Rhode Island § 20-15-2 - Deer Hunting

§ 20-15-2. Deer permits.

(a) No person shall hunt deer within this state unless that person possesses a deer tag. Any resident or nonresident holder of a hunting license or combination license may obtain a shotgun, muzzle-loading rifle, or crossbow, or archery deer tag from the director. The deer permit shall be carried at all times by the person to whom it is issued while hunting for deer. Any person who takes a deer in this state shall immediately affix his or her tag portion of his or her deer permit to the carcass of the taken deer, and, within twenty-four (24) hours of the taking, convey the deer to an environmental police officer or other designee of the department, or to a deer-check station, if one is in operation at the time, for checking. Any dead deer found not having a tag attached to it identifying the owner shall be the property of the state and shall be seized by any environmental police officer who finds or locates the carcass, to be disposed of by direction of the director.

(b) Crossbow permits. Crossbow permits may be issued by the department to those persons who have a permanent physical impairment due to injury or disease, congenital or acquired, that renders them so severely disabled as to be unable to use a conventional bow and arrow device. Said permits will be issued by the department only after the receipt of a physician’s statement confirming the applicant is impaired as referred to above. All permittees must have taken and successfully completed both hunter education and bow hunter education classes prior to the issuance of a permit.