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 Morgan County. They are included herein for reference purposes. Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Acts of 1839-40, Chapter 73, authorized the Morgan County Court to compensate those who killed wolves in the county the sum of $10.00. Provided, that the person or persons who killed the wolves or wolf, made an affidavit that stated that said animals were killed within Morgan County.
2. Public Acts of 1879, Chapter 133, made it unlawful for any persons to hunt deer or kill any game for profit within the confines of the county who was not a resident of Morgan County.
3. Public Acts of 1881, Chapter 71, provided that it was henceforth a misdemeanor to kill or capture deer or wild turkey from the 1st day of December to the 30th day of September.
4. Public Acts of 1889, Chapter 179, provided that it was a misdemeanor for any nonresident of the state to hunt game in Morgan County. This act was amended by Public Acts of 1893, Chapter 128, to exempt non-residents who hunted on land that they had the owner's permission.
5. Public Acts of 1895, Chapter 161, provided that it would be a misdemeanor to hunt deer in Morgan County for a period of five years commencing from the passage of the act.
6. Private Acts of 1897, Chapter 280, exempted Morgan County from the general act prohibiting certain methods of fishing in Tennessee. Thus it became lawful to fish in Morgan County with nets, traps, baskets and seines provided that the mesh thereof be larger than 1½ inches.
7. Public Acts of 1899, Chapter 333, provided that it was henceforth a misdemeanor to hunt deer in Morgan County for a period of 10 years after passage of the act.
8. Acts of 1903, Chapter 494, prohibited fishing by use of a seine, trap, grabbing with hands, gun, gig, poison or dynamite in Morgan County. The only make of fishing, henceforth lawful was by trot line or pole.
9. Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 299, prescribed a lawful fence and stock law for Morgan County. This act was repealed by Private Acts of 1925, Chapter 16. Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 227, purported to amend Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 299, so as to permit live stock to run at large for twelve months during the year in the third civil district of Morgan County.
10. Private Acts of 1925, Chapter 31, prohibited hogs, bulls, goats and buck sheep from running at large in Morgan County. This act was amended by Private Acts of 1925, Chapter 812, so as to exclude the ninth civil district from the provisions of the act. This act was further amended by Private Acts of 1927, Chapter 494, which excluded the third civil district from the provisions of the act.
11. Private Acts of 1925, Chapter 142, established a fence law and prescribed the benefits to be derived therefrom in Morgan County. This act was amended by Private Acts of 1925, Chapter 770, so as to exclude the ninth civil district of Morgan County from the provisions of the act. This act was further amended by Private Acts of 1931, Chapter 151, so as to provide for the exclusion of certain areas under said act.
12. Private Acts of 1931, Chapter 211, fixed and defined the penalty for killing deer in Morgan, Cumberland, Fentress, Overton and Pickett counties.