[HISTORY: Adopted by the Board of Supervisors of the Township of
Whitpain 10-7-1957 by Ord. No. 17. Amendments
noted where applicable.]
GENERAL REFERENCES
Disturbing the peace — See Ch. 83.
[Amended 10-19-1963 by Ord. No. 17-1]
It shall be unlawful for any person to hunt for, catch, take, wound
or kill game of any kind through the use of a gun, shotgun, pistol, rifle,
revolver or bow and arrow within the Township of Whitpain.
As used in this chapter, the following terms shall have the meanings
indicated:
All wild birds and wild animals, whether protected or unprotected
under the game laws of the commonwealth, found in a wild state.
[Amended 10-19-1963 by Ord. No. 17-1]
This chapter shall not prohibit the owner, occupier or members of their
respective families or clubs or their invitees having written approval of
the owner or occupier of any tract of land in Whitpain Township from hunting
thereon with a shotgun or with a bow and arrow as permitted by the Pennsylvania
state game laws.
[Added 5-19-1986 by Ord. No. 165]
A.
No person shall discharge or cause to be discharged or
permit to be discharged any firearm, air gun, weapon or other device or mechanism
which propels a projectile with force in or over any public highway or place
in Whitpain Township, or in or over any private place in Whitpain Township
over which such person has dominion or control unless a suitable barrier should
exist or has been erected on such private place of sufficient size and density
to prevent such projectile from passing through the same and unless such firearm,
air gun, device or mechanism is discharged towards, into or against said barrier
in such a manner as to prevent said projectile from passing over, under or
to either side of the same and to prevent danger to life, limb or property
in the space between the point of discharge and the said barrier.
B.
Nothing contained in this section shall be construed
to prevent the legitimate use of firearms by police officers or licensed gunners
during prescribed seasons, nor the bona fide destruction, through the use
of firearms, of wildlife and vermin inimical to agriculture or animal husbandry
by farmers or their duly constituted agents where such wildlife and vermin
are causing substantial and established damage and loss to farm crops or domestic
animals, nor trap- or skeet shooting where shotguns are used and where, from
the point of discharge, there is a clear semicircular range in the direction
of fire of not less than 800 feet, and such identified uses are hereby excepted
from the limitations and regulations of this chapter.
[Amended 12-3-1973 by Ord. No. 92; 5-19-1986
by Ord. No. 165; 1-2-1989 by Ord.
No. 184]
Any person violating any of the provisions of this chapter shall be
guilty of a summary offense and, when convicted before a District Justice,
shall be sentenced to pay a fine of not more than $600 and costs of prosecution
or, in default of payment thereof, shall undergo imprisonment in the county
jail for a period not exceeding 30 days.
