Did Idaho once have a law that made fishing off a camel’s back illegal?
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IDAHO FALLS – Idaho lawmakers are gearing up for the 2024 Legislative session in January.
EastIdahoNews.com is planning to address several hot-button topics discussed by legislators in District 32 and 33 during a pre-legislative Town Hall meeting in Idaho Falls last Thursday. Those stories will be published over the next several weeks.
Meanwhile, we thought it would be fun to look at an unusual bill that became a law in Idaho more than 100 years ago. The bill made fishing off the back of a camel illegal, according to a June 2023 news article.
More strange laws in Idaho
- In Pocatello, you are required by law to smile. Check out our story from 2019.
- In Idaho Falls, it is illegal to ride a motorcycle if you’re over 88, according to a recent article.
- The same report says you can’t sell chickens after sundown without permission from the sheriff. We’re tracking down more information for a more in-depth story.
- Selling an “Idaho Deluxe” potato with rot, blemishes or sun damage can reportedly get you sent to jail for up to six months
- Public displays of affection are limited to under 18 minutes, the article says.
We did some digging to learn more about how it originated.
Information provided by David Nipper, a volunteer in the Collections & Research Department at the Museum of Idaho, indicates this bill was introduced in the Idaho Legislature in 1917. The bill’s language made it “unlawful to ride up or down a stream on the back of any animal while fishing.” It did not mention camels specifically.
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The passage of HB 210 was reported in the Idaho Falls Times on Feb. 4, 1917. The newspaper included a statement from then Idaho Fish and Game Warden Leroy C. Jones.
“Fishing from the back of a horse should be made a misdemeanor. Traveling up and down streams with a horse destroys trout eggs,” Jones reportedly said.
A 2009 article from the Fish and Game’s website says this law is no longer in effect. It’s not clear when it was abolished, but someone asked the IDFG about it at the time. They responded it “no longer appears in Fish and Game rules.”
“But ‘chasing fish up or downstream in any manner’ is still illegal,” Fish and Game said.
The current Fish and Game guidelines are outlined in Title 36 of Idaho code.
Though fishing on the back of a camel is no longer on Idaho’s books, a 2016 blog post from Boise attorney Scott Learned reports the state does have rules governing the importation of livestock, and camels are mentioned.
“Camels are part of a group of animals called camelids, which includes llamas, alpacas, vicunas and camels. Camelids are part of a broader group called ‘livestock,'” the report says.
Multiple states still prohibit fishing from horseback, according to a site highlighting horse laws in America. Those states are Utah, Colorado and Washington, D.C. In Tennessee, it is illegal to lasso fish while on horseback.