SENATE AMENDED
PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 189, 944 PRINTER'S NO. 1643
No. 166 Session of 1983
INTRODUCED BY LLOYD, BELFANTI, PRATT, FARGO, MERRY, RYBAK, NOYE,
PISTELLA, MORRIS, DeLUCA, D. R. WRIGHT, MAYERNIK, BALDWIN,
TELEK, WOZNIAK, PERZEL AND McINTYRE, FEBRUARY 8, 1983
AS AMENDED ON SECOND CONSIDERATION, IN SENATE, JULY 19, 1983
AN ACT
1 Amending the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1225, No.316), entitled
2 "An act concerning game and other wild birds and wild
3 animals; and amending, revising, consolidating, and changing
4 the law relating thereto," further providing for the
5 disturbing of traps; and providing penalties for harassment
6 of wildlife.
7 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8 hereby enacts as follows:
9 Section 1. Section 607 of the act of June 3, 1937 (P.L.1225,
10 No.316), known as The Game Law, amended May 23, 1947 (P.L.317,
11 No.139), is amended to read:
12 Section 607. Disturbing Traps of Another.--[It] Except as
13 hereafter provided, it is unlawful for any person to disturb the
14 traps of another, or to take a fur-bearing animal, raccoon or
15 predator from the traps of another, unless specifically
16 authorized by the owner of the trap.
17 Except as otherwise provided by law, and unless traps are set
18 on private property without the permission of the owners or
19 occupiers of the property, it is unlawful for any person to
1 tamper with, disturb, mutilate, destroy or remove any trap or
2 other device set by an officer or any other agent of the
3 commission for the purpose of trapping wild animals or birds, or
4 to interfere in any manner whatsoever with such trapping
5 operation, or to remove or attempt to remove any animal or bird
6 from such trap or device.
7 When traps are set on private property without the permission
8 of the landowner, lessees or their employes, the owner, lessees
9 or their employes may remove the traps and notify an officer of
10 the commission within forty-eight hours. All traps removed shall
11 be turned over to a commission officer. The officer shall notify
12 the trapper within ten days to claim the traps. If the traps are
13 not claimed within thirty days following notification or the
14 trapper cannot be located, the traps shall be forfeited to the
15 commission.
16 Section 2. The act is amended by adding a section to read:
17 Section 732. Harassment of Wildlife.--(a) Any person is
18 guilty of an unlawful act if he harasses, drives, or disturbs
19 any wildlife with the intent of disrupting the lawful taking,
20 killing, or wounding or the attempted lawful taking, killing, or
21 wounding of any wildlife. Such a person shall, upon conviction,
22 be sentenced to a fine of up to five hundred dollars ($500),
23 imprisonment for up to thirty (30) days, or both.
24 (b) This section shall not apply to any owner of land, or <--
25 his agent, who takes any action on that land to protect the
26 land, any building or other facilities, or any crops or other
27 vegetation from damage by any wildlife. This section shall also
28 not apply OR to any member of the commission, the director of <--
29 the commission, any lawfully qualified representative of the
30 commission, or any other law enforcement officer engaged in any
19830H0166B1643 - 2 -
1 otherwise lawful action.
2 Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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