{"formats":[{"name":"JSON","format":"json","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-json\/29.1-550.json"},{"name":"Plain Text","format":"text","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-text\/29.1-550.txt"},{"name":"XML","format":"xml","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-xml\/29.1-550.xml"},{"name":"HTML","format":"html","url":"\/downloads\/2025\/code-html\/29.1-550.html"}],"law_id":56875,"edition_id":1,"section_id":56875,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-550","catch_line":"Taking game or fish during closed season or exceeding bag limit","history":"Code 1950, \u00a7 29-163; 1950, p. 936; 1952, c. 78; 1958, c. 444; 1962, c. 469; 1987, c. 488; 1988, c. 19; 2020, c. 311.","full_text":"It is unlawful for any person to (i) take or attempt to take any wild bird, wild animal, or fish during the closed season; (ii) exceed the bag or creel limit for any wild bird, wild animal, or fish; or (iii) possess over the daily bag or creel limit for any wild bird, wild animal, or fish while in the forests, fields, or waters of the Commonwealth. Any person convicted of violating any provisions of this section is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor and may also be prohibited by the court from hunting, trapping, or fishing in the Commonwealth for a period of one to five years.","order_by":null,"text":{"0":{"id":208307,"text":"It is unlawful for any person to (i) take or attempt to take any wild bird, wild animal, or fish during the closed season; (ii) exceed the bag or creel limit for any wild bird, wild animal, or fish; or (iii) possess over the daily bag or creel limit for any wild bird, wild animal, or fish while in the forests, fields, or waters of the Commonwealth. Any person convicted of violating any provisions of this section is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor and may also be prohibited by the court from hunting, trapping, or fishing in the Commonwealth for a period of one to five years.","type":"section","prefixes":[""],"prefix":"","entire_prefix":"","prefix_anchor":"","level":1}},"ancestry":[{"id":14126,"edition_id":1,"name":"Penalties in General","identifier":"5","label":"article","depth":3,"order_by":1,"parent_id":13513,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:46:56","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:46:56","permalink":{"id":193243,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":14126,"identifier":"5","token":"29.1\/5\/5","url":"\/29.1\/5\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":13513,"edition_id":1,"name":"Wildlife and Fish Laws","identifier":"5","label":"chapter","depth":2,"order_by":1,"parent_id":12934,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:45:06","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:45:06","permalink":{"id":192967,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":13513,"identifier":"5","token":"29.1\/5","url":"\/29.1\/5\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}},{"id":12934,"edition_id":1,"name":"Wildlife, Inland Fisheries and Boating","identifier":"29.1","label":"title","depth":1,"order_by":1,"parent_id":null,"metadata":{},"date_created":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","date_modified":"2026-06-26 03:44:03","permalink":{"id":192277,"object_type":"structure","relational_id":12934,"identifier":"29.1","token":"29.1","url":"\/29.1\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1}}],"structure_contents":[{"id":77599,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-546","catch_line":"General penalty","url":"\/29.1-546\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-546","metadata":false},{"id":69204,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-547","catch_line":"Trapping, selling, purchasing, etc., migratory game birds","url":"\/29.1-547\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-547","metadata":false},{"id":56728,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-548","catch_line":"Killing deer illegally","url":"\/29.1-548\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-548","metadata":false},{"id":83897,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-549","catch_line":"Hunting deer from watercraft","url":"\/29.1-549\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-549","metadata":false},{"id":56875,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-550","catch_line":"Taking game or fish during closed season or exceeding bag limit","url":"\/29.1-550\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-550","metadata":false},{"id":71853,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-551","catch_line":"Assessment of value of game or fish unlawfully taken","url":"\/29.1-551\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-551","metadata":false},{"id":70078,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-552","catch_line":"Killing wild turkey during closed season","url":"\/29.1-552\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-552","metadata":false},{"id":81525,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-553","catch_line":"Selling or offering for sale; penalty","url":"\/29.1-553\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-553","metadata":false},{"id":65084,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-553.1","catch_line":"Penalty for wanton waste","url":"\/29.1-553.1\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-553.1","metadata":false},{"id":62488,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-554","catch_line":"Violation