1997 Wisconsin Act 248

29.001 (30) “Fur-bearing animals" includes otter, beaver, mink, muskrat, marten, fisher, skunk, raccoon, fox, weasel, opossum, badger, wolf, coyote, wildcat bobcat, cougar and lynx.

248,59 Section 59 . 29.01 (5) of the statutes is renumbered 29.001 (33) and amended to read:

29.001 (33) “Game" includes all varieties of wild mammals or birds; “game.

(41) “Game fish" includes all varieties of fish except rough fish and minnows; “rough.

(74) “Rough fish" includes dace, suckers, not listed as endangered or threatened under s. 29.604 (3), common carp, goldfish, redhorse, freshwater drum, burbot, bowfin, garfish, buffalo fish, sea lamprey, alewife, gizzard shad, rainbow smelt, goldeye, and mooneye, carpsucker and quill back, in all waters and chub in inland waters only; “minnows" includes suckers, mud minnows, madtom, stonecat, killifish, stickleback, trout-perch, darters, sculpin and all minnow family cyprinids except goldfish and carp.

248,60 Section 60 . 29.01 (6) of the statutes is renumbered 29.001 (36).

248,61 Section 61 . 29.01 (7) of the statutes is renumbered 29.001 (39) and amended to read:

29.001 (39) “Game birds" includes the following aquatic birds: Wild wild geese, brant, wild ducks, wild swan, rails, coots, gallinules, jacksnipe snipe, woodcock, plovers and, sandpipers; the following upland birds:, ruffed grouse (partridge), pinnated grouse (, prairie chicken), sharp-tailed grouse, pheasants, Hungarian partridge, Chukar partridge, bobwhite, quail, California quail crows and wild turkey.

Note: The DNR has established open and closed seasons for crows and classified crows as game birds. The addition of crows to the definition of game bird recognizes this. “Snipe" substitutes the correct name for this bird. “California quail" is repealed because this bird does not occur in Wisconsin.

248,62 Section 62 . 29.01 (8) of the statutes, as affected by 1997 Wisconsin Act 1, is renumbered 29.001 (42) and amended to read:

29.001 (42) “Hunt" or “hunting" includes shooting, shooting at, pursuing, taking, catching capturing or killing or attempting to capture or kill any wild animal or animals.

248,63 Section 63 . 29.01 (9) of the statutes is renumbered 29.001 (45).

248,64 Section 64 . 29.01 (9m) of the statutes is renumbered 29.001 (51).

248,65 Section 65 . 29.01 (10) of the statutes is renumbered 29.001 (60).

248,66 Section 66 . 29.01 (11) of the statutes is renumbered 29.001 (63).

248,67 Section 67 . 29.01 (11c) of the statutes, as created by 1997 Wisconsin Act 27, is renumbered 29.001 (64).

248,68 Section 68 . 29.01 (11d) of the statutes, as created by 1997 Wisconsin Act 27, is renumbered 29.001 (65).

248,69 Section 69 . 29.01 (11m) of the statutes is renumbered 29.001 (66).

248,70 Section 70 . 29.01 (12) of the statutes is renumbered 29.001 (69).

248,71 Section 71 . 29.01 (12m) of the statutes is renumbered 29.001 (72).

248,72 Section 72 . 29.01 (12p) of the statutes, as created by 1997 Wisconsin Act 27, is renumbered 29.001 (75).

248,73 Section 73 . 29.01 (12r) of the statutes, as created by 1997 Wisconsin Act 27, is renumbered 29.001 (76), and 29.001 (76) (b), as renumbered, is amended to read:

29.001 (76) (b) A freeze-out pond for which a permit is issued under s. 29.521 29.733 (2).

248,74 Section 74 . 29.01 (13) of the statutes is renumbered 29.001 (84) and amended to read:

29.001 (84) “Trapping" includes the taking, or the attempting to take, of any wild animal by means of setting or operating any device, mechanism or contraption that is designed, built or made to close upon, hold fast, or otherwise capture a wild animal or animals. When the word “trap" is used as a verb, it shall have has the same meaning as the word “trapping" as defined herein.

248,75 Section 75 . 29.01 (14) of the statutes is renumbered 29.001 (90).

248,76 Section 76 . Subchapter II (title) of chapter 29 [precedes 29.011] of the statutes is created to read:

Chapter 29

Subchapter II
General Fish and Game Regulation

248,77 Section 77 . 29.014 (title) of the statutes is created to read:

29.014 (title) Rule-making for this chapter.

