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 Macon 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 1897, Chapter 283, made it lawful to catch fish in Lincoln, Macon, Meigs, and Carroll Counties in every way and at all times except by the use of explosives and poisons, or by devices which prevent the easy passage of fish up and down the streams of said counties.
2. Private Acts of 1907, Chapter 438, declared it to be unlawful in Union and Macon Counties for live stock such as cattle, horses, mules, hogs, sheep, and goats to be allowed to run at large by their owners same being termed as a misdemeanor and subjecting the violator hereof to a fine of $2.00 to $5.00. Any person damaged thereby was given a lien on the trespassing stock and the right to take them up, feed and care for them and add the cost of that to the lien. This Act did not relieve railroads from any of their liability in any way.
3. Private Acts of 1911, Chapter 417, made it lawful for resident citizens of Macon, Wilson, and Trousdale counties to fish by trot line, gigging, bait, or net, the mesh of which shall not be less than one inch, and provided that no fees shall be charged by the Department of Game and Fish to any person in these counties for fishing in such a manner. This act repealed all those portions of Public Chapter 489, Acts of 1907, as they may have conflicts with this act.
4. Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 314, amended Chapter 438, Private Acts of 1907, Item Two, above, by giving the Grand Juries in the involved counties inquisitorial powers overall violations of the provisions of that act, a stock law, and made it the duty of the Judges of the Circuit Courts to charge it specifically to them.
5. Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 401, declared it to be lawful for the resident citizens of Pickett, Fentress, Overton, Clay, Jackson, and Macon Counties to hunt and kill squirrels at any time of the year on all unenclosed land in the said counties and on tillable or enclosed land with the written, or verbal, permission of the owners, without anyone having to procure a license from the State to do so.
6. Private Acts of 1923, Chapter 708, declared it unlawful to catch fish, except with hook and line, in any of the creek waters of Macon County, identified with the 1920 Federal Census figures. The guilty would be punished with fines ranging from $5.00 to $25.00 and Grand Jury's would have inquisitorial powers over this act in that county. This act was repealed by the one below.
7. Private Acts of 1925, Chapter 144, expressly repealed in its entirety Chapter 708, Private Acts of 1923, above, which attempted to regulate fishing in the waters of Macon County.
8. Private Acts of 1931, Chapter 396, made it legal after the passage of this act to catch and kill fish in any of the streams of Macon County in any way except by dynamite, explosives, and poisons. All conflicts were repealed.
9. Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 543, declared it to be unlawful to hunt rabbits at any time in Macon County without having a license, including open season which may be declared by the State. The act further declared it to be unlawful to fish from July 15 to August 20, of each year, with a seine, if the meshes of the seine were an inch, or larger.
10. Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 711, authorized M.M. Kirby, who has over ten years experience in the practice of veterinary medicine in Trousdale County, is over 21 years of age, and is of good moral character, to continue the practice in Trousdale and Macon Counties in the same manner and to the same extent as others upon his complying with the conditions of this act. He shall file proof of all the above with the State Board of Medical Examiners who shall thereupon issue him a license and he shall then pay the customary fees for the same.
11. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 249, also conferred the same right to practice veterinary medicine and surgery in Macon County upon I. L. Roark, who possessed equal qualifications and had similar experiences to Kirby in the act above. The Board would grant him a license and he would pay all the charges therefor as were required in the 1935 act concerning Kirby.
12. Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 292, stated that Oscar Carr, a veterinary surgeon, had accumulated over ten years experience in the practice of the art, was over 21 years of age, had a good moral character and was well qualified, therefore, this act allowed Carr to continue the practice of veterinary medicine and surgery in the same manner in Macon County. Upon receiving proof of the above, the Board of Veterinarian Examiners would issue him a license for which he would pay all lawful charges.
13. Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 294, stated that R.W. Stubblefield has practiced the art of veterinary medicine for a number of years and has over five years experience in surgery in the same field, that he is a person of good moral character, and of lawful age, therefore, he is authorized by this act to practice veterinary medicine and surgery in Macon County in the same manner as others. When he files proof of the above with the State Board of Veterinarian Examiners, they shall issue him a license and he will be obligated to pay the proper fee.
14. Private Acts of 1945, Chapter 573, recited substantially the same averments of character, qualifications, and experience in veterinary medicine about Haley Bransford, of Macon County, and granted him the same right to continue the practice without having to be tested by the Board of Veterinarian Examiners as were the others.
15. Private Acts of 1955, Chapter 159, made it lawful for anyone to take any fish of the sucker family by means of gigs or fish spears in Macon County between January 1 and April 1, of each year. This act was rejected and disapproved by the Quarterly County Court of Macon County and never became a law.
16. Private Acts of 1955, Chapter 160, declared it to be unlawful for any person to take and kill squirrels by firearms in Macon County between June 1 and December 1 of each year but the right shall be restricted to four squirrels per day only. This act was also rejected and disapproved by the Quarterly County Court and consequently never went into effect under the provisions of the Home Rule Amendment to the State Constitution.
17. Public Acts of 1969, Chapter 96, made it lawful to hunt deer with guns in Macon County only during the seven days beginning on the first day of the state season established by the Game and Fish Commission, or on the first day of the first part of any split season, as established by the commission, and ending on the seventh day thereafter. The act did not apply to the season for hunting deer with bow and arrow in Macon County. This act was specifically repealed by Public Acts of 1975, Chapter 121, published herein.