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<law><site_title>Virginia Decoded</site_title><site_url>https://vacode.org</site_url><law_id>357058</law_id><section_number>29.1-556</section_number><catch_line>Unlawful devices to be destroyed</catch_line><edition url="https://vacode.org/2026/" slug="2026" current="TRUE" last_updated="2026-08-02">2026</edition><structure><unit label="title" level="1" order_by="72" identifier="29.1">Wildlife, Inland Fisheries and Boating</unit><unit label="chapter" level="2" order_by="8" identifier="5">Wildlife and Fish Laws</unit><unit label="article" level="3" order_by="6" identifier="5">Penalties in General</unit></structure><text>
						<section><p>Any <span class="dictionary">firearm</span>, trap, net, or other device of any kind or nature for taking wild birds, wild animals, or fish, except as specifically permitted by <span class="dictionary">law</span>, shall be considered unlawful. Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a Class 3 <span class="dictionary">misdemeanor</span>, and the device shall be forfeited to the Commonwealth. Nets, traps or other such devices, excluding <span class="dictionary">firearms</span>, shall be destroyed by the conservation police officer if the owner or user of the device cannot be located within thirty days. Unlawful fixed devices may be destroyed by the conservation police officer at the place where the devices are found.</p></section></text><history>Code 1950, &#xA7; 29-172; 1962, c. 469; 1979, c. 264; 1987, c. 488; 2007, c. 87.</history><metadata></metadata></law>
