Title 27 — Game And Fish

This title shall be known and may be cited as the ‘‘Game and Fish Code.’’ (Code 1933, § 45-101, enacted by Ga. L. 1977, p. 396, § 1.) 27-1-2. (For effective date, see note.) Definitions. As used in this title, the term: (1) ‘‘Adult supervision’’ means under the command and contro…

The proceeds from all fines and bond forfeitures arising from criminal prosecution for violation of the wildlife laws, rules, and regulations shall, except as otherwise specifically provided in this title, be applied initially to payment of the fees of the officers of the trial c…

Reserved. Repealed by Ga. L. 1981, p. 798, § 3, effective July 1, 1981. Editor’s notes. — Ga. L. 2013, p. 141, § 27/HB 79, reserved the designation of this Code section, effective April 24, 2013. 29 27-1-16 27-1-16. Establishment of unit of conservation rangers; qualifications, a…

(a) The board shall have the power to appoint deputy conservation rangers. No deputy conservation rangers may be appointed without actual duties relating to the protection of natural resources. (b) Deputy conservation rangers shall have all or part of the powers and duties of con…

(a) Conservation rangers shall have the power and authority: (1) To enforce all state laws on all property owned or controlled by the department; (2) To enforce all state laws pertaining to functions assigned to the department; (3) To enforce any state law when the violation of t…

For purposes of wildlife management and in accordance with sound principles of wildlife research and management, authorized personnel of the department and persons authorized by contract with the department are authorized to take, transport, possess, purchase, sell, band, and rel…

Any commercial license holder shall be deemed, by application for such license, to have agreed to make his business premises and records available for inspection by authorized agents of the department during 36 27-1-25 normal business hours and at any other time when the licensed…

The provisions of this title or any rule or regulation adopted pursuant to this title pertaining to the operation of vessels or boats upon the waters of this state shall be enforceable by, in addition to conservation rangers, agents of the Georgia Bureau of Investigation and othe…

Reserved. Repealed by Ga. L. 1986, p. 1059, § 2, effective April 7, 1986. Editor’s notes. — Ga. L. 2013, p. 141, § 27/HB 79, reserved the designation of this Code section, effective April 24, 2013. 27-1-27. Damaging or destroying department property.

27-1-28. Taking of nongame species. Short title. (For effective date, see note.) Definitions. Legislative declarations; ownership and custody of wildlife; preservation of hunting and fishing opportunities; promotion and right to hunt, trap, or fish; local regulation; general offe…

(a) Except as otherwise provided by law, rule, or regulation, it shall be unlawful to hunt, trap, fish, take, possess, or transport any nongame species of wildlife, except that the following species may be taken by any method except those specifically prohibited by law or regulat…

Except as otherwise specifically provided, it shall be unlawful for any person in this state to sell or to purchase any game species or parts thereof, provided that authorized personnel of the department and of any federal agency may buy or sell such game species or parts thereof…

Except as otherwise provided by law or regulation, it shall be unlawful to disturb, mutilate, or destroy the dens, holes, or homes of any wildlife; to blind wildlife with lights; or to use explosives, chemicals, electrical or mechanical devices, or smokers of any kind in order to…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to make use of or possess any wildlife or parts thereof which he knows or reasonably should have known have been taken or possessed contrary to any of the wildlife laws, rules, and regulations. (b) It shall also be unlawful for any person t…

It shall be unlawful for any person to hire another to take or possess wildlife in violation of the wildlife laws, rules, and regulations. (Ga. L. 1955, p. 483, § 54; Code 1933, § 45-206, enacted by Ga. L. 1977, p. 396, § 1.) 27-1-33. Noncompliance with laws while on fishing area…

Disturbing or destroying wildlife habitats. Unlawful possession or use of wildlife; unlawful concealment. Hiring of another to take wildlife contrary to law. Noncompliance with laws while on fishing area, fish hatchery, natural area, or wildlife management area; hunting without w…

