House Bill 491 (AS PASSED HOUSE AND SENATE)
By: Representatives Chastain of the 7th, Rhodes of the 124th, Howard of the 71st, Mathis of
the 133rd, Ridley of the 6th, and others
A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT
To amend Article 1 of Chapter 3 and Article 2 of Chapter 4 of Title 27 of the Official Code
of Georgia Annotated, relating to hunting and noncommercial fishing, respectively, so as to
modify an exception for the use of air guns to hunt wildlife; to revise provisions concerning
the taking of catfish by bow and arrow; to provide for related matters; to repeal conflicting
laws; and for other purposes.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF GEORGIA:
SECTION 1.
Article 1 of Chapter 3 of Title 27 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
hunting, is amended in Code Section 27-3-4, relating to legal weapons for hunting wildlife
generally, use of silencers and suppressors prohibited, and penalty for violations, by revising
paragraph (9) of subsection (a) as follows:
"(9) For purposes of this subsection, the term 'air gun' means any pistol, handgun, or
shoulder-held device, each of not less than 0.30 caliber, or air bow that propels a
projectile in the form of a slug, shot, or arrow equipped with a broadhead utilizing
unignited compressed air or gas. Air guns are legal weapons for hunting big game only
during primitive weapon hunts, primitive weapon seasons, and firearm seasons. This
paragraph shall stand repealed effective July 1, <del>2025</del> <ins>2030,</ins> unless continued in effect by
the General Assembly prior to that date. At its <del>2025</del> <ins>2030</ins> regular session, the General
Assembly shall review this paragraph to determine whether it should be continued in
effect."
SECTION 2.
Article 2 of Chapter 4 of Title 27 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, relating to
noncommercial fishing, is amended in Code Section 27-4-34, relating to fishing with bow
and arrow, by revising subsection (d) as follows:
"(d) It shall be unlawful to take <del>channel catfish and flathead</del> <ins>any</ins> catfish <del>anywhere in the
Savannah River, including its tributaries and impoundments within the Savannah River
Basin,</del> <ins>species from the waters of this state</ins> by means of bow and arrow, except under the
following conditions:
(1) Each person using a bow and arrow shall have on his or her person a valid state
resident or nonresident fishing license;
(2) All arrows used pursuant to this subsection must be equipped with barbs or contain
devices on the point to act as a harpoon for recovering fish and must be attached to the
person or bow by a rope, line, or cord sufficient for recovering the arrow and channel
catfish or flathead catfish;
(3) Arrows with poisonous or exploding heads are illegal;
(4) It shall be unlawful to discharge arrows into waters nearer than 150 feet to anyone
engaged in any other means of recreation; and
(5) The taking of <del>channel catfish and flathead</del> <ins>any</ins> catfish <del>in the Savannah River,
including its tributaries and impoundments within the Savannah River Basin,</del> <ins>species
from the waters of this state</ins> by bow and arrow shall be legal at any time of the day and
at night by the use of a light."
SECTION 3.
All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are repealed.