South Carolina H 3945: Aerial management of wild animals

Bill Text

2025-2026 Bill 3945 Text of Previous Version (Mar. 05, 2025) - South Carolina Legislature Online 

South Carolina General Assembly
126th Session, 2025-2026

Bill 3945

Indicates Matter Stricken
Indicates New Matter

(Text matches printed bills. Document has been reformatted to meet World Wide Web specifications.)

Indicates Matter Stricken

Indicates New Matter

Committee Report

February 26, 2025

H. 3945

Introduced 
by Reps. Yow and Mitchell 

S. Printed 2/26/25--H. [SEC 
3/5/2025 4:13 PM]

Read the first time February 11, 2025

________

The committee on House Agriculture, 
Natural Res. and Environmental Affairs

To whom was referred a Bill (H. 3945) to amend 
the South Carolina Code of Laws by adding Section 50-9-580 so as to allow for 
the counting, photographing, relocating, capturing, hunting, or taking of feral, 
etc., respectfully

Report:

That they have duly and carefully considered 
the same, and recommend that the same do pass with amendment:

 Amend the bill, 
as and if amended, SECTION 1, by striking Section 50-9-580(A)(1) and inserting:

 (1) "Aerial Management Program" or "AMP" 
means a permit issued by the department to count, photograph, relocate, capture, hunt, or take feral hogs or coyotes 
by the use of unmanned aircraft.

Amend the bill 
further, SECTION 1, by striking Section 50-9-580(D)(1) and inserting:

 (1) count, photograph, relocate, capture, hunt, or take or attempt to count, 
photograph, relocate, capture, hunt, or take 
from an unmanned aircraft any wildlife other than feral hogs or coyotes as 
authorized on the AMP and LOA;

Renumber sections to conform.

Amend title to conform.

WILLIAM HIXON for Committee.

_______

A bill

TO AMEND THE SOUTH CAROLINA CODE OF LAWS BY ADDING SECTION 
50-9-580 SO AS TO ALLOW FOR THE COUNTING, PHOTOGRAPHING, RELOCATING, CAPTURING, 
HUNTING, OR TAKING OF FERAL HOGS OR COYOTES BY UNMANNED AIRCRAFT IN CERTAIN 
CIRCUMSTANCES.

Be it enacted by the 
General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION 1. Article 5, Chapter 9, Title 50 of the S.C. Code is 
amended by adding:

 Section 
50-9-580. (A) As used in this 
section:

 (1) 
"Aerial Management Program" or "AMP" means a permit issued by the department to 
count, photograph, relocate, capture, hunt, or take feral hogs or coyotes by 
the use of unmanned aircraft.

 (2) 
"Landowner's Authorization" or "LOA" means the signed consent from the 
landowner or agent to manage a specified number of feral hogs or coyotes from 
an unmanned aircraft on certain property.

 (B) A 
person who holds an AMP is authorized to engage in the management of feral hogs 
and coyotes by use of unmanned aircraft only on the tracts of land specified in 
the LOA. The AMP must be carried by the unmanned aircraft operator when the 
unmanned aircraft is engaged in activities authorized by the AMP.

 (C) An 
operator of an unmanned aircraft used for the management of feral hogs and 
coyotes must maintain, on a daily basis, a flight log and report. The daily 
flight log must be current and available for inspection by game wardens at 
reasonable times. Each AMP holder and operator must comply with all regulations 
for the specific type of unmanned aircraft listed on their AMP.

 (D) It 
is unlawful for an unmanned aircraft operator or landowner or agent to:

 (1) 
count, photograph, relocate, capture, hunt, or take or attempt to count, 
photograph, relocate, capture, hunt, or take from an unmanned aircraft any 
wildlife other than feral hogs or coyotes as authorized on the AMP and LOA;

 (2) 
intentionally harass any wildlife other than feral hogs or coyotes as 
authorized by the AMP and LOA with an unmanned aircraft;

 (3) 
participate in the hunting or taking of feral hogs or coyotes as authorized by 
the AMP and LOA without a valid hunting license issued by the department;

 (4) 
taking or attempting to take a feral hog or coyote for any purpose other than 
is necessary to protect or to aid in the administration of lands, water, 
wildlife, livestock, domesticated animals, human life, or crops;

 (5) 
operate an unmanned aircraft for the purposes of this section without being 
named as an authorized operator in the AMP;

 (6) 
take, kill, capture, or attempt to take, kill, or capture on property outside 
of that designated in the LOA; and

 (7) 
using an AMP for the purpose of sport hunting.

 (E) A 
person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon 
conviction, must be fined not more than two hundred dollars or imprisoned not 
more than thirty days.

SECTION 2. This act takes effect upon approval 
by the Governor.

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