Unlawful fishing, hunting, or trapping on private land
It is against the law to fish, hunt, trap, or pick up wildlife on someone else's private land without getting permission from the owner or the person renting the land. If someone is convicted, a court can take away their fishing, hunting, or trapping licenses and ask the conservation commission to take away those privileges for at least one year. This does not apply if the land was open to the public and the person followed all the rules for being there. Breaking this law is a class B misdemeanor.
Classifications stated in the statute. Actual outcomes vary.
578.520. fishing, hunting, or trapping on private land — — . — 1. A person commits the of unlawful fishing, hunting, or trapping on private land if he or she fishes, hunts, or traps upon or retrieves from any private land that is not owned or in the possession of such person without permission from the owner or of such land.
2. Any person who enters or remains on private property for the purpose of hunting, fishing, trapping, or retrieving wildlife in violation of 1 of this section may, in addition to the penalty in subsection 4 of this section, be required by the court to surrender and any or issued by the of to hunt, fish, or trap. The court shall notify the of any under this section and request the take necessary to all s to hunt, fish, or trap for at least one year from the date of conviction.
3. It shall be an affirmative defense to for a violation of this section that the were at the time open to members of the public and the person complied with all lawful conditions imposed concerning access to or the privilege of remaining on the premises.
4. The offense of unlawful fishing, hunting, or trapping on private land is a .
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Source & history notes
(L. 2007 S.B. 198, A.L. 2014 S.B. 491) Effective 1-01-17
Legal information, not legal advice. Always confirm with the official source at revisor.mo.gov.