EDIBLE] meat in more than one location while the meat is being transported from 14 the place where it was salvaged;