Reptile & Amphibian Forums

the following was copied from the AZ game laws. Sounds to me it is now illegal to have ANYTHING to do with wildlife in AZ, including selling, possessing, trading, exhibiting. This also includes bait shops and pet shops.

Who wrote this? How can this happen?

Arizona ANS Laws
Arizona Game and Fish Laws and Rules (R12-4-402)
A person shall not import or transport and live wildlife into the state, or possess, offer for sale, sell, sell as live bait, trade, give away, purchase, rent or lease, display for any purpose, propagate, stock, or release within the state any wildlife, or export any wildlife, or kill any captive wildlife, operate a shooting preserve, except as authorized by this chapter or as defined in A.R.S. Title 3, Chapter 16.

A.R.S. Title 3, Chapter 16. has to do with aquaculture. The URL for this section is http://www.azleg.state.az.us/ArizonaRevisedStatutes.asp?Title=3

go near the bottom of the page for chapter 16

JH

I'm not familiar with AZ laws, but this looks like it is just a catch all ban of any actions not specifically permitted elsewhere in the game and fish regulations (a mere 109 pages of gobbledygook).

Read the full regs here:
www.100thmeridian.org/laws/pdfs/Arizona%20Game%20and%20Fish%20Laws%20and%20Rules%20(R12-4-402).pdf

That section is basically an "umbrella section" for anything not otherwise covered in the herp regs...The herp regs are thoroughly covered, and it is fairly easy to read....Basically, it is still legal to collect, photograph, possess herps...any commercialization is (and always has been) illegal without permission from AzG&F....

The regs even outline "bag limits" for those wishing to legally collect...

I have attached the 2007-08 herp regs for everyone's viewing pleasure....enjoy...
Az Herp regulations 2007-08

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Hmmm...it's a pdf file....

try going to azreptiles.com...you don't need to sign on (you can view the regs as a guest)...go to "field herping" forum...should be the first or second post...

-AzAtrox

Go to azreptiles(dot)com. You DO NOT need to sign in to view them...simply go to the "field herping" forum and it should be the first or second thread...click on it and it should come right up....

-AzAtrox

BTW-this is the official site of the Az Herpetological Assocation...bunch of good folks!

Yes, you are reading the regs correctly. One thing to note, however, is that it has not always been illegal to commercialize AZ herps. Prior to the laws prohibiting it created in the 1970's, it was legal. Many states started to create such laws in the 1970's. Many states wised up again in the 80's and 90's to allow regulated commercialization. AZ was almost among those states as well, but the herpers gave up at the last minute. If they would have just persisted for a few more days, their request to allow the sale of captive produced reptiles would have been granted. Instead, we have to live under the draconian laws that are currently on the books until we can again gain enough support to correct this problem.

Which is why HCU may be a good thing!
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Todd Hughes

It's that "except as authorized by..." bit that's important. All this part of the code says is: "if we don't say you can do it, you can't do it."

I don't think this was in your hunting booklet in previous years which leads me to think it is a recent addition.

Yes, it gives exceptions BUT, if forbids the sale,trade OR transport out of state. To me this means you cannot even give away offspring,. It would also seem to me to ban bringing ANY wildlife into the state. This would mean that you folks can't keep anything not caught in AZ. I also notice no exceptions for pet stores. This would mean that they can't sell fish except baitfish (with proper permits) nor rodents, nor birds, nor nor nor.

I'm probably wrong on this but darned if I can find the exceptions to prove me so.

I can see where you're coming from, but the regs do state the manner in which one may collect and transport non-game species...look specifically under ARS 17-371: re transportation: "Species of wildlife (other than game species) may be transported in any manner unless otherwise specified by the commission. A person possessing a valid license may transport lawfully taken wildlife other than big game given to him but in no event shall any person possess more than one bag or possession limit."

And re: collection of reptiles: "A person may take reptiles by any method not prohibited in R12-4-303 or R12-4-318..." (it then goes on to list a couple additional conditions). Additionally, Commission order 43 states that reptiles may be taken day or night.

The regs also state that it is legal to buy and sell non-native species of reptiles and amphibians (so long as they are not "restricted wildlife"...I just can't seem to find the statute/commission order right now....

-AzAtrox