(a) The jurisdiction of the probate courts of the several counties of this state is enlarged and extended so that probate courts, acting by and through the judge or presiding officer, shall have the right and power to receive pleas of guilty and impose sentence upon defendants vi…

(a) As an alternative to criminal enforcement pursuant to Code Section 27-1-38, the department, in order to enforce this title or any rules and regulations promulgated pursuant thereto, may employ any one or any combination of the following methods: (1) Any person who violates an…

Unless otherwise specifically provided, any person who violates any of the provisions of this title shall be guilty of a misdemeanor; provided, however, that unless otherwise specifically provided, any person who violates any of the provisions of this title or any rule or regulat…

Notwithstanding any other law to the contrary, for purposes of establishing criminal violations of the rules and regulations promulgated by the Board of Natural Resources as provided in this title, the term ‘‘rules and regulations’’ means those rules and regulations of the Board …

The board shall have the following powers and duties relative to this title: (1) Establishment of the general policies to be followed by the department under this title; (2) Promulgation of all rules and regulations necessary for the administration of this title including, but no…

The department shall have the following powers and duties: 21 27-1-6 (1) Subject to all applicable state laws, to acquire by purchase, condemnation, lease, agreement, gift, or devise lands or waters suitable for the purposes enumerated in this paragraph and to develop, operate, a…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in alligator farming unless such person has a valid commercial alligator farming license as provided in Code Section 27-2-23. Any person desiring to establish, maintain, and operate a commercial alligator farm shall apply to the d…

It shall be unlawful for any person to hold or possess any game animal or game bird for the purpose of propagation or to hold such animal or bird as a pet without first obtaining a valid game-holding permit as provided in Code Section 27-2-23. The department may grant 74 27-2-11 …

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to take, possess, or transport any of the wildlife of this state, or the plumage, skin, or body thereof, or the nests or eggs of the same for scientific purposes without obtaining a scientific collecting permit and complying with this Code …

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, hold, or possess any wildlife in captivity for the purpose of display or exhibition to the public without first procuring a valid wildlife exhibition permit as provided in Code Section 27-2-23. No such permit shall be issued by the…

(a)(1) For purposes of this subsection, the term ‘‘film production’’ means the creation of film, video, or digital projects in this state, including, but not limited to, the creation of feature films, documentaries, series, pilots, movies for television, advertisements, music vid…

It shall be unlawful for any person operating a grocery store, hotel, market, cold storage house, restaurant, or other commercial facility to receive for storage or to store any wildlife or parts thereof without first 78 27-2-15 LICENSES, PERMITS, AND STAMPS GENERALLY 27-2-16 obt…

The department shall be authorized to issue to a person who cultivates crops, who is immediately responsible for their cultivation, or who is the principal owner of the crops a permit to kill deer which have caused or are reasonably certain to cause damage to crops which were pla…

It shall be unlawful to import any wildlife other than fish, pen raised duck, pen raised turkey, and pen raised quail without obtaining, at no cost, a wildlife importation permit from the department. The department shall only issue such a permit when it has determined that the is…

It shall be unlawful for any person required to obtain a fishing license as provided in Code Section 27-2-1 to fish in the salt waters of this state without participating in the Saltwater Information Program. Participation in such program shall require the completion of a screeni…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to conduct a field or retriever trial without first obtaining a permit, at no cost, from the department. In trials conducted with such a permit, the species of wildlife specified on the permit may be set or pursued by dogs, but such wildlif…

It shall be unlawful for any person to keep, hold, or possess in captivity any sick or injured wildlife, except fish, without first obtaining, at no charge, a wildlife rehabilitation permit from the department; provided, however, that such permit shall only be issued to persons d…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to trap and sell live fox without first procuring a commercial trapping license provided for in Code Section 27-2-23. Notwithstanding any other provision of this title 84 27-2-22.1 LICENSES, PERMITS, AND STAMPS GENERALLY 27-2-22.1 to the co…

