(a) Any motor vehicle, or any gun, rifle, ammunition or other hunting equipment which has been or is used for illegal nighttime deer hunting shall be contraband, and, in the discretion of the circuit court may be forfeited to the State of Alabama, as hereinafter provided.
(b) The sheriff or any other person authorized to enforce the game and fish laws of this state who apprehends any person hunting deer in the nighttime, or who finds any vehicle which is being or has been used in such illegal nighttime hunting shall seize such vehicle and any gun, rifle, ammunition or other deer hunting equipment found in the possession of or on the person of such person or in or on such vehicle and shall report such seizure and the facts connected therewith to the district attorney or other prosecuting official in the judicial circuit. The report shall contain a full description of the vehicle or other equipment seized and detained, the name of the person in whose possession it was found, the name of the person making claim to the same, or any interest therein, if the name is known or can be ascertained, the date of seizure and a statement of the circumstances surrounding the seizing of the property.
(c) The district attorney or other prosecuting officer of the judicial circuit upon receiving such report shall at once institute, or cause to be instituted, condemnation proceedings in the circuit court, in the same manner that he is directed by law to institute proceedings for the condemnation and forfeiture of automobiles and other vehicles used in the illegal transportation of alcoholic beverages. Except as herein otherwise provided, the procedures for the condemnation, forfeiture and sale of motor vehicles and hunting equipment under this act used in the illegal nighttime hunting of deer shall be governed in all things by and shall conform to the law relative to proceedings for the condemnation, forfeiture and sale of vehicles used in the illegal transportation of alcoholic beverages. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing sentence the provisions of Sections 28-4-286 and 28-4-287, shall apply to and govern all such proceedings.
(d) The proceeds of the sale of any property condemned and forfeited to the state under authority of this section, after payment of all expenses in the cause, including the cost of seizure and a keeping of the property pending the proceedings, shall be paid into the State Treasury to the credit of the state Game and Fish Fund.
Last modified: May 3, 2021