Animals and Fish - Historical Notes

The following is a listing of acts that at one time affected, but no longer appear to have any effect on, hunting, fishing or animal control in Cumberland County.  They are included herein for reference purposes.

1. Acts of 1879, Chapter 133, made it unlawful for any person other than a citizen of Cumberland, Fentress, Morgan, Scott, Campbell, Overton, Putnam, White, Roane, Rhea, Bledsoe, and Van Buren counties to hunt and kill deer, or any species of game for profit but any citizen of the state could kill the same for his own use and consumption.  Any Justice of the Peace could fine $50 for the first offense and $100 for all subsequent violations with the fine divided between the accuser and the common school fund. 
2. Acts of 1889, Chapter 171, made it unlawful to hunt, kill, or trap deer for profit in the State.  Cumberland was among about half of the state's counties exempting themselves from the provisions of this Act.
3. Acts of 1889, Chapter 179, made it a misdemeanor for any person, a non-resident of the State, to hunt, shoot, kill, catch, or carry away game of any kind in several named counties, Cumberland being listed among them.
4. Acts of 1893, Chapter 59, made it unlawful for any person to hunt, kill, or capture any wild deer in Bledsoe, Cumberland, Rhea, Fentress, White, Hamilton, Warren, Johnson, Hancock, Unicoi, DeKalb, and Montgomery Counties from December 1 to September 30, of each year.  The misdemeanor carried fines from $25 to $50.
5. Acts of 1895, Chapter 161, made it unlawful for a period of five years after the passage of this Act to chase deer with dogs or hounds, or to shoot, wound, capture, or kill the same, or in any manner attempt to do so, in Anderson, Claiborne, Campbell, Cocke, Morgan, Scott, Union and Cumberland Counties.
6. Acts of 1901, Chapter 216, declared it to be illegal for anybody to kill any wild deer in Cumberland County for the next four years; or to kill wild turkeys from May 15 through November 1 of each year.  Wild turkey hens could also not be killed between March 1 and May 15 of each year.  Any person with dead deer or turkeys in their possession were deemed prima facie guilty of violating this act and could be fined from $5 to $50, given up to 30 days in jail, or both. 
7. Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 686, declared open seasons for some species, as listed, in Bledsoe, Cumberland, Grundy, Marion, Sequatchie, and Van Buren Counties. Turkeys from November 1, to January 1; turkey gobblers from April 1 to May 1; on quail from November 1 to February 1; on deer from November 1 to December 10; and there would be no closed season on squirrels for the entire year. 
8. Private Acts of 1931, Chapter 211, made it unlawful to kill deer in Cumberland, Fentress, Morgan, Overton, and Pickett Counties, except two-pronged bucks from October 29 to November 21st of each year. Violators could be fined from $10 to $25 for each separate offense.