Argentina Province Proposes Permanent Ban on Private Land Hunting, Harsher Penalties

A new bill introduced in the Buenos Aires provincial legislature seeks to permanently prohibit hunting on private properties without the owner's explicit consent. The proposed legislation, championed by Civic Coalition legislator Luciano Bugallo, aims to impose much stricter sanctions on individuals engaging in unauthorized hunting activities.

The initiative defines illegal hunting on private land as a "grave contravention against rural security." Penalties could include substantial fines ranging from 1,000 to 20,000 "Fixed Units" (a provincial currency measure), a ten-year ban on obtaining hunting permits, mandatory confiscation of hunting equipment, and the seizure of vehicles used in the offense.

Bugallo stated the bill's objective is to "expressly and definitively ban hunting on all private property in the province, establishing a specific sanctioning regime designed to protect rural security, private property, and animal welfare and wildlife." The proposal also includes aggravating factors that could increase penalties by 50%, such as participation by three or more individuals, nighttime hunting, use of motor vehicles, prior offenses, damage to protected areas, or material damage to property.

Furthermore, the bill targets those who organize, finance, or facilitate clandestine hunting, transport dogs or equipment for poaching, form hunting groups, or enter rural establishments for these purposes. Specific penalties for unauthorized entry onto rural properties for hunting purposes include fines from 5,000 to 30,000 Fixed Units, a fifteen-year ban on hunting permits, and a permanent prohibition for repeat offenders. The legislation also mandates the confiscation of dogs, prey, weapons, and tools used in the illegal activity, with seized animals to be placed under veterinary control and offered to shelters or provincial adoption programs.

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We want to expressly and definitively ban hunting on all private property in the province, establishing a specific sanctioning regime designed to protect rural security, private property, and animal welfare and wildlife.