Criminally Negligent Hunting.
§ 113-290. Unlawful use of firearms.
It is unlawful for any person, while hunting or taking wild animals or wild birds as those terms are defined in G.S. 113-129 and G.S. 113-130, to discharge a firearm:
(1) Carelessly and heedlessly in wanton disregard for the safety of others; or
(2) Without due caution or circumspection, and in a manner so as to endanger any person or property;
and resulting in property damage or bodily injury. (1991, c. 748, s. 1.)
§ 113-290.1. Penalties.
(a) A person who violates the provisions of this Article is guilty of a misdemeanor punishable as follows:
(1) If property damage only results from the unlawful activity, a Class 2 misdemeanor, and the court shall order the payment of restitution to the property owner;
(2) If bodily injury not leading to the disfigurement or total or partial permanent disability of another person results from the unlawful activity, a Class 1 misdemeanor; if property damage also results from the unlawful activity, the court shall order the payment of restitution to the property owner;
(3) If bodily injury leading to the disfigurement or total or partial permanent disability of another person results from the unlawful activity, a Class 1 misdemeanor; if property damage also results from the unlawful activity, the court shall order the payment of restitution to the property owner;
(4) If death results from the unlawful activity, a Class 1 misdemeanor; if property damage also results from the unlawful activity, the court shall order the payment of restitution to the property owner.
(b) The fact that a person was impaired at the time of a violation of this Article shall be an aggravating factor and the court shall impose an additional fine and/or imprisonment in accordance with (a)(2) above in cases not resulting in bodily injury and in accordance with (a)(4) above in cases resulting in bodily injury. For purposes of this section, "impaired" means being under the influence of an impairing substance, or having consumed sufficient alcohol so that the person has, at any relevant time after the offense, an alcohol concentration of .10 or above.
(c) In addition to the penalties provided in (a), upon conviction of a violation of this Article, the Wildlife Resources Commission shall suspend all hunting privileges of:
(1) A person convicted under (a)(1) for one year;
(2) A person convicted under (a)(2) for three years; and
(3) A person convicted under (a)(3) or (a)(4) for five years.
(d) A person convicted of hunting or taking wild animals or wild birds while his hunting license is suspended under this section shall be guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor, and shall have all hunting privileges suspended for an additional five years. The person shall not be issued another hunting license until he has satisfactorily completed the hunter safety course established in G.S. 113-270.1A.
(e) This Article shall be enforced by law enforcement officers of the Wildlife Resources Commission, by sheriffs and deputy sheriffs, and by peace officers with general subject matter jurisdiction.
(f) A violation of this Article resulting in the death of another person constitutes a separate and distinct offense from, and is not a lesser included offense of, the crime of involuntary manslaughter. (1991, c. 748; 1993, c. 539, ss. 860, 861; 1994, Ex. Sess., c. 24, s. 14(c).)