248,78c Section 78c. 29.014 (2) (c) of the statutes is created to read:

29.014 (2) (c) Any reference to this chapter includes any rules promulgated under this chapter and any reference to any provision of this chapter includes any rules promulgated under that provision.

Note: Under s. 227.11 (2), state agencies are authorized to “promulgate rules interpreting the provisions of any statute enforced or administered by it...". The DNR therefore clearly has authority to promulgate rules under all provisions of ch. 29, subject only to the specific limitations on its rule-making authority set forth in ch. 29, and to the general requirement under s. 227.11 that a rule is not valid if it exceeds the bounds of correction interpretation.

However, ch. 29 now contains many examples of permissive rule-making authority. (For example, see s. 29.1085, related to bear harvest permits, which provides in sub. (6): “The department may promulgate rules to administer and interpret this section.".) This bill eliminates some, but not all, of those instances of permissive rule-making authority.

Note: One of the disadvantages, for the purposes of statutory interpretation, of individual examples of permissive rule-making authority, is the potential for an implication that by granting permissive rule-making authority for some provisions of ch. 29, the legislature did not intend to grant rule-making authority for other provisions of the chapter. This is clearly not the case, and such an implication would in fact be contrary to the legislature's broad grant of authority to the DNR under ch. 29 to regulate fish and game.

248,79 Section 79 . 29.014 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

29.014 (4) No person may challenge the validity of a rule promulgated under this chapter in any prosecution of that person for a violation of this chapter or rules promulgated under this chapter unless the person has previously brought a separate action under s. 227.40 seeking a declaratory judgment on the validity of the rule.

Note: This provision restates the substance of current s. 29.174 (7).

248,80 Section 80 . 29.015 (title) of the statutes is repealed.

248,81 Section 81 . 29.015 (1) (intro.) of the statutes is renumbered 29.417 (3) (intro.) and amended to read:

29.417 (3) (intro.)  Whenever the hereinafter named bays Bays and harbors are mentioned in this chapter, listed in this section shall have the following description for the same shall apply:

Note: This bill places descriptions of bays and harbors in new s. 29.417 relating to permits to take rough fish. The descriptions are moved there since these bays and harbors are referred to only in the statute relating to permits to take rough fish.

248,82 Section 82 . 29.015 (1) (a) of the statutes is repealed.

248,83 Section 83 . 29.015 (1) (b) to (i) of the statutes are renumbered 29.417 (3) (a) to (h).

248,84 Section 84 . 29.015 (1) (j) of the statutes is renumbered 29.001 (81) and amended to read:

29.001 (81) That “Sturgeon Bay" means that body of water known as Sturgeon bay lying south and east of a line commencing at the most northerly point of section 23, township 28 north, range 25 east, and running in a northeasterly direction to the water's edge on north line of section 13, same township and range.

248,85 Section 85 . 29.015 (1) (k) to (m) of the statutes are renumbered 29.417 (3) (i) to (k).

248,86 Section 86 . 29.015 (1) (n) to (q) of the statutes are repealed.

248,87 Section 87 . 29.02 (title), (1) and (2) of the statutes are renumbered 29.011 (title), (1) and (2), and 29.011 (1) and (2), as renumbered, are amended to read:

29.011 (1) The legal title to, and the custody and protection of, all wild animals within this state is vested in the state for the purposes of regulating the enjoyment, use, disposition, and conservation thereof of these wild animals.

(2) The legal title to any such a wild animal, or carcass or part there of, taken or reduced to possession in violation of this chapter, remains in the state; and the. The title to any such a wild animal, or carcass or part thereof, lawfully acquired, is subject to the condition that upon the violation of this chapter relating to the possession, use, giving, sale, barter or transportation of such a wild animal, or carcass or part thereof, by the holder of such title owner, the same ownership shall revert, as a result of the violation, to the state. In either case, any such wild animal, or carcass or part thereof, may be seized forthwith, wherever found, by the department or its wardens.

Note: The provision on seizure is redundant with current s. 29.05 (7) to (9), renumbered as s. 29.931.

248,88 Section 88 . 29.02 (3) of the statutes is repealed.

248,89 Section 89 . 29.02 (3m) of the statutes, as affected by 1997 Wisconsin Act 27, is repealed.

