17-316. Interference with rights of hunters; classification; civil action; exceptions
A. It is a class 2 misdemeanor for a person while in a hunting area to intentionally interfere with, prevent or disrupt the lawful taking of wildlife by:
1. Harassing, driving or disturbing any wildlife.
2. Blocking, obstructing or impeding, or attempting to block, obstruct or impede, a person lawfully taking wildlife.
3. Erecting a barrier without the consent of the landowner or lessee with the intent to deny ingress to or egress from areas where wildlife may be lawfully taken.
4. Making or attempting to make physical contact, without permission, with a person lawfully taking wildlife.
5. Engaging in, or attempting to engage in, theft, vandalism or destruction of real or personal property.
6. Disturbing or altering, or attempting to disturb or alter, the condition or authorized placement of real or personal property intended for use in the lawful taking of wildlife.
7. Making or attempting to make loud noises or gestures, set out or attempt to set out animal baits, scents or lures or human scent, use any other natural or artificial visual, aural, olfactory or physical stimuli, or engage in or attempt to engage in any other similar action or activity, in order to disturb, alarm, drive, attract or affect the behavior of wildlife or disturb, alarm, disrupt or annoy a person lawfully taking wildlife.
8. Interjecting oneself into the line of fire of a person lawfully taking wildlife.
B. It is a class 3 misdemeanor for a person to enter or remain on a designated hunting area on any public or private lands or waters or state lands including state trust lands with the intent to interfere with, prevent or disrupt the lawful taking of wildlife.
C. The commission or any person properly licensed to take wildlife who is directly affected by a violation of this section may bring an action to restrain conduct declared unlawful in this section and to recover damages.
D. A peace officer who reasonably believes that a person has violated this section may order the person to desist or to leave the area or arrest such person upon refusal to desist or leave.
E. The conduct declared unlawful in this section does not:
1. Include any incidental interference arising from lawful activity by public land users, including ranchers, miners or recreationists.
2. Apply to landowners, permittees, lessees or their agents or contractors engaged in animal husbandry practices or agricultural operations.
Structure Arizona Revised Statutes
§ 17-102 - Wildlife as state property; exceptions
§ 17-103 - Duties of county attorneys
§ 17-104 - Duties of peace officers as special game rangers
§ 17-105 - Immunity of witnesses
§ 17-202 - Arizona game and fish commission appointment recommendation board
§ 17-211 - Director; selection; removal; powers and duties; employees
§ 17-212 - Director's seal; authentication of records
§ 17-213 - Prohibition on political activity
§ 17-214 - Arizona game and fish department reserve; members; powers and duties; compensation
§ 17-215 - Fingerprint clearance card; employees; volunteers
§ 17-231 - General powers and duties of the commission
§ 17-232 - Agreements with other states for reciprocal use of licenses
§ 17-233 - Acquisition and disposition of buffalo and buffalo meat
§ 17-234 - Open or closed seasons; bag limits; possession limits
§ 17-236 - Taking birds; possession of raptors
§ 17-237 - Pollution of waters
§ 17-243 - Sale of surplus products of federal aid projects; disposition of proceeds
§ 17-244 - Bulletin; refuge signboards; posted lands
§ 17-246 - Ground leases; installment purchase of facilities
§ 17-247 - Terms of agreements
§ 17-248 - Certification of installment purchase agreements by the attorney general
§ 17-250 - Wildlife diseases; order of director; violation; classification; rule making exemption
§ 17-251 - Possession or use of a firearm silencer or muffler while hunting; definition
§ 17-253 - Mexican gray wolf; memorandum of understanding; reporting
§ 17-255 - Definition of aquatic invasive species
§ 17-255.01 - Aquatic invasive species program; powers
§ 17-255.03 - Violations; civil penalties; classification; cost recovery
§ 17-255.04 - Applicability; no private right of action
§ 17-261.01 - Game and fish revolving fund
§ 17-262 - Investment of surplus funds; earned interest
§ 17-264 - Budget appropriation
§ 17-265 - Game and fish in-lieu fee program restoration endowment trust fund; exemption; definition
§ 17-266 - Construction by employees or force account
§ 17-267 - Land and water conservation and recreation development fund
§ 17-268 - Game, non-game, fish and endangered species fund
§ 17-269 - Game and fish publications revolving fund
§ 17-271 - Wildlife endowment fund
§ 17-272 - Voluntary contributions in lieu of property taxes
§ 17-273 - Firearms safety and ranges fund; uses; criteria
