§ 10-1005. Regulation of feeding; hunting near feeding zones; reports by licensees

   (a) Location of feeding zone. -- A licensee may not establish a feeding zone within 400 yards of any building nor within 400 yards of an exterior boundary line of the property unless the licensee obtains notarized written permission to do so from the adjoining land owner and submits the written permission with the application. Where the property is bounded by a body of water, the licensee may establish a feeding zone up to the shoreline or in the adjoining waters within 300 yards of his shoreline, if the feeding zone does not come within 400 yards of another property owner, unless the licensee obtains notarized written permission to do so from the other property owner. These provisions do not permit hunting or shooting on or from any location which would be unlawful under other laws or regulations of the State.

(b) Marking feeding zone. -- Within 10 days of receipt of notice of the approval by the Department of any licensed feeding zones, each zone shall be marked with a sign not less than 12 by 18 inches with printing no smaller than 12 lines (2 inches high) gothic type, stating "Waterfowl feeding zone -- shooting within 400 yards prohibited". The sign shall be visible above any vegetation or other obstruction. Prior to the opening of the wild waterfowl hunting season, each licensed shooting blind or stand also shall be posted with a similar sign, stating "Licensed Shooting Area For This Property".

(c) Restriction of change of location. -- Subsequent to the issuance of a license a person may not change the location of feeding zones or shooting blinds or stands without approval of the Department.

(d) Presumption. -- Every club member, guest, agent, and permittee of the applicant is presumed to have knowledge of the location of any feeding zone and any area where shooting is prohibited.

(e) Feeding. -- Feeding shall commence on and continue through the date the Secretary designates. Prior to the opening of the wild waterfowl season feeding may be done anywhere on the licensed area, if all food put out in places other than the designated feeding zone is consumed or removed at least 10 days prior to the opening date of the season. After that time, feed may not be placed anywhere except in the designated feeding zones. As used in the regulations, feeding does not include salt blocks, properly shucked corn, standing crops (including aquatics), flooded standing crops, flooded harvested croplands, or grains found scattered solely as a result of normal agricultural practices.

(f) Prohibition. -- A person may not shoot or hunt or attempt to do so within 400 yards of any licensed feeding zone. The hunter or the hunter's agent may retrieve any dead or crippled bird within that area in any manner lawful under the appropriate federal and State regulations. A person may not shoot or hunt or attempt to do so from any site or location in the licensed area, except the licensed shooting blinds and stands. In addition to any other action by the Department, violation of this section by the licensee or the licensee's agents, club members, guests, or permittees is grounds for immediate revocation of the feeding license.

(g) Certain blinds to be rendered incapable of use. -- A blind located within 200 yards of any licensed feeding zone shall be rendered incapable of use.

(h) Report. -- Within 15 days after the designated closing date for putting out feed, the licensee shall submit a written report to the Department giving the approximate amounts and types distributed and indicating the dates the feed was distributed.

HISTORY: An. Code 1957, art. 66C, § 174E; 1973, 1st Sp. Sess., ch. 4, § 1; 1974, ch. 864, § 3; 1988, ch. 6, § 1; 1990, ch. 6, § 2.