Note: The current text of s. 29.02 (3) and (3m) of the statutes is as follows:

“29.02 (3) This section shall not permit seizure of nor prohibit possession or sale of lawfully obtained wild birds and animals which are mounted or in the process of being mounted for a private collection.

(3m) This section does not permit the seizure by the department, or prohibit the possession or sale, of farm-raised deer or farm-raised fish.".

Section 29.02 (1) provides that the state holds title to wild animals. Section 29.02 (2) provides that if any person has acquired title to a wild animal or its carcass, title reverts to the state if the person violates any provision of ch. 29 related to possession, use, giving, sale, barter or transportation of the wild animal or its carcass. The overall purpose of these 2 subsections is not to establish authority or procedures for the seizures of wild animals or carcasses, so s. 29.02 (3) and (3m) do not serve any purpose.

248,90 Section 90 . 29.024 (title) of the statutes is created to read:

29.024 (title) Approvals; forms; issuing agents.

248,91 Section 91 . 29.024 (9) of the statutes is created to read:

29.024 (9) Tags. The department shall provide all tags required under this chapter and shall specify their form and numbering.

248,92 Section 92 . 29.025 of the statutes is renumbered 29.075.

248,93 Section 93 . 29.03 of the statutes is renumbered 29.927, and 29.927 (1) to (6), (10) and (11), as renumbered, are amended to read:

29.927 (1) Any unlicensed, untagged or unmarked net of any kind, or other unlicensed, untagged or unmarked device, trap, or contrivance for fishing ; or any.

(1m) Any licensed, tagged or marked net or other device, trap or contrivance for fishing set, placed, or found in any waters where the same it is prohibited to be used, or in a manner prohibited by law this chapter.

(2) Any unlicensed, untagged or unmarked setline, cable, rope, or line, with more than one fish line attached thereto; or any.

(2c) Any licensed, tagged or marked setline set, placed, or found in any waters where the same it is prohibited to be used, or in a manner prohibited by law; or any this chapter.

(2g) Any fish line left in the water unattended, whether having one or more hooks attached.

(2m) Any long tunnel pound net or similar entrapping net other than the legal fyke net, drop net, submarine trap net and the short tunnel pound net whenever found in outlying waters or on any vessel boat, dock, pier, or wharf or in any building or vehicle on or adjacent to such outlying waters. Any such contraband nets so found as described in this subsection shall be deemed sufficient evidence of the use of such the nets by the owner thereof.

(3) Any screen device set in public waters to prevent the free passage of fish, or set in any stream which has been stocked by the state authorities unless authorized by the department.

(4) Any building, inclosure, permanent or temporary structure, or shelter placed, occupied, or used on the ice of any waters in violation of this chapter.

(5) Any unlicensed trap, snare, spring gun, set gun, net or other device or contrivance which might entrap, ensnare, or kill game; or any.

(5m) Any trap without a metal tag attached as required by law.

(6) Any boat, together with its machinery, sails, tackle and equipment, or any.

(6g) Any lamp, light, gun, pivot gun, swivel gun, or other firearm, ammunition, bow, crossbow or arrow used in violation of this chapter or s. 167.31; or any or any rules promulgated under s. 167.31.

(6r) Any boat, floating raft, box, or blind set in open water and used in hunting game birds.

(10) Any blind used in hunting waterfowl in violation of s. 29.27 29.327.

(11) Any motor vehicle, as defined in s. 939.22 (44) boat, aircraft, remote sensing equipment, navigational device, survey equipment, scuba gear or other equipment or device used in the commission of a crime relating to a submerged cultural resource in violation of s. 44.47.

248,94 Section 94 . 29.035 (title) of the statutes is created to read:

29.035 (title) Report of department.

248,95 Section 95 . 29.047 (1) and (1m) of the statutes are created to read:

29.047 (1) (a) In this subsection:

1. “Transport" includes to cause to be transported, to deliver or offer to deliver for transportation and to receive or offer to receive for transportation.

2. “Game" means any wild animal, wild bird or game fish.

(b) No person in this state may transport into or through this state any game, or its carcass, from any other state in violation of any law of the other state.

(c) No person in this state may transport, possess or control in this state any game, or its carcass, that was taken in another state in violation of any restriction on open and closed seasons established under this chapter or of any bag, possession or size limit established under this chapter unless all of the following apply:

1. The game was lawfully taken in and lawfully transported from the other state.