Sec. 53a-183a. Obstructing or interfering with the lawful taking of wildlife: Class C misdemeanor.
Sec. 53a-183a. Obstructing or interfering with the lawful taking of wildlife:
Class C misdemeanor. (a) No person shall obstruct or interfere with the lawful taking
of wildlife by another person at the location where the activity is taking place with intent
to prevent such taking.
(b) A person violates this section when he intentionally or knowingly: (1) Drives
or disturbs wildlife for the purpose of disrupting the lawful taking of wildlife where
another person is engaged in the process of lawfully taking wildlife; (2) blocks, impedes
or otherwise harasses another person who is engaged in the process of lawfully taking
wildlife; (3) uses natural or artificial visual, aural, olfactory or physical stimuli to affect
wildlife behavior in order to hinder or prevent the lawful taking of wildlife; (4) erects
barriers with the intent to deny ingress or egress to areas where the lawful taking of
wildlife may occur; (5) interjects himself into the line of fire; (6) affects the condition
or placement of personal or public property intended for use in the lawful taking of
wildlife in order to impair its usefulness or prevent its use; or (7) enters or remains upon
private lands without the permission of the owner or his agent, with intent to violate
this section.
(c) For the purposes of this section, "taking" and "wildlife" shall be defined as in
section 26-1.
(d) Any person who violates any provision of this section shall be guilty of a class
C misdemeanor.
(P.A. 85-351; P.A. 90-322.)
History: P.A. 90-322 amended Subsec. (a) to revise the elements of the offense by replacing "harass" with "obstruct",
adding provision that the obstruction or interference occur "at the location where the activity is taking place" and deleting
as an element interference or harassment of another person engaged in "acts in preparation" for the lawful taking of wildlife,
inserted new Subsec. (b) to enumerate specific intentional or knowing acts that constitute a violation, and Subsec. (c) to
define "taking" and "wildlife" and relettered former Subsec. (b) as Subsec. (d).
Cited. 226 C. 265. Section does not violate first amendment to U.S. Constitution. It is narrowly drawn to serve significant
state interests in public safety, raising revenue, wildlife management and protection of citizens' rights to hunt, and leaves
open ample alternative means of communication. 260 C. 275.
Cited. 43 CS 46.