Title 10, Title 10: Conservation and Development

§ 4705. Shooting from motor vehicles or aircraft; shooting from or across highway; permit (a) A person shall not take or attempt to take a wild animal by shooting from a motor vehicle, motorboat, airplane, snowmobile, or other motor-propelled craft or any vehicle drawn by a motor…

§ 4706. Snaring animals A person shall not take an animal by snaring nor shall he or she possess a snare with intent to use the same. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961.)

§ 4707. Traps; notice A person who intends to set a trap for any animal on the property of another shall, prior to setting the trap, notify the owner of the property of his or her intention to set the trap and of the prospective location of the trap. The owner of the property may…

§ 4708. Interference with hunting, fishing, or trapping (a) A person shall not intentionally interfere with the lawful taking of fish or wild animals by: (1) tampering with traps, nets, bait, firearms, or any other thing used for hunting, trapping, or fishing; (2) placing himself…

§ 4709. Transport, importation, possession, and stocking of wild animals; possession of wild boar or feral swine (a) A person shall not bring into, transport into, transport within, transport through, or possess in the State any live wild bird or animal of any kind, including rep…

§ 4710. Safety zone; shooting prohibited (a) A person may on land owned or occupied by him or her and within 500 feet of any occupied dwelling house, residence, or other building or camp occupied by human beings, or any barn, stable, or other building used in connection therewith…

§ 4712. Tracking of injured wildlife (a) The Commissioner may certify an individual to use a dog on a leash to track injured wild animals. The certificate shall be valid for five years from date of issuance. The Commissioner shall establish the following by rule: (1) procedures f…

§ 4713. Tree stands; ground blinds (a) No person shall build, erect, maintain, use, or occupy a permanent or portable tree stand or ground blind for any purpose on any private land in Vermont without landowner permission. (b) A person building, erecting, or maintaining a tree sta…

§ 4714. Importation and possession of animals for hunting (a) A person shall not import or possess any live animal for the purpose of taking by hunting unless the Commissioner has issued the person an importation and possession permit. The Fish and Wildlife Board shall adopt rule…

§ 4715. Remote-control hunting (a) As used in this section: (1) “Captive animal” includes an animal that has been brought into and kept in captivity for the purpose of taking it, and any increase of such animal. (2) “Remote-control hunting” means the use of a computer, any device…

§ 4716. Coyote-hunting competitions; prohibition (a) As used in this section, “coyote-hunting competition” means a contest in which people compete in the capturing or taking of coyotes for a prize. (b) A person shall not hold or conduct a coyote-hunting competition in the State. …

§ 4742a. Youth deer hunting weekend (a) The Board shall designate by rule a youth deer hunting weekend prior to opening day of the regular deer season. (b) A person who is 15 years of age or under on the weekend of the hunt and who has successfully completed a hunter safety cours…

§ 4745. Taking big game out of season prohibited; time A person shall not take big game except during the seasons provided by law under part 4 of this title or the rules of the Board, and then only between one-half hour before sunrise and one-half hour after sunset. However, this…

§ 4747. Big game taken by illegal means A person shall not take or possess big game by the aid of a snare, trap, salt lick, jack, or other light or use these devices to entrap or ensnare big game. A person shall not use a dog of any breed or sex at any time for the purpose of hun…

§ 4748. Dogs pursuing deer or moose (a) A dog that has been found to hunt or pursue deer or moose and whose owner or keeper has had notice to that effect shall not run at large unaccompanied by the owner or keeper. (b) A State game warden, deputy warden, sheriff, deputy sheriff, …

§ 4749. Injured deer, killing (a) Any game warden, deputy game warden, sheriff, deputy sheriff, constable, police officer, State Police, or selectboard member may kill a deer that has been so injured that its chance for recovery is remote. (b) The official by whom such a deer is …

§ 4751. Swimming deer A person shall not take a deer that is swimming in any lake, pond, river, or other body of water. (Added 1973, No. 178 (Adj. Sess.), § 8.)

§ 4781. Big game; possession A person shall not possess big game taken by unlawful means or methods or taken in a closed season in violation of any provision of part 4 of this title or rules of the Board. Unless otherwise prohibited, a person may possess lawfully taken game durin…

§ 4782. Possession in cold storage of big game Any part of the carcass of big game legally taken may be possessed at any time in cans or in a cold storage locker or home freezer. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 1985, No. 92, § 8.)

§ 4783. Purchase and sale of big game (a) A person shall not buy or sell big game or the meat of big game within the State except during the open season and for 20 days thereafter, provided that a person shall not sell the paws or internal organs of a black bear separate from the…

§ 4784. Transportation of big game A person shall not transport big game taken by unlawful means or methods or taken in a closed season in violation of any provision of part 4 of this title or rules of the Board. (Added 1961, No. 119, § 1, eff. May 9, 1961; amended 1985, No. 92, …

§ 4786. Game suppers (a) Notwithstanding any provision of law to the contrary, game suppers may be held at any time by a church, volunteer fire department, rod and game club, or other nonprofit organization under permit issued by a fish and wildlife warden, the Commissioner, or a…

§ 4826. Taking deer damaging crops (a) A person, including an authorized member of the person’s family, an authorized regular on-premises employee, or an agent who holds a Vermont hunting license and who is designated by the person, may take, on land owned or occupied by the pers…

