Title 16ConservationRelease 119-73

§670j Enforcement provisions

Title 16 › Chapter CHAPTER 5C— - CONSERVATION PROGRAMS ON GOVERNMENT LANDS › Subchapter SUBCHAPTER II— - CONSERVATION PROGRAMS ON PUBLIC LANDS › § 670j

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

People who hunt, trap, or fish on public lands that are part of the conservation program must carry a valid public land management area stamp when required. If they do not, they can be fined up to $1,000, jailed for up to six months, or both. Breaking other program rules can lead to a fine up to $500, jail up to six months, or both. The Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture can pick federal employees and certain state officers to enforce these rules. Those officers may have powers like carrying firearms, serving warrants, making arrests in some cases, and doing searches and seizures as allowed by law. A judge can issue arrest orders based on sworn information. Cases can be tried and sentenced by a designated U.S. magistrate judge under the usual rules. Any gear, boats, vehicles, or other tools used in an offense can be seized and may be forfeited to the United States. Rules for seizing and selling vessels under customs law apply here when they fit, and the Interior or Agriculture Secretary (or their designees) carry out the duties that Treasury officers would normally have.

Full Legal Text

Title 16, §670j

Conservation — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)(1)Any person who hunts, traps, or fishes on any public land which is subject to a conservation and rehabilitation program implemented under this subchapter without having on his person a valid public land management area stamp, if the possession of such a stamp is required, shall be fined not more than $1,000, or imprisoned for not more than six months, or both.
(2)Any person who knowingly violates or fails to comply with any regulations prescribed under section 670h(c)(5) of this title shall be fined not more than $500, or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.
(b)(1)For the purpose of enforcing subsection (a) of this section, the Secretary of the Interior and the Secretary of Agriculture may designate any employee of their respective departments, and any State officer or employee authorized under a cooperative agreement to enforce such subsection (a), to (i) carry firearms; (ii) execute and serve any warrant or other process issued by a court or officer of competent jurisdiction; (iii) make arrests without warrant or process for a misdemeanor he has reasonable grounds to believe is being committed in his presence or view; (iv) search without warrant or process any person, place, or conveyance as provided by law; and (v) seize without warrant or process any evidentiary item as provided by law.
(2)Upon the sworn information by a competent person, any United States magistrate judge or court of competent jurisdiction may issue process for the arrest of any person charged with committing any offense under subsection (a) of this section.
(3)Any person charged with committing any offense under subsection (a) of this section may be tried and sentenced by any United States magistrate judge designated for that purpose by the court by which he was appointed, in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as provided for in section 3401 of title 18.
(c)All guns, traps, nets, and other equipment, vessels, vehicles, and other means of transportation used by any person when engaged in committing an offense under subsection (a) of this section shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States and may be seized and held pending the prosecution of any person arrested for committing such offense. Upon conviction for such offense, such forfeiture may be adjudicated as a penalty in addition to any other provided for committing such offense.
(d)All provisions of law relating to the seizure, forfeiture, and condemnation of a vessel for violation of the customs laws, the disposition of such vessel or the proceeds from the sale thereof, and the remission or mitigation of such forfeitures, shall apply to the seizures and forfeitures incurred, or alleged to have been incurred, under the provisions of this section, insofar as such provisions of law are applicable and not inconsistent with the provisions of this section; except that all powers, rights, and duties conferred or imposed by the customs laws upon any officer or employee of the Department of the Treasury shall, for the purposes of this section, be exercised or performed by the Secretary of the Interior or the Secretary of Agriculture, as the case may be, or by such persons as he may designate.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

2011—Pub. L. 112–81, § 312(b)(10), inserted section catchline and headings for subsecs. (a) to (d). Subsec. (b)(2), (3). Pub. L. 112–81, § 312(c), substituted “magistrate judge” for “magistrate”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

16 U.S.C. § 670j

Title 16Conservation

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73