LRB-2236/1
EHS:sac:ph
2013 - 2014 LEGISLATURE
April 30, 2013 - Introduced by Senators Leibham,
L. Taylor, Tiffany and Vinehout,
cosponsored by Representatives
Jacque, Brooks, Czaja, Kleefisch, Murphy
and Ripp. Referred to Natural Resources.
SB164,1,2
1An Act to amend 29.001 (30) and 29.001 (36); and
to create 29.192 (6) of the
2statutes;
relating to: requiring an open season for woodchucks.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) currently, by rule, prohibits
hunting and trapping woodchucks without DNR's authorization by designating the
woodchuck as a "protected wild animal."
Under this bill, a woodchuck is defined as a "game animal" and as a
"fur-bearing animal." As a result, a person may hunt woodchucks under the
authority of a small game hunting license and trap woodchucks under a trapping
license. Also under this bill, DNR is required to establish an open season for
woodchucks that begins on March 1 of each year and ends on the following December
31. DNR may not impose a bag or possession limit for this season.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
SB164,1
3Section
1. 29.001 (30) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB164,1,64
29.001
(30) "Fur-bearing
animals
animal" includes otter, beaver, mink,
5muskrat,
woodchuck, marten, fisher, skunk, raccoon, fox, weasel, opossum, badger,
6wolf, coyote, bobcat, cougar
, and lynx.
SB164,2
1Section
2. 29.001 (36) of the statutes is amended to read:
SB164,2,32
29.001
(36) "Game
animals animal" includes deer, moose, elk, bear,
rabbits
,
3squirrels
, rabbit, squirrel, woodchuck, fox
, and raccoon.
SB164,3
4Section
3. 29.192 (6) of the statutes is created to read:
SB164,2,85
29.192
(6) The department shall establish an open season for hunting and
6trapping woodchucks that begins on March 1 of each year and ends on the following
7December 31. The department may not impose a bag or possession limit for this
8season.
