Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73

§47 Use of aircraft or motor vehicles to hunt certain wild horses or burros; pollution of watering holes

Title 18 › Part PART I— - CRIMES › Chapter CHAPTER 3— - ANIMALS, BIRDS, FISH, AND PLANTS › § 47

Last updated Apr 6, 2026|Official source

Summary

Do not use an aircraft or a motor vehicle to hunt, capture, or kill wild unbranded horses, mares, colts, or burros running free on public lands or ranges. Do not pollute watering holes on those lands to trap, wound, kill, or maim those animals. Violators can be fined under federal law, jailed not more than six months, or both. Aircraft means any device used to fly. Motor vehicle means cars, trucks, wagons, motorcycles, or any other self‑propelled vehicle made to run on land.

Full Legal Text

Title 18, §47

Crimes and Criminal Procedure — Source: USLM XML via OLRC

(a)Whoever uses an aircraft or a motor vehicle to hunt, for the purpose of capturing or killing, any wild unbranded horse, mare, colt, or burro running at large on any of the public land or ranges shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

(b)Whoever pollutes or causes the pollution of any watering hole on any of the public land or ranges for the purpose of trapping, killing, wounding, or maiming any of the animals referred to in subsection (a) of this section shall be fined under this title, or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.

(c)As used in subsection (a) of this section—

(1)The term “aircraft” means any contrivance used for flight in the air; and

(2)The term “motor vehicle” includes an automobile, automobile truck, automobile wagon, motorcycle, or any other self-propelled vehicle designed for running on land.

Legislative History

Notes & Related Subsidiaries

Editorial Notes

Amendments

1994—Subsecs. (a), (b). Pub. L. 103–322 substituted “fined under this title” for “fined not more than $500”.

Reference

Citations & Metadata

Citation

18 U.S.C. § 47

Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal Procedure

Last Updated

Apr 6, 2026

Release point: 119-73