2023 Kansas Statutes › Chapter 21 - Crimes And Punishments › Article 58 - Crimes Involving Property › 21-5810 Criminal hunting.

21-5810. Criminal hunting.
(a) Criminal hunting is knowingly hunting, shooting, fur harvesting, pursuing any bird or animal, or fishing:
(1) Upon any land or nonnavigable body of water of another, without having first obtained permission of the owner or person in possession of such premises;
(2) upon or from any public road, public road right-of-way or railroad right-of-way that adjoins occupied or improved premises, without having first obtained permission of the owner or person in possession of such premises; or
(3) upon any land or nonnavigable body of water of another by a person who knows such person is not authorized or privileged to do so, and:
(A) Such person remains therein and continues to hunt, shoot, fur harvest, pursue any bird or animal or fish in defiance of an order not to enter or to leave such premises or property personally communicated to such person by the owner thereof or other authorized person; or
(B) such premises or property are posted in a manner consistent with K.S.A. 32-1013, and amendments thereto.
(b) Criminal hunting as defined in:
(1) Subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2) is a class C nonperson misdemeanor. Upon the first conviction of subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2), in addition to any authorized sentence imposed by the court, such court may require the forfeiture of the convicted person's hunting, fishing or fur harvesting license, or all, or, in any case where such person has a combination license, the court may require forfeiture of a part or all of such license and the court may order such person to refrain from hunting, fishing or fur harvesting, or all, for up to one year from the date of such conviction. Upon a second or subsequent conviction of subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2), in addition to any authorized sentence imposed by the court, such court shall require the forfeiture of the convicted person's hunting, fishing or fur harvesting license, or all, or, in any case where such person has a combination license, the court shall require the forfeiture of a part or all of such license and the court shall order such person to refrain from hunting, fishing or fur harvesting, or all, for one year from the date of such conviction. A person licensed to hunt and following or pursuing a wounded game bird or animal upon any land of another without permission of the landowner or person in lawful possession thereof shall not be deemed to be in violation of this provision while in such pursuit, except that this provision shall not authorize a person to remain on such land if instructed to leave by the owner thereof or other authorized person. For the purpose of determining whether a conviction is a first, second or subsequent conviction of subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2), "conviction" or "convicted" includes being convicted of a violation of K.S.A. 21-3728(a), prior to its repeal, or subsection (a)(1) or (a)(2); and
(2) subsection (a)(3) is a class B nonperson misdemeanor. Upon the first conviction or a diversion agreement of subsection (a)(3), in addition to any authorized sentence imposed by the court, the court shall require forfeiture of such person's hunting, fishing or fur harvesting license, or all, or in the case where such person has a combination license, the court shall require forfeiture of a part or all of such license for six months. Upon the second conviction of subsection (a)(3), in addition to any authorized sentence imposed by the court, such court shall require the forfeiture of the convicted person's hunting, fishing or fur harvesting license, or all, or in the case where such person has a combination license, the court shall require forfeiture of a part or all of such license for one year. Upon the third or subsequent conviction of subsection (a)(3), in addition to any authorized sentence imposed by the court, such court shall require forfeiture of the convicted person's hunting, fishing or fur harvesting license, or all, or in the case where such person has a combination license, the court shall require forfeiture of a part or all of such license for five years. For the purpose of determining whether a conviction is a first, second, third or subsequent conviction of subsection (a)(3), "conviction" or "convicted" includes being convicted of a violation of K.S.A. 21-3728(b), prior to its repeal, or subsection (a)(3).
(c) The court shall notify the Kansas department of wildlife and parks of any conviction or diversion for a violation of this section.
History:
L. 2010, ch. 136, § 96; L. 2011, ch. 30, § 36; L. 2012, ch. 47, § 18; L. 2023, ch. 7, § 19; July 1.