Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-04-29
Extracts From the Fish and Game Law

The recent Legislature enacted a
new fish and game law which is attract
ing much attention among the sports
men of the country, and in response to
numerous inquiries, We give brief
article on the subject below:
The Governor has appointed, in ac-
cordance with this law, game and
fish warden, at salary of 81 200 pay
able ont of fines and fees from prosecu-
tions under this law, whose duty it is
to enforce the laws foT the protection
of game and fish and to prosecute or
cause to be prosecuted every person
violating them. He may search any
person, boat, conveyance or car, fish
box or game bag or other receptacle
for fish or game, when he has good
reason to believe he will thereby Sc
cure evidence of the violation of the
law. He shall seize all birds, animals
or fish caught, taken or killed or ship
ped contrary to the law, without any
warrant, or he may have the courts Is
sue such warrants to search for game
concealed by unlawful hunters. He
shall have the same power to serve
criminal process as a sheriff, and any
person who hinders, obstructs, or IN
terferes with him in the discharge Of
his duties shall be fined from $40 to
$50. Every person called as wit
ness to testify to violations Of the game
and fish laws shall be compelled to
testify fully, but his statement shall
not be given against him in any pros
ecution which may follow.
Noperson shall kill (chase or wound
deer before the first day Of October,
1901, and thereafter only from De-
center lst to October 18th, and no
person shall chase any deer with dogs
hereafter. No spotted fawn shall be
killed and no one shall have the fresh
skin of one in his possession.
No person or firm shall kill or eX-
pose for sale, except it be alive, any
deer, wild turkey, quail, pheasant or
grouse, with the intention Of sending
it beyond the limits of the State
Penalty, $40 to $50 Any person
found in possession of any game above
named recently killed, Is presumed to
have killed the same.
1t shall not be lawful to catch or
destroy any fish in the creeks or rivers
of this State by means Of drags or 9TH
er nets, fshpots, weIrs or traps in the
rivers, creeks or streams of this State
at any time, or to catch any fish ex-
cept by hook and line, gig and spear,
from the first day Of March to the 18th
day of November.
Nor is it lawful to catch or have in
possession or to buy, sell or offer for
sale, any jack salmon or jack fish, or
white salmon of less than seven inches
in length, or any pike less than eight
inches, black bass less than six inches,
trout less than four inches in length,
or any fish caught out of season or in
any manner prohibited by law Fish
are measured from tip Of nose to cen
ter Of fork of tail.
1t is not lawful to catch or destroy
any Jack salmon or white salmon be-
tween April 18th and June 18th, brook
trout or land-locked salmon between
September lst and January lst, black,
green, willow or rock bass, pike, pick
erel or wall-eyed pike between April
18th and June 18th, or to catch or
kill any of said fish at any other time
durinr the year. save with rod, hook
and line.
1t is lawful to catch suckers, carp,
mullet and red horse by gig, spear or
hooking at any time, except in Tygarts
Valley river, south of Taylor county
line, where it is not lawful to catch fish
on trot lines, or kill carp or bass by
spear or gig between April lst and
November lst.
1t is not lawful for any person fish
ing to trespass or 60 upon or into an
inclosure or field adjoining or near to
the stream, nor to pass through any
field for purposes of fishing, without
permission of the owner OF tenant, nor
to catch or destroy fish in any dam or
pond except by the owners consent,
but you may catch minnows or other
small fish, except salmon, bass, shad
and trout, in handnets for bait and
scientific purposes.