Hunting - Nonlead Ammunition, Fox Chasing, and Deer Management

SB 634 redefines "hunt" to include fox chasing, creates a Deer Management Assistance Program in the Department of Natural Resources (requiring an additional full-time employee by July 2026), and mandates a phased transition to nonlead ammunition for all game hunting. It sets specific deadlines: nonlead ammunition required for pen-raised birds by 2026, upland birds by 2027, migratory birds and turkeys by 2028, and all other game (including deer) by 2029. Unarmed fox chasers are exempt from certain licensing rules but must still hold a standard hunting license. The bill directly affects hunters, landowners participating in deer management, and wildlife agencies managing hunting regulations.