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 Cocke County.  They are included herein for reference purposes.  Also referenced below are acts which repeal prior law without providing new substantive provisions.

1. Private Acts of 1897, Chapter 288, closed the Nolachucky and French Broad Rivers to fishing in Cocke County, and this act also provided for a closed season on fishing in all other rivers and streams of the county, except by line and hook or trot line from April 1st to June 15th of each year.
2. Public Acts of 1899, Chapter 333, protected deer in Cocke County from hunting for ten years following the passage of this act.  Hunting, chasing, trapping, killing or wounding deer was made a misdemeanor punishable by a fine of not less than $10 nor more than $50.
3. Public Acts of 1899, Chapter 387, was an act to protect fish in Cocke County by making it a misdemeanor to take anything except minnows from any of the waters in the county.
4. Acts of 1903, Chapter 150, was the first stock or "fence" law for Cocke County, applying to swine, sheep and goats.
5. Acts of 1903, Chapter 593, defined a lawful fence in Cocke County as a fence built on substantial posts, set firmly in the ground not more than fourteen feet apart with four barbed wires or four planks running horizontally and fastened firmly to these posts.
6. Private Acts of 1917, Chapter 249, made it lawful to gig or grabble fish in Cocke County, except when fishing for trout, bass or perch.
7. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 14, protected quails and partridges in Cocke County for five years, but this act was repealed before it could have any effect, by Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 237.
8. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 98, was an act to protect the fox population of Cocke County, making it a misdemeanor to kill, capture or wound foxes for five years after the passage of this act, except the catching, chasing and killing by fox dogs.
9. Private Acts of 1919, Chapter 124, authorized the county court clerk to give fifty cents for each hawk scalp was to be paid by the county court clerk out of the fish and game fees received by that office.
10. Private Acts of 1921, Chapter 405, exempted Cocke County from the general dog law of the state.
11. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 72, provided that any person who killed a hawk in Cocke County be issued a certificate for one dollar by the county court clerk, which certificate was received by the county trustee of Cocke County from the holder there of as a payment on any taxes due to Cocke County by the holder.  This was repealed by Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 337.
12. Private Acts of 1933, Chapter 73, declared a completely open season on foxes, with no hunting license required to kill them.  This act was repealed by Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 479.
13. Private Acts of 1935, Chapter 627, made it legal to fish with baskets or traps in the waters of Cocke County, except for small mouth bass or jack.
14. Private Acts of 1937, Chapter 173, allowed all citizens of Cocke County to hunt and kill foxes at any time of the year.
15. Public Acts of 1979, Chapter 214, restricted the hunting of bear in Cocke County on the following dates: November 3-6 and December 1-4.  This act was repealed by Public Acts of 1980, Chapter 583.