Hunting, fishing, trapping; disturbance or injury on wildlife refuges
Official text prohibited actmental stateif conditionpenaltylegal term
Whoever, except in compliance with rules and regulations promulgated by authority of law, hunts, traps, captures, disturbs or kills any bird, fish, or wild animal of any kind whatever, or takes or destroys the eggs or nest of any such bird or fish, on any lands or waters which are set apart or reserved as sanctuaries, refuges or breeding grounds for such birds, fish, or animals under any law of the United States or injures, molests, or destroys any property of the United States on any such lands or waters, shall be or imprisoned not more than six months, or both.
History: (June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 686 (PDF, 39 MB); Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, §330016(1)(G), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147 (PDF, 52 MB).)
Simplified explanation
It is a federal crime to hunt, trap, capture, willfully disturb, or kill any bird, fish, or wild animal on federal lands or waters set aside as wildlife sanctuaries, refuges, or breeding grounds, unless allowed by official rules. Taking or destroying eggs or nests there is also covered, as is willfully damaging U.S. government property on those lands.