Excerpts from British Columbia’s Game Protection Act, 1895.

This Act contains 34 sections and replaces Acts passed in 1892, 1893 and 1894, and was later consolidated in 1898. Only seven sections are shown below, entirely or partly. Colonial game ordinances to prevent “wanton destruction of game” were first created in 1859 and consolidated in 1878.  Canada’s Migratory Bird Convention Act was passed in 1917 and Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuary was established in 1923.

STATUTES OF THE PROVINCE OF BRITISH COLUMBIA

PASSED IN THE SESSION HELD IN THE FIFTY-EIGHTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF HER MAJESTY

                                                   QUEEN VICTORIA

BEING THE FIRST SESSION OF THE SEVENTH PARLIAMENT OF BRITISH COLUMBIA, BEGUN AND HOLDEN AT VICTORIA, ON THE 12TH NOVEMBER, 1894, AND ENDING ON THE 21ST FEBRUARY, 1895.
HIS HONOUR THE HONOURABLE E. DEWDNEY,  LIEUTENANT-GOVERNOR, VICTORIA, B.C., 1895.

CHAPTER 23

An Act to amend and consolidate the Acts for the Protection of certain Animals, Birds and Fishes.  [21st February, 1895]

HER MAJESTY, by and with the advice of the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia, enacts as follows :

1. The Act may be cited as the “Game Protection Act, 1895.”

2. In this Act the term “animal “ or “ animals “ shall be construed as meaning quadruped animals of the species, and the term “ bird “ or “ birds “shall mean both old and young of the feathered animals.

5. It shall not be lawful at any time of the year to shoot any wild fowl or discharge a firearm within the part of Victoria Harbour to the north of a line drawn from Shoal Point, in the City of Victoria, to Work Point, in the District of Esquimalt.

23. No one shall catch, kill, or take more than two hundred and fifty ducks during any one season, nor shall anyone use for taking or killing wild ducks of any kind or geese, contrivances described or known as batteries, swivel guns, or sunken punts in non-tidal waters.

27. It shall be lawful for any constable or peace officer to search any person in any highway, street, or public place whom he shall suspect of having in his possession any animals, birds, eggs, or fishes unlawfully obtained… and to search the premises of any person engaged in selling, buying, or trading, or any steamer, sailing vessel, or boat, or any hotel and restaurant; and such constable should or peace officer discover any such animals, birds, eggs, or fishes as aforesaid, he shall thereupon take possession of the same, and otherwise proceed as authorized by law. It shall be lawful for any constable or peace officer at any time during the protected season to enter upon the premises of any shop where game is exposed for sale, or any restaurant, hotel, or eating house, and to search for game therein, …

33. The “Game Protection Act,” , 1892, the “ Game Protection Act (1982) Amendment Act, 1893,” and the “Game Protection Act, 1894,” are hereby repealed.

34. Nothing contained in this Act  shall in any way affect or prejudice any prosecution now pending, or any prosecution that may take place under the Acts herein repealed.