SB294: Bill Text

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

This bill restores requirements related to deer carcass tags that were eliminated under 2017 Wisconsin Act 59.

The bill establishes a requirement that the Department of Natural Resources issue a deer carcass tag to a person to whom it issues an archer hunting license, crossbow hunting license, deer hunting license, or conservation patron license, and a requirement that a person who kills a deer immediately validate the deer carcass tag that is authorized for the type of deer killed.

For further information see the state fiscal estimate, which will be printed as an appendix to this bill.

The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SB294,1 Section 1. 29.171 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

SB294,2,2 29.171 (3) (a) Except as provided under par. (b), the department shall issue to each person who is issued a resident archer hunting license a deer carcass tag.

SB294,2,4 (b) The department may not issue a deer carcass tag to a person who is issued a resident archer hunting license at the reduced fee under s. 29.563 (2g).

SB294,2 Section 2. 29.172 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

SB294,2,7 29.172 (3) (a) Except as provided under par. (b), the department shall issue to each person who is issued a resident crossbow hunting license a deer carcass tag.

SB294,2,9 (b) The department may not issue a deer carcass tag to a person who is issued a resident crossbow hunting license at the reduced fee under s. 29.563 (2g).

SB294,3 Section 3. 29.173 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

SB294,2,12 29.173 (3) Deer carcass tag. The department shall issue to each person who is issued a resident deer hunting license a deer carcass tag.

SB294,4 Section 4. 29.211 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

SB294,2,16 29.211 (3) Deer carcass tag. The department shall issue to each person who is issued a nonresident deer hunting license the appropriate number of deer carcass tags.

SB294,5 Section 5. 29.216 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

SB294,2,20 29.216 (3) Deer carcass tag. (a) Except as provided in par. (b), the department shall issue to each person who is issued a nonresident archer hunting license the appropriate number of deer carcass tags.

SB294,2,23 (b) The department may not issue a deer carcass tag to a person who is issued a nonresident archer hunting license if the department issues the nonresident archer hunting license at the reduced fee under s. 29.563 (2g).

SB294,6 Section 6. 29.217 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

SB294,3,2 29.217 (3) Deer carcass tag. (a) The department shall issue to each person who is issued a nonresident crossbow hunting license a deer carcass tag.

SB294,3,4 (b) The department may not issue a deer carcass tag to a person who is issued a nonresident crossbow hunting license at the reduced fee under s. 29.563 (2g).

SB294,7 Section 7. 29.231 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

SB294,3,7 29.231 (4) The department shall issue to each person who is issued a sports license the appropriate number of deer carcass tags.

SB294,8 Section 8. 29.235 (4) of the statutes is created to read:

SB294,3,10 29.235 (4) Deer carcass tag. The department shall issue to each person who is issued a conservation patron license the appropriate number of deer carcass tags.

SB294,9 Section 9. 29.324 (1) (c) of the statutes is renumbered 29.324 (1) (e) and amended to read:

SB294,3,15 29.324 (1) (e) “Youth deer approval tag" means an approval a deer carcass tag that authorizes the taking of one antlerless deer and that is issued by the department with a youth deer license.

SB294,10 Section 10. 29.324 (2) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,3,18 29.324 (2) (b) The person for whom the deer is killed possesses a current unused approval deer carcass tag that authorizes the harvest of the deer killed.

SB294,11 Section 11. 29.324 (3) of the statutes is created to read:

SB294,3,22 29.324 (3) A person who kills a deer under sub. (2) shall ensure that a member of his or her group deer hunting party without delay validates a deer carcass tag in the manner specified under s. 29.347 (2).

SB294,12 Section 12. 29.324 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,4,2 29.324 (4) If the department issues youth deer approvals tags, no member of a group deer hunting party may use a youth deer approval tag issued to another member of the group deer hunting party to kill an antlerless deer for that other member.

SB294,13 Section 13 . 29.324 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,4,7 29.324 (5) No member of a group hunting party who is serving as a mentor under s. 29.592 for another member of the group hunting party may kill a deer for the person being mentored or use a deer approval carcass tag issued to the person being mentored.

SB294,14 Section 14. 29.347 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,4,21 29.347 (2) Elk Deer and elk carcass tags; deer and elk registration. Except as provided under ss. 29.324 (3) and 29.349 (2), any person who kills a deer shall immediately validate a deer carcass tag that is authorized for the type of deer killed. Any person who kills an elk shall immediately validate an elk carcass tag. Except as provided under sub. (2m) or s. 29.89 (6), no person may possess, control, store, transport, transfer, or dispose of a deer carcass unless a deer carcass tag has been validated in the manner required by the department. Except as provided under sub. (2m), no person may possess, control, store, transport, transfer, or dispose of an elk carcass unless an elk carcass tag has been validated in the manner required by the department. A person who kills a deer or an elk shall register the deer or elk in the manner required by the department. No person may possess, control, store, transport, transfer, or dispose of a deer or elk carcass unless in compliance with rules promulgated by the department under s. 29.063 (3).

SB294,15 Section 15. 29.347 (2m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,5,2 29.347 (2m) (b) Subject to sub. (6), any person who retains a tag under par. (a) or who complies with s. 29.349 (2) (bm), if applicable, may give deer or elk meat to another person. The person who receives a gift of deer or elk meat is not required to possess a tag.

SB294,16 Section 16. 29.563 (12) (a) 2. of the statutes is amended to read:

SB294,5,6 29.563 (12) (a) 2. Archer, crossbow, sports, or conservation patron, except as provided in subd. 2m: $14.25 if deer carcass tags are included; $11.25 after open season and deer carcass tags are not included.

SB294,17 Section 17. 29.89 (6) of the statutes is created to read:

SB294,5,10 29.89 (6) Tagging exemption. The requirement under s. 29.347 (2m) (a) that the tags remain with the deer carcass or venison does not apply to a deer carcass or venison that is subject to this section.

SB294,5,11 (End)