---
kind: "section"
citation: "16 U.S.C. § 5207"
title: "16"
title_heading: "Conservation"
number: "5207"
heading: "Definitions"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/16/5207"
units:
  - "Chapter 72 — Recreational Hunting Safety"
---

# §5207. Definitions


As used in this chapter:

- (1) **Federal lands—** The term “Federal lands” means—
  - (A) [national forests](#3);
  - (B) [public lands](#5);
  - (C) [national parks](#4); and
  - (D) [wildlife refuges](#7).
- (2) **Lawful hunt—** The term “lawful hunt” means the [taking](/usc/16/3102.md?p=18) or harvesting (or attempted [taking](/usc/16/3102.md?p=18) or harvesting) of wildlife or fish, on [Federal lands](#1), which—
  - (A) is lawful under the laws applicable in the place it occurs; and
  - (B) does not infringe upon a right of an [owner](/usc/16/429b–3.md?p=4) of private property.
- (3) **National forest—** The term “national forest” means lands included in the National Forest System (as defined in [section 1609(a) of this title](/usc/16/1609.md?p=a)).
- (4) **National park—** The term “national park” means lands and waters included in the National Park System (as defined in [section 100501 of title 54](/usc/54/100501.md)).
- (5) **Public lands—** The term “public lands” has the same meaning as is provided in [section 1702(e) of title 43](/usc/43/1702.md?p=e).
- (6) **Secretary—** The term “Secretary” means—
  - (A) the [Secretary](#6) of Agriculture with respect to [national forests](#3); and
  - (B) the [Secretary](#6) of the Interior with respect to—
    - (i) [public lands](#5);
    - (ii) [national parks](#4); and
    - (iii) [wildlife refuges](#7).
- (7) **Wildlife refuge—** The term “wildlife refuge” means lands and waters included in the National Wildlife Refuge System (as established by [section 668dd of this title](/usc/16/668dd.md)).
- (8) **Conduct—** The term “conduct” does not include speech protected by the first article of amendment to the Constitution.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXII, § 320808, Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2122.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### Codification

In par. (4), “section 100501 of title 54” substituted for “section 2(a) of the Act entitled ‘An Act to facilitate the management of the National Park System and miscellaneous areas administered in connection with that system, and for other purposes’, approved August 8, 1953 (16 U.S.C. 1c(a))” on authority of Pub. L. 113–287, § 6(e), Dec. 19, 2014, 128 Stat. 3272, which Act enacted Title 54, National Park Service and Related Programs.