The Brookhaven ledger. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1875-1883, 1876-05-18
The Game Law.

AN ACT for the preservation Of Game
Animals and Birds in the State Of Mis-.
sissippi.
SECTION l. Be it enacted by the Leg
islature of the State of Mississippi,
That it shall be unlawful in any place
IN this State to catch, kill or iniure, or
pursue with such intent, any wild buck,
doe or fawn. betweea the fifteenth day
of May and the fifteenth day OF Septem-
her; and it shall also be unlawful to
catch, kill or injure, or pursue with
such intent, any quail, sometimes call
ed partridges, between the first day of
April and the fifteenth day of Septem-
Der; and it shall be also unlawful to
catch, kill or iniure, or pursue with
such intent, any turtle-dove, sometimes
called mourning dove, or any starting,
commonly known as field lark, between
the first day of April and the fifteenth
day of September, and 1t snail be un-
WIZ "U any t'u't ds dil SodScHo W
catch, kill or pursue with such intent,
the mocking bird, cat bird or thrush.
SEQ. 2. Be it further enacted, That
no person shall destroy or rob the nests
of any wild bird whatever, excepting
crows, black birds, blue jays. hawks,
owls, and other birds of prey.
e SEC. 3. Be it further enacted, That
it shall be unlawful for any person to
purchase, have in his possession, or ex,
pose for sale, any of the birds or game
mentioned in Section l of this Act, dur
ing the season when the catching, kill
ing, or injuring the same is prohibited,
SEC. 4. Be it further enacted, That
it shall be unlawful for any railroad
company, express company, or other
company, steamboat or carrier, or pri-
vate individual to have in possession,
or receive for transportation or carnage.
or for any other purpose whatever, any
of the birds or game mentioned in Sec
ton l of this Act, during the season
when the catching. killing or injuring
the same is prohibited.
SEQ. 5. Be it further enacted, That
any person or persons violating the
provisions of this Act, by killing, SELL
ing, or offering for sale, or having in
possession any of the birds, or game
mentioned in this Act, during the sea-
son hereby prohibited, or any fresh ven
ison, during fhe season mentioned in
Section l, shall for each Of the birds
and each head OF game, and each piece
of fresh venison so killed, sold or ex-
posed for sale, or had in possession, on
conviction thereof, forfeit and pay a
fine of not less than three nor more than
ten dollars for each bird and not less
than ten nor more than twenty dollars
for each buck, deer, doe, or fawn, or
piece of fresh veni8on, and three dollars
for each nest OF eggs destroyed as afore-
said, together with costs of prosecution.
Sec. 6. Be it further enacted, That
any violations Of the provisions of this
Act may be prosecuted before any JUS
tice of the Peace, or any other officer or
Court having jurisdiction of misdemean-
ors, and the judgment of such Court
shall be enforced in like manner as in
other cases OF mislemeanor.
SEC. 7. Be it further enacted, That
upon collection of any Judgment record
for violation of this Act, one-half of
such fine or judgment shall go to the
informer, and the other half shall go to
the Common School Fund
SEC. s. Be it further enacted, That
it is hereby made the duty of all Sher-
ifs, Constables, Market Masters, Mem
bers of Boards of Supervisors, and po-
lice officers. to arrest all persons violat-
ing any of the provisions of this Act,
and take them before a Justice of the
Peace, or other officer having jurisdic-
ton to hear and try complaints for the
violation of the provisions of this Act.
Sec. g. Be it further enacted, That
if any person or persons shall take,
catch or kill any of the birds or animals
mentioned in this Act, upon the lands
or premises of any owner, who has post
ed the same, forbidding such trespass,
unless he or they shall have first obtain
ed the consent of such owner or owners
or other person or persons in charge Of
such land or premises, shall be deemed
guilty of misdemeanor, and fined not
less than ten nor more than fifty dol
lars, to be recovered in the same man
ner and appropriated as other fines un-
der this Act; Provided that this Act
shall not apply to any one shooting
birds on his place to prevent them from
depredating upon his vineyard or gar
den.
SEC 10. Be it further enacted, That
this Act shall take effect and be in
sorce from and after its passage.
Approved, March 81, 1876.