§ 4827. Black bear doing damage (a)(1) Except as provided in subdivision (2) of this subsection and in subsection 4827a(b) of this title, a person, an authorized member of the person’s family, or the person’s authorized regular on-premise employee may, after attempting reasonable…

§ 4827a. Feeding bear; prohibition (a) A person shall not knowingly feed a bear and shall not knowingly give, place, expose, deposit, distribute, or scatter any bait, food, or other edible material in a manner intended to lure a bear to feed except: (1) under a license or permit …

§ 4828. Taking of rabbit or fur-bearing animals by landowner; selectboard; certificate; penalty (a)(1) The provisions of law or rules of the Board relating to the taking of rabbits or fur-bearing animals shall not apply to: (A) an owner, the owner’s employee, tenant, or caretaker…

§ 4830. Regulations The State Fish and Wildlife Board shall adopt rules and regulations relating to application for reimbursement, examination by State fish and wildlife wardens of damage, and reimbursement therefor. (Added 1969, No. 195 (Adj. Sess.), § 2; amended 1983, No. 158 (…

§ 4831. Reimbursement Reimbursement under this subchapter shall be made by the State Treasurer, on the voucher of the Commissioner of Fish and Wildlife, from money received by the State Treasurer under the provisions of this part. (Added 1969, No. 195 (Adj. Sess.), § 3.)

§ 4832. Appeal A person who is denied reimbursement under this subchapter or who is dissatisfied with the amount of the reimbursement granted may appeal to the Superior Court of the county in which he or she resides. (Added 1969, No. 195 (Adj. Sess.), § 4; amended 1971, No. 185 (…

§ 4833. Coyote Control Program The Commissioner shall develop a Coyote Control Program for implementation in those areas of the State where he or she has determined that predation by coyotes is posing a threat to domesticated animals, deer, and other wildlife. In no event shall t…

§ 4861. Fur-bearing animals; taking; possession (a) Fur-bearing animals shall not be taken except in accordance with the provisions of this part and of rules of the Board. The fur or skins of fur- bearing animals may be possessed at any time unless otherwise provided by this part…

§ 4863. Trapping tags; fees The Commissioner may fix a fee not to exceed $1.00 that shall be paid by the trapper to the game warden for each skin required to be tagged and marked by regulations of the Board and such fees shall be transmitted to the Commissioner who shall pay the …

§ 4864. Transporting beaver skins; confiscation Any beaver skins that may come into this State in the raw state from any other state or country shall have the official stamp, tag, or seal of the state or country in which such skins were taken. All beaver skins not tagged and mark…

§ 4902. Wild birds generally; no open season; exception (a) Wild birds, other than pigeons, shall not be taken, possessed, bought, or sold, at any time, except as provided by this part, rules of the Board, or orders of the Commissioner. (b) Harm or death of a migratory bird liste…

§ 4904. Use of light, snares, traps A person shall not take a bird with the aid of a jack or other light. A person shall not take a wild bird by trapping, netting, or snaring, or possess such a bird so taken, or set, place, or use, where birds may be taken, a net, trap, or snare …

§ 4905. Birds’ nests and eggs; destroying or robbing A person shall not take or willfully destroy the nests or eggs of wild birds, other than rock pigeons, house sparrows, or European starlings, except when necessary to protect buildings and the nests to be removed contain no egg…

§ 4907. Waterfowl blinds (a) A person shall not place a waterfowl blind or cause the same to be placed on or in the waters of the State earlier than the first Saturday of September of any year, and then only if the person’s name and address are permanently and legibly affixed the…

§ 4908. Youth turkey hunting weekend (a) The Saturday and Sunday prior to opening day of spring turkey season shall be youth turkey hunting weekend. (b) A person who is age 15 or under on the weekend of the hunt, who has successfully completed a hunter safety course, may take one…

§ 4909. Connecticut River zone A person holding a New Hampshire hunting license that allows taking of migratory waterfowl may take migratory waterfowl and coots from the Connecticut River zone, as defined by the Board, provided the State of New Hampshire grants the same right to …

§ 4910. Enforcement discretion For purposes of migratory bird protection in this title, the Commissioner has authority to exercise enforcement discretion, including refraining from taking any enforcement action for the incidental take of migratory birds. Enforcement, if any, shal…

§ 4921. Definitions As used in this subchapter: (1) “Covered wild animal” means an animal that is a big game animal, game quadruped, game bird, fur-bearing animal, or crow. (2) “Process” or “processed” means the act of slaughtering or butchering a covered wild animal for its edib…

§ 4922. Retrieval of covered wild animals A person shall not intentionally or knowingly kill a covered wild animal and intentionally or knowingly fail to make a reasonable effort to retrieve the covered wild animal and use the covered wild animal as provided under this subchapter…

§ 4923. Use of covered wild animal (a) A person who retrieves a lawfully taken covered wild animal, or a person to whom the lawfully taken covered wild animal is transferred, shall retain the animal in the person’s possession until it is processed as food; processed for its fur, …

§ 4924. Exceptions The requirements of sections 4922 and 4923 of this title shall not apply: (1) when the failure to retrieve, the failure to salvage, or the failure to retain the covered wild animal is beyond the control of the person due to: (A) theft of the covered wild animal…

§ 4925. Disposal A person shall not place, leave, dump, or abandon the carcass or parts of a covered wild animal: (1) along or upon a public right-of-way or highway; (2) upon a private property posted in accordance with section 4710 or 5201 of this title without permission of the…