Fees for licenses, permits, tags, and stamps required by this title shall be as follows: 86 27-2-23 LICENSES, PERMITS, AND STAMPS GENERALLY 27-2-23 (1) Hunting licenses: (A) Resident hunting license Annual $ 15.00 (B) Nonresident hunting license Annual 100.00 (C) Nonresident hunt…

(a) In addition to the fur dealers’ licenses provided for in Code Section 27-2-23, the department shall issue a raccoon fur seller’s license for an annual fee of $5.00. A person to whom a raccoon fur seller’s license has been issued shall be authorized to sell the raw, undressed …

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in the occupation of salt water fishing guide without holding a valid annual salt water fishing guide license pursuant to the provisions of this Code section. (b)(1) A salt water fishing guide who possesses a valid United States C…

All applications to the department for any license or permit, or license and permit, provided by this title shall designate an address in Georgia where the applicant can be personally served with legal process, or shall contain an appointment of an agent in Georgia for acceptance…

The commissioner shall have the power to suspend any license required by this title when such license holder is not in compliance with a court order for child support as provided in Code Section 19-6-28.1. The commissioner shall also have the power to deny the application for iss…

Notwithstanding any other provision of this article, the commissioner may designate not more than three days, which need not be consecutive, in each calendar year as free fishing days during which residents may, without obtaining a fishing license, exercise the privileges of a ho…

(a) The department is authorized to issue wildlife control permits authorizing the permittee to trap, transport and release, or kill wildlife and feral hogs where such action is otherwise prohibited by law or regulation: (1) When the department determines that there is a substant…

(a) The department shall issue a discounted hunting and fishing license, which shall entitle a resident to hunt and fish in this state without the payment of fees described in Code Section 27-2-23, to each resident who is permanently and totally disabled. For purposes of this Cod…

(a) As used in this Code section, the term: (1) ‘‘Outdoor mentee’’ means any resident to whom the department has never issued both a hunting and fishing license, or an outdoor passport, under this chapter. (2) ‘‘Outdoor mentor’’ means any individual who is 18 years of age or olde…

The Wildlife Violator Compact is enacted into law and entered into by the State of Georgia with any and all states legally joining therein in accordance with its terms. The compact is substantially as follows: ‘‘WILDLIFE VIOLATOR COMPACT ARTICLE I FINDINGS, DECLARATION OF POLICY,…

The Board of Natural Resources shall make and publish in print or electronically such rules and regulations, not inconsistent with law, as it deems necessary to carry out the purposes of this article. (Code 1981, § 27-2-41, enacted by Ga. L. 2002, p. 1179, § 1; Ga. L. 2010, p. 83…

It shall be unlawful for any person whose license, privilege, or right to hunt, fish, trap, possess, or transport wildlife, having been suspended or revoked pursuant to this article, to exercise that right or privilege 112 27-2-42 LICENSES, PERMITS, AND STAMPS GENERALLY 27-2-42 w…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person born on or after January 1, 1961, to procure a hunting license or to hunt by means of weapons in this state unless that person has been issued a certificate or other evidence the department deems acceptable which indicates satisfactory comp…

(a) It shall be unlawful for any person to engage in commercial fishing with a boat or vessel in the salt waters of this state without first obtaining a valid commercial fishing boat license for the boat or vessel. The owner or operator of the boat or vessel shall present in writ…

It shall be unlawful for any person on any wildlife management area owned or operated by the department: (1) To possess a firearm other than a handgun, as such term is defined in Code Section 16-11-125.1, during a closed hunting season for that area unless such firearm is unloade…

(a) It shall be unlawful to hunt pen raised game birds, other than ring-necked pheasants, on a shooting preserve except between October 1 and March 31 of the following year, and except from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset. (b) It shall be unlawful to exceed the daily or se…