An Act to Prevent the Killing of Deer out of Season, and Against Carrying of Guns and Hunting by Persons not Qualified (1722)

"Provided always, That nothing contained in this Act shall be deemed or construed to hinder any Person from killing any Kind of Deer, within his Feild where Corn is Growing, at any Time in the Month of January, nor to extend to any Free Native Indians Carrying Guns, Hunting, Killing or having in their Custody any Skins or Deers Flesh for their own Use, any Thing in this Act to the contrary notwithstanding.

And whereas divers Abuses have been committed, and great Damages and Inconveniences arisen by Persons carrying of Guns and presuming to Hunt on other People[']s Land; for Remedy whereof for the Future, Be it Enacted by the Authority aforesaid, That if any Person or Persons shall presume, at any Time after the Publication hereof, to carry any Gun, or Hunt on the Improved or Inclosed Lands in any Plantation, and on other than his own, unless he have Lisence or Permission from the owner of such Lands or Plantation, and shall be thereof Convicted, either upon the View of any Justice of the Peace within this Province, or by the Oath or Affirmation of any one or more Witnesses, before any Justice of the Peace, he shall, for every such Offence, forfeit the Sum of Fifteen Shillings, with Costs attending such Conviction. And if any Person whatsoever, who is not Owner of one Hundred Acres of Land, or otherwise Qualified, in the same Manner as Persons are or ought to be, for Electing of Representatives to serve in General Assembly, shall at any Time, after the Publication hereof, carry any Gun, or Hunt in the Woods or Uninclosed Lands, without Lisence or Permission obtained from the Owner or Owners of such Lands, and shall be thereof Convicted, in manner aforesaid, such Offender shall forfeit and pay the Sum of Ten Shillings, with Costs as aforesaid, for every such Offence."

1722, NJ, An Act to prevent the Killing of Deer out of Season, and against Carrying of Guns and Hunting by Persons not qualified

Bernard Bush, Laws of the Royal Colony of New Jersey, vol. 1 (Trenton N.J: New Jersey State Library Archives and History Bureau, 1977), 293-295.