of sanctuaries, refuges, preserves and water used for propagation","url":"\/29.1-554\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-554","metadata":false},{"id":83505,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-554.1","catch_line":"Impeding lawful fishing in inland waters; penalty","url":"\/29.1-554.1\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-554.1","metadata":false},{"id":55264,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-555","catch_line":"Reserved","url":"\/29.1-555\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-555","metadata":false},{"id":84106,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-556","catch_line":"Unlawful devices to be destroyed","url":"\/29.1-556\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-556","metadata":false},{"id":57261,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-556.1","catch_line":"Release of certain balloons prohibited; civil penalty; community service","url":"\/29.1-556.1\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-556.1","metadata":false},{"id":70113,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-557","catch_line":"Confiscation of wild birds and animals under certain circumstances; disposition","url":"\/29.1-557\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-557","metadata":false},{"id":74019,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-558","catch_line":"Reserved","url":"\/29.1-558\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-558","metadata":false},{"id":60769,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-561","catch_line":"Self-incrimination","url":"\/29.1-561\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-561","metadata":false},{"id":57759,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-562","catch_line":"Reserved","url":"\/29.1-562\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-562","metadata":false}],"previous_section":{"id":83897,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-549","catch_line":"Hunting deer from watercraft","url":"\/29.1-549\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-549","metadata":false},"next_section":{"id":71853,"structure_id":14126,"section_number":"29.1-551","catch_line":"Assessment of value of game or fish unlawfully taken","url":"\/29.1-551\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-551","metadata":false},"metadata":false,"official_url":"https:\/\/law.lis.virginia.gov\/vacode\/29.1-550\/","history_text":"

The record of this law\u2019s original creation isn\u2019t available online. It has been modified 6 times. Those modifications are cataloged by \u201cThe Acts of Assembly,\u201d a state publication, by year and chapter. Those modifications that can be read on the General Assembly\u2019s website will be linked accordingly. Those modifications are as follows: in 1952, chapter 78; in 1958, chapter 444; in 1962, chapter 469; in 1987, chapter 488; in 1988, chapter 19; in 2020, chapter 311<\/a>.<\/p>","references":[{"id":71853,"section_number":"29.1-551","catch_line":"Assessment of value of game or fish unlawfully taken","order_by":null,"url":"\/29.1-551\/"}],"refers_to":false,"permalink":{"id":193261,"object_type":"law","relational_id":56875,"identifier":"29.1-550","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-550","url":"\/29.1-550\/","edition_id":1,"permalink":0,"preferred":1},"url":"\/29.1-550\/","token":"29.1\/5\/5\/29.1-550","dublin_core":{"Title":"Taking game or fish during closed season or exceeding bag limit","Type":"Text","Format":"text\/html","Identifier":"\u00a7 29.1-550","Relation":"Code of Virginia"},"html":"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t

It is unlawful for any person to (i) take or attempt to take any wild bird, wild animal, or fish during the closed season<\/span>; (ii) exceed the bag or creel limit<\/span> for any wild bird, wild animal, or fish; or (iii) possess over the daily bag or creel limit<\/span> for any wild bird, wild animal, or fish while in the forests, fields, or waters of the Commonwealth. Any person convicted of violating any provisions of this section is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor<\/span> and may also be prohibited by the court<\/span> from hunting, trapping, or fishing<\/span> in the Commonwealth for a period of one to five years.<\/p><\/section>","plain_text":" CODE OF VIRGINIA\n\nTAKING GAME OR FISH DURING CLOSED SEASON OR EXCEEDING BAG LIMIT (\u00a7 29.1-550)\n\nIt is unlawful for any person to (i) take or attempt to take any wild bird, wild\nanimal, or fish during the closed season; (ii) exceed the bag or creel limit for\nany wild bird, wild animal, or fish; or (iii) possess over the daily bag or\ncreel limit for any wild bird, wild animal, or fish while in the forests,\nfields, or waters of the Commonwealth. Any person convicted of violating any\nprovisions of this section is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor and may also be\nprohibited by the court from hunting, trapping, or fishing in the Commonwealth\nfor a period of one to five years.\n\nHISTORY: Code 1950, \u00a7 29-163; 1950, p. 936; 1952, c. 78; 1958, c. 444; 1962, c.\n469; 1987, c. 488; 1988, c. 19; 2020, c. 311.","edition":{"id":1,"name":"2025","slug":"2025","date_created":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","date_modified":"2026-06-21 22:39:22","current":1,"order_by":1,"last_import":null}}