1882 Md. Laws 257
Abstract
An Act to . . . Exempt All That Portion of the Waters of the Chesapeake Bay Lying Northward of a Certain Line Therein Described from the Operation and Effect of Sections One and Three . . ., ch. 180, § 8: The special police appointed by this act are authorized to arrest any person or persons who may be discovered in the act of hunting or shooting crippled ducks, or in purloining ducks that have been killed by other persons having a proper license to shoot, as well as other persons violating the provisions of this section, and upon conviction thereof before any justice of the peace of Cecil or Harford Counties, the license of such persons or persons shall be revoked, and such persons or persons, whether licensed or not, shall be fined not less than twenty dollars for each offense, and shall forfeit the boat and gun or guns
Summary
This provision regulates “sneak boats” used for duck hunting in Cecil and Harford Counties, limiting them to specific flat-bottom boats with blinds used only for decoy hunting. It prohibits using other types of boats to hunt crippled or drifting ducks or to take game killed by others. Violations can be enforced by special police, with penalties including license revocation, fines of at least $20 per offense, forfeiture and sale of the boat and firearms used, and the proceeds going to the arresting officers, with possession of ducks or guns serving as prima facie evidence of violation.
Law Text
Section 8 A. The sneak boat, such as is allowed by this act, as is specified in section eight of this act, shall be a flat-bottom batteau or other boat, with bush or canvas blinds, and shall be engaged bona fide in shooting or gunning over decoys, and no other boat shall be licensed as a sneak boat; no sailing boat or skiff, or other boat engaged in hunting or shooting crippled ducks, or in purloining ducks that have been killed and are drilting, shall be licensed as a sneak boat; and the special police appointed by this act are authorized to arrest any person or persons who may be discovered in the act of hunting or shooting crippled ducks, or in purloining ducks that have been killed by other persons having a proper license to shoot, as well as other persons violating the provisions of this section, and upon conviction thereof before any justice of the peace of Cecil or Harford Counties, the license of such persons or persons shall be revoked, and such persons or persons, whether licensed or not, shall be fined not less than twenty dollars for each offense, and shall forfeit the boat and gun or guns, and material so employed in violation of the provisions of this section, which boat and gun or guns, and material shall be sold, and the proceeds of such fine and sale, after the costs of prosecution have been paid, shall go to the officer or officers making the arrest, and the possession of any ducks or gun, by any such boat so offending, shall be prima facie evidence of a violation of this act.
Description
Categories
HUNTING REGULATION