CHAPTER 537

An Act to amend and reenact §§ 29-129.1 and 29-182, as amended, of the
Code of Virginia, relating to the power of the Commission of Game
and Inland Fisheries to prescribe seasons and bag limits for all cities
and counties and to the definition of big game and small game for the
purpose of the hunting and trapping laws. rH 546]

Approved March 81, 1960

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Virginia:

1. That §§ 29-129.1 and 29-132, as amended, of the Code of Virginia, be
amended and reenacted as follows:

8 29-129.1. Notwithstanding any other provisions hereafter enacted
or ordained of local or special law, or any local ordinance the Commission
shall have power, after careful study of each species of wild bird, animal
and fish within the jurisdiction of the Commission in * cities and counties
of the State to prescribe the seasons and bag limits for hunting, fishing,
trapping or otherwise taking such wild birds, animals and fish by regula-
tion adopted as provided in this article. * Provided that the Commission
shall close Sundays or reduce the season or bag limit applicable by general
law or regulation to any species in any political subdivision of the State
on request of the governing body of any political subdivision of the State
by resolution adopted by a majority vote of the members of such body.

§ 29-132. For the purpose of the hunting and trapping laws of this
State, big game shall include bear, deer and elk and small game shall in-
clude all other game birds and game animals.
Wild birds and wild animals shall be classed as follows: —

(a) Nonmigratory game birds.—Birds introduced by the Commission,
rouse, ringnecked * pheasant, bobwhite quail and turkey.

(b) Migratory game birds.—Doves, ducks, brant, geese, swan, coot,
allinules, sora, other rails, including Virginia, King and Clapper rails,
lovers, snipe, woodcock and yellowlegs.

(c) Game animals.—Bear, deer, elk, fox, rabbit and squirrel.

(d) Furbearing animals.—Beaver, mink, muskrat, opossum, otter
nd raccoon.

(e) Predatory or undesirable species of birds and animals.—Black-
ird, buzzard, crow, English sparrow, hawk, jaybird, owl and starling,
veasel, wildcat, skunk and all other wild animals not otherwise classed as
fame or furbearing animals, provided, however, that hawks and owls
hall be so classed only when a landowner or his agent considers it necessary
o kill these species to protect from destruction his poultry or the game
yirds on his property, or when the board of supervisors of a county con-
iders it necessary to permit the killing of these species to protect poultry
Yr game birds in such county.