Sec. 53a-183a. Obstructing or interfering with the lawful taking of wildlife: Class C misdemeanor. - Connecticut Statutes

      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.