Since ancient times, mankind has enacted laws to govern human behavior in relation to hunting and fishing. These days, it seems there are more state and federal game laws than there are fish and game. Most are obvious and make sense, but some are downright funny. For instance, did you know that it’s illegal to hunt camels in Arizona? The law was enacted to protect feral camels left over from an 1850 U.S. Army experiment that used the camels as pack animals. Another funny law started back in World War I, when city officials in Fairbanks, Alaska, tried to make it illegal to give alcoholic beverages to moose in order to try and stop a local tavern keeper from getting his pet moose drunk and going on a rampage — talk about your mean drunk. Unable to pass a law that would keep all moose sober, the officials passed an ordinance forbidding moose on public sidewalks, thus preventing the moose in question from actually entering the bar. Under threat of a sidewalk violation, the moose had to do his drinking at home. And here’s one for the big-game hunters. If you’re ever out in California’s A Zone near Monterey, 7mm Winchester in hand, don't forget that killing or molesting a butterfly is a crime punishable by a $1,000 fine and/or six months in jail. There is, however, no bag limit on moths.
