Section 27: Hunting of game

27. Hunting of game (1) Subject to subsections (2), (3) and (5) and to sections 25 and 26, no person shall hunt— (a) any game— (i) unless he is the holder of a valid game licence issued by the Commissioner of Police under the Firearms Act and has obtained an authorisation from the Director under section 28; (ii) from a vehicle; or (iii) with the aid of artificial light; [Issue 8] N30A – 16 Revised Laws of Mauritius (b) any deer— (i) with a firearm of 0.22 or smaller calibre; (ii) with a shotgun loaded with lead shot; or (iii) with a bow and arrow. (2) The Director may, subject to such terms and conditions as may be prescribed, authorise a person to hunt game for any purpose and by any method which he may approve. (3) (a) Subject to paragraph (b), a person or anyone authorised by him may hunt any game found straying on any cultivated portion of that person’s land or damaging that person’s crop. (b) (i) Where a person, acting under paragraph (a), kills any game, that person shall forthwith send the carcass to the nearest police station. (ii) The police officer in charge of the station shall forward the carcass to a social security officer for disposal. (4) (a) An officer authorised by the Director may require the carcass of any game to be marked for identification purpose. (b) No person shall deface or remove any mark placed on a carcass under paragraph (a). (5) The Director may authorise a person to hunt game for trophy in the closed season where— (a) the animal is over 3 years old and is hunted by stalking without the use of a dog or beater; and (b) the carcass is tagged at the time of hunting with a special tag provided by the Director on payment of such fee as may be prescribed.