Title 18 — Crimes and Criminal ProcedureRelease 119-73not60
§47 Use of Aircraft or Motor Vehicles to Hunt Certain Wild Horses or Burros; Pollution of Watering Holes
Title 18 › Part I— CRIMES › Chapter 3— ANIMALS, BIRDS, FISH, AND PLANTS › § 47
Summary
It is illegal to use an aircraft or a motor vehicle to hunt, capture, or kill wild unbranded horses, mares, colts, or burros running free on public land or ranges. It is also illegal to pollute watering holes on those lands to trap, wound, kill, or maim those animals. Violators can be fined, jailed for up to six months, or both. Aircraft: anything used to fly. Motor vehicle: cars, trucks, wagons, motorcycles, or other self‑propelled land vehicles.
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 5, 2026
Release point: 119-73not60