16 U.S.C. § 127 — Hunting and fishing; rules and regulations; punishment

submitted 110 years ago by ch. 368 to r/title-16-CONSERVATION · 470 words · no verdicts yet

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This law bans hunting or harming wild birds and animals in the park, except dangerous animals that threaten people. It lets the Secretary of the Interior make rules for fishing, timber, and protecting park property. Violators face a fine of up to $500, up to six months in jail, or both.

Hunting, killing, wounding, or capturing a wild bird or animal in the park is against the law at any time, with one exception: a dangerous animal may be killed if that's necessary to stop it from killing or injuring people. Fish may be taken from the park's waters only by hook and line, and only during the seasons, times, and manner the Secretary of the Interior sets. The Secretary of the Interior must write and publish rules to manage and protect the park. These rules must protect the park's timber, mineral deposits (except deposits legally claimed before August 21, 1916), natural curiosities, and other "wonderful objects" from damage or loss. The rules must also protect the park's animals and birds from being captured or destroyed, and from being frightened or driven out of the park, and must govern how fish may be taken from the park's streams and lakes. If someone in the park has the dead body — or any part of the dead body — of a wild bird or animal, that fact alone is enough evidence ("prima facie evidence") that the person broke this law. A person, stagecoach line, express company, or railway company commits a misdemeanor if they: transport an animal, bird, or fish knowing or having reason to believe it was illegally taken or killed under this Act; violate any other part of this Act, or any rule the Secretary of the Interior makes to manage and protect the park, to protect timber or minerals (other than pre-1916 claims), natural curiosities, or other "wonderful objects," or to protect the park's animals, birds, or fish; or damage, injure, or destroy any building, fence, hedge, gate, guidepost, tree, wood, timber, garden, crops, vegetables, plants, land, springs, minerals (other than pre-1916 claims), natural curiosities, or anything else growing or located in the park. The penalty is a fine of not more than $500, imprisonment of not more than six months, or both, plus payment of all costs of the court proceedings.

the actual law source: uscode.house.gov ↗public domain

All hunting or the killing, wounding, or capturing at any time of any wild bird or animal, except dangerous animals when it is necessary to prevent them from destroying human lives or inflicting injury, is prohibited within the limits of said park; nor shall any fish be taken out of the waters of the park in any other way than by hook and line, and then only at such seasons and in such times and manner as may be directed by the Secretary of the Interior. The Secretary of the Interior shall make and publish such rules and regulations as he may deem necessary and proper for the management and care of the park and for the protection of the property therein, especially for the preservation from injury or spoliation of all timber, mineral deposits other than those legally located prior to August 21, 1916, natural curiosities, or wonderful objects within said park, and for the protection of the animals and birds in the park from capture or destruction, and to prevent their being frightened or driven from the park; and he shall make rules and regulations governing the taking of fish from the streams or lakes in the park. Possession within said park of the dead bodies, or any part thereof, of any wild bird or animal shall be prima facie evidence that the person or persons having the same are guilty of violating this Act. Any person or persons, or stage or express company, or railway company, who knows or has reason to believe that they were taken or killed contrary to the provisions of this Act and who receives for transportation any of said animals, birds, or fish so killed, caught, or taken, or who shall violate any of the other provisions of this Act or any rule or regulation that may be promulgated by the Secretary of the Interior with reference to the management and care of the park or for the protection of the property therein, for the preservation from injury or spoliation of timber, mineral deposits other than those legally located prior to August 21, 1916, natural curiosities, or wonderful objects within said park, or for the protection of the animals, birds, or fish in the park, or who shall within said park commit any damage, injury, or spoliation to or upon any building, fence, hedge, gate, guidepost, tree, wood, underwood, timber, garden, crops, vegetables, plants, land, springs, mineral deposits other than those legally located prior to August 21, 1916, natural curiosities, or other matter or thing growing or being thereon or situate therein, shall be deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be subject to a fine of not more than $500 or imprisonment not exceeding six months, or both, and be adjudged to pay all costs of the proceedings.

Source credit: (Aug. 21, 1916, ch. 368, § 4, 39 Stat. 522.)

history & why it existsrecord from the source credit

1916Enacted · Act of Aug. 21, 1916, ch. 368 · 39 Stat. 522

A history note hasn’t been published yet. The record shows enactment by ch. 368 on 1916-08-21.

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