§ 17-274 - Arizona game and fish department fleet vehicle replacement fund
§ 17-275 - Arizona game and fish department fleet operations fund
§ 17-282 - Conservation development fund; purposes
§ 17-283 - Issuance of bonds; negotiability; resolution; notice; tax exemption
§ 17-284 - Pledges; lien; personal liability; incontestability
§ 17-285 - Bonds as legal investments; state nonliability
§ 17-286 - Certification of bonds by attorney general
§ 17-287 - Impairment of bondholder rights; prohibition; inclusion in resolutions and indentures
§ 17-288 - Distributions from the conservation development fund
§ 17-289 - Bond proceeds fund; investment
§ 17-290 - Designation of fiscal agent and trustees; monies of the authority; fees
§ 17-292 - Capital improvement fund
§ 17-293 - Unlawful interest in real property by commission member; violation; classification
§ 17-294 - Annual audit of funds
§ 17-295 - Limitation on bonding
§ 17-297 - Arizona game and fish commission heritage fund
§ 17-298 - Expenditures from fund; purpose and amounts; annual report
§ 17-298.01 - Decennial performance audit
§ 17-299 - Arizona wildlife conservation fund
§ 17-301 - Times when wildlife may be taken; exceptions; methods of taking
§ 17-301.01 - Protection from wildlife
§ 17-302 - Taking of bear or mountain lion for protection of property; report
§ 17-302.01 - Taking of wolves for protection of life or property
§ 17-303 - Taking or driving wildlife from closed areas or while trespassing
§ 17-305 - Possession of other weapons while hunting; violation; classification
§ 17-307 - Possession, storage, sale and gift of the carcass or parts thereof of wildlife
§ 17-309 - Violations; classification
§ 17-310 - Agreement to appear in court
§ 17-313 - Disposition of fines, forfeitures and penalties; reports
§ 17-314 - Illegally taking, wounding, killing or possessing wildlife; civil penalty; enforcement
§ 17-315 - Wildlife theft prevention fund; authorized expenditures
§ 17-316 - Interference with rights of hunters; classification; civil action; exceptions
§ 17-317 - Possession and containment of white amur; determination of closed aquatic system
§ 17-318 - Disease assessment and treatment before importing wildlife and transporting big game
§ 17-320 - Jaguar; protection; violations; classification; civil liability; exceptions
§ 17-331 - License or proof of purchase required; violation of child support order
§ 17-333.02 - Trapping license; education; exemption
§ 17-335 - Blind resident; fishing license exemption
§ 17-335.01 - Lifetime license and benefactor license
§ 17-337 - Hunting and fishing licenses; armed forces members and spouses
§ 17-337.01 - Licenses for enrollees in the job corps
§ 17-338 - Remission of fees from sale of licenses and permits; violation; classification
§ 17-339 - Reports and returns by license dealers; noncompliance; classification
§ 17-341 - Violation; classification
§ 17-342 - Colorado river special use permit
§ 17-343 - Reciprocal sale of licenses and special use permits
§ 17-344 - Period of validity of special permits
§ 17-345 - Surcharges; purposes
§ 17-346 - Special big game license tags
§ 17-361 - Trappers; licensing; restrictions; duties; reports
§ 17-362 - Guide license; violations; annual report
§ 17-364 - Fur dealer's license; records; reports
§ 17-371 - Transportation, possession and sale of wildlife and wildlife parts
§ 17-372 - Shipment by common carrier
§ 17-402 - Acceptance of federal aid acts
§ 17-403 - Restoration projects
§ 17-404 - Acquisition of lands
§ 17-405 - Acceptance of grants
§ 17-406 - Revolving fund; appropriation; purpose and reimbursement
§ 17-407 - Acquisition of lands by United States for migratory bird conservation
§ 17-421 - Right to conduct fish hatching and culture; limitations
§ 17-452 - Restrictions on motor vehicle use; recommendations; agreements; rules
§ 17-453 - Notices of restrictions; posting; publication
§ 17-454 - Prohibition against vehicle travel
§ 17-456 - Expenditure of funds; source; functions
§ 17-457 - Enforcement of article
§ 17-458 - Violations; classification
§ 17-471 - Wildlife habitat restoration and enhancement fund; commission duties
§ 17-481 - Application of aquatic poisons; analysis; notice; exceptions
§ 17-491 - Livestock loss board; members; terms; compensation; annual report
§ 17-492 - Powers and duties; definition
§ 17-493 - Livestock compensation fund; exemption; definition
§ 17-495.01 - Property owner confidentiality; disclosure; consent; civil penalty
§ 17-502 - Adoption and text of compact
§ 17-503 - Administration; expenses
§ 17-601 - Definition of outdoor shooting range
§ 17-602 - State outdoor shooting range noise standards; preemption; measurement; definitions
§ 17-603 - Preexisting outdoor shooting ranges; noise buffering or attenuation
§ 17-604 - Nighttime outdoor shooting range operations
§ 17-605 - Noise pollution; nuisance; defense; costs
§ 17-621 - Recording proximity to shooting range; definition