The Florida Senate

372.99  Illegal taking and possession of deer and wild turkey; evidence; penalty.--

(1)  Whoever takes or kills any deer or wild turkey, or possesses a freshly killed deer or wild turkey, during the closed season prescribed by law or by the rules and regulations of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, or whoever takes or attempts to take any deer or wild turkey by the use of gun and light in or out of closed season, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, and shall forfeit any license or permit issued to her or him under the provisions of this chapter. No license shall be issued to such person for a period of 3 years following any such violation on the first offense. Any person guilty of a second or subsequent violation shall be permanently ineligible for issuance of a license or permit thereafter.

(2)  The display or use of a light in a place where deer might be found and in a manner capable of disclosing the presence of deer, together with the possession of firearms or other weapons customarily used for the taking of deer, between 1 hour after sunset and 1 hour before sunrise, shall be prima facie evidence of an intent to violate the provisions of subsection (1). This subsection does not apply to an owner or her or his employee when patrolling or inspecting the land of the owner, provided the employee has satisfactory proof of employment on her or his person.

(3)  Whoever takes or kills any doe deer; fawn or baby deer; or deer, whether male or female, which does not have one or more antlers at least 5 inches in length, except as provided by law or the rules of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, during the open season prescribed by the rules of the commission, is guilty of a misdemeanor of the first degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083, and may be required to forfeit any license or permit issued to such person for a period of 3 years following any such violation on the first offense. Any person guilty of a second or subsequent violation shall be permanently ineligible for issuance of a license or permit thereafter.

(4)  Any person who cultivates agricultural crops may apply to the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for a permit to take or kill deer on land which that person is currently cultivating. When said person can show, to the satisfaction of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, that such taking or killing of deer is justified because of damage to the person's crops caused by deer, the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission may issue a limited permit to the applicant to take or kill deer without being in violation of subsection (1) or subsection (3).

(5)  Whoever possesses for sale or sells deer or wild turkey taken in violation of this chapter or the rules and regulations of the commission is guilty of a felony of the third degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082, s. 775.083, or s. 775.084

(6)  Any person who enters upon private property and shines lights upon such property, without the express permission of the owner of the property and with the intent to take deer by utilizing such shining lights, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of the second degree, punishable as provided in s. 775.082 or s. 775.083

History.--s. 1, ch. 65-340; s. 320, ch. 71-136; s. 1, ch. 77-1; ss. 1, 2, ch. 77-311; s. 2, ch. 78-173; s. 144, ch. 79-400; s. 48, ch. 88-381; s. 56, ch. 91-224; s. 593, ch. 95-148; s. 179, ch. 99-245.