Rhode Island § 20-15-1 - Deer Hunting

§ 20-15-1. Deer hunting prohibited except as provided.

No person shall hunt, pursue, or shoot, or attempt to hunt, pursue, or shoot, deer in this state except as provided in this chapter. Deer hunting shall be limited to seasons, times, manner of taking, and bag limits established in regulations adopted by the director pursuant to § 20-1-12. The regulations shall be formulated to include the best methods to provide for the safety both of hunters and residents. In any event, the following prohibitions and restrictions shall always apply to deer hunting:

(1)(i) No firearm deer hunting shall be done within five hundred feet (500′) of any building or dwelling house in use without the specific written permission of the owner or tenant of the dwelling.

(ii) No archery deer hunting shall be done within two hundred feet (200′) of any building or dwelling house in use without the specific written permission of the owner or tenant of the dwelling unless otherwise established in regulations adopted by the director, or his or her designee, for the purpose of wildlife management;

(2) Hunting shall only be permitted from one half (½) hour before sunrise to one half (½) hour after sunset;

(3) No dog shall be employed in any deer-hunting activities;

(4) No hunting shall be done on any privately owned land without the written permission of the owner of the land;

(5) Only a shotgun, muzzle-loading rifle, or long bow (straight limb, reflex, recurve, and compound bow) or crossbow and arrow shall be utilized in deer hunting;

(6) No person shall make, set, or use any trap or snare or salt lick or other device for the purpose of ensnaring, enticing, taking, injuring, or killing a deer;

(7) No person shall individually, or in conjunction with others, use an artificial light at any time to illuminate, jacklight, locate, attempt to locate, or show up wild birds or mammals, or any other vertebrates, when that person, or persons, have in their actual possession, in the passenger compartment of their vehicle, or in the storage area of a truck or van, unless locked in a case, a crossbow, long bow (straight limb, reflex, recurve, and compound bow) rifle, gun, or pistol; and

(8) Upon conviction of a violation of any provision of this section or the rules and regulations promulgated under this section and § 20-1-12, in addition to the penalties provided by § 20-1-16, any weapons, guns, lights, or other equipment used in killing or attempting to kill any deer shall be forfeited to the state.