_____________ bill NO. _____________

INTRODUCED BY _________________________________________________

By Request of the ****

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT REVISING BIRD HUNTING DOG LAWS RELATED TO PROFESSIONAL TRAINERS; DEFINING "PROFESSIONAL TRAINER"; PROHIBITING TRAINING BY PROFESSIONAL TRAINERS WITHIN CERTAIN DATES ON PUBLIC LANDS; AND AMENDING SECTIONS 87-3-601 AND 87-3-602, MCA."

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

Section 1. Section 87-3-601, MCA, is amended to read:

"87-3-601. Definitions. As used in this part, the following definitions apply:

(1)        "Bird hunting dog" means a dog trained or being trained to point, flush, or retrieve game birds.

(2)        "Field trial" means an organized event affiliated with a national organization to examine, evaluate, or test the ability of bird hunting dogs to point, flush, or retrieve game birds.

(3)        "Game bird" means a bird defined as an upland game bird or migratory game bird in 87-2-101.

(4)        "Professional trainer" means any person who receives pay or other compensation from another party to train any breed of dog for the purpose of hunting game birds."

Section 2. Section 87-3-602, MCA, is amended to read:

"87-3-602. Training bird hunting dogs. (1) Training of bird hunting dogs is allowed.

(2)        A person training bird hunting dogs with a method that kills game birds shall tag or mark the game bird prior to release. Game birds must be obtained from a game bird farm licensed under 87-4-903 or from a source of game birds approved by the department.

(3)        A person who takes an untagged or unmarked game bird while training a bird hunting dog outside of the established season for that species or who is not licensed to take that species shall immediately report the taking to a representative of the department.

(4)        Training of a bird hunting dog by a professional trainer specific to that person's business activities is prohibited on state and federal lands from April 1 to August 31."