29.184 History
History: 1985 a. 270;
1997 a. 1 ss.
57 to
74,
77;
1997 a. 27,
191;
1997 a. 248 ss.
255 to
269; Stats. 1997 s. 29.184;
1997 a. 249 ss.
28 to
32;
1999 a. 9,
32,
186;
2001 a. 55;
2003 a. 59;
2005 a. 25,
387;
2007 a. 65,
66;
2009 a. 39,
119;
2011 a. 28,
251,
252;
2013 a. 20;
2013 a. 166 s.
76;
2015 a. 55,
89,
222;
2017 a. 44,
245;
2021 a. 15.
29.185
29.185
Wolf harvesting licenses. 29.185(1b)(a)
(a) “Federal endangered list" means the U.S. list of endangered and threatened species, as it applies to this state.
29.185(1b)(b)
(b) “State endangered list" means the list of endangered and threatened Wisconsin species that is established under s.
29.604 (3) (a).
29.185(1m)
(1m)
Department authority. If the wolf is not listed on the federal endangered list and is not listed on the state endangered list, the department shall allow the hunting and trapping of wolves and shall regulate such hunting and trapping as provided in this section and shall implement a wolf management plan. In regulating wolf hunting and trapping, the department may limit the number of wolf hunters and trappers and the number of wolves that may be taken by issuing wolf harvesting licenses.
29.185(2)(a)(a)
Prohibition. Except as authorized under a wolf harvesting license, no person may hunt or trap a wolf. Both residents and nonresidents are eligible for wolf harvesting licenses.
29.185(2)(b)
(b)
Archer licenses, crossbow licenses, and trapping licenses. Notwithstanding ss.
29.171 (2),
29.172 (2),
29.216 (2),
29.217 (2), and
29.241 (3), a resident archer hunting license, a nonresident archer hunting license, a resident crossbow hunting license, a nonresident crossbow hunting license, or a trapping license does not authorize the hunting or trapping of wolves.
29.185(3)(a)(a)
Issuance; generally. Except as provided in par.
(bn), if the department establishes an open season as provided under sub.
(5), the department, subject to ss.
29.024 and
54.25 (2) (c) 1. d., shall issue a wolf harvesting license to each person who applies for the license, and who pays the required fees for the license.
29.185(3)(bn)1.1. In issuing wolf harvesting licenses under this subsection, the department shall determine the number of licenses that will be available for a given year. The number of licenses to be issued shall equal an even number.
29.185(3)(bn)2.
2. If the number of qualified applications for wolf harvesting licenses exceeds the number of licenses that are available, the department shall issue 50 percent of the licenses by selecting at random the applicants to be issued the licenses.
29.185(3)(bn)3.
3. The department shall issue the remaining 50 percent of the wolf harvesting licenses based on a cumulative preference system. The system shall establish preference categories for those applicants who applied for but who were not issued a wolf harvesting license in previous seasons, with higher preference given to those applicants with more preference points. If the number of applicants within a preference category exceeds the number of wolf harvesting licenses available in the category, the department shall select at random within the category the applicants to be issued the licenses. For each season, the department shall allow each applicant to apply for a preference point or for a license. The department shall give a preference point to each applicant who applies for a preference point and to each applicant who applies for a license but who is not selected. An applicant who applies for either a preference point or a license at least once during any 3 consecutive years shall not lose his or her acquired preference points under the system.
29.185(3)(bn)4.
4. The department shall establish a method for dividing the applications into those that will be included in the at-random system and those that will be included in the cumulative preference system.
29.185(3)(bn)5.
5. A person applying for a wolf harvesting license shall pay the processing fee at the time of application.
29.185(3)(c)
(c)
Preference system; on receipt of license. An applicant who is selected to receive a wolf harvesting license under the cumulative preference system established under par.
(bn) 3. may elect to receive a preference point instead of a license if he or she is serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces or national guard during all or part of the wolf harvesting season for which the license is issued.
29.185(4)(a)(a) Upon application by a holder of a wolf harvesting license to the department to transfer the license to another person and upon payment of any fee required under par.
(b), the department shall transfer the license if the application is made no later than the 15 days immediately preceding the first day of the wolf harvesting season if the person to whom the license is transferred is at least 18 years of age and is otherwise eligible to use the license. The accompanying carcass tag shall also be transferred.
29.185(4)(b)
(b) If the holder of the wolf harvesting license applies to transfer the license, the transferee shall pay the fee for the license.
29.185(4)(c)
(c) A holder of a license being transferred under this section may not receive any consideration for the transfer of the license.
29.185(5)(a)(a) The department shall establish a single annual open season for both hunting and trapping wolves that begins on the first Saturday in November of each year and ends on the last day of February of the following year.
29.185(5)(b)
(b) The department shall divide the entire state into wolf harvesting zones and shall identify the zones in its wolf management plan. Each zone shall be open to both hunting and trapping, except as provided in par.
(c). A wolf harvesting license authorizes its holder to hunt or trap or both only in the zone specified on the license.
29.185(5)(c)
(c) The department may close a wolf harvesting zone to both hunting and trapping of wolves if the department determines that the closure is necessary to effectively manage the state's wolf population. Closure of a wolf harvesting zone under this paragraph may not take effect until at least 24 hours after the department has done all of the following:
29.185(5)(c)1.
1. Posted notice of the closure on its Internet website.
29.185(5)(c)2.
2. Announced the closure on its telephone registration system.
29.185(5)(d)
(d) If the department closes a wolf harvesting zone to the hunting of coyotes during a season that authorizes hunting of deer with firearms, the department may reopen the zone to the hunting of coyotes if the department determines that the closure is no longer necessary to effectively manage the state's wolf population.
29.185(5)(e)
(e) Notwithstanding ss.
29.014 and
227.10 (1), the opening and closing of wolf harvesting zones as authorized under pars.
(c) and
(d) need not be promulgated as rules under ch.
227.
29.185(6)
(6)
Authorized hunting and trapping activities. 29.185(6)(a)
(a) Authorization; hunting. A wolf harvesting license authorizes the hunting of wolves by using any of the following:
29.185(6)(a)1.
1. A firearm, as authorized under par.
(b), a bow and arrow, or a crossbow.
29.185(6)(a)4.
4. Bait that does not involve animal parts or animal byproducts, other than liquid scents.
29.185(6)(b)
(b)
Firearms and ammunition. A wolf harvesting license authorizes hunting with a rifle, a muzzle-loading firearm, a handgun, a shotgun that fires slugs or shotshells, and any other firearm that is loaded with a single slug or ball. A wolf harvesting license authorizes hunting with shot that is larger than size BB.
29.185(6)(c)1.1. A person may hunt wolves using dogs beginning with the first Monday that follows the last day of the regular season that is open to hunting deer with firearms and ending on the last day of February of the following year.
29.185(6)(c)2.
2. No more than 6 dogs in a single pack may be used to trail or track a wolf, regardless of the number of hunters assisting the holder of the wolf harvesting license.
29.185(6)(e)
(e)
Inapplicability of restrictions. A person who is hunting as authorized under a wolf harvesting license is not subject to any restrictions relating to hunting seasons, zones, or times that the department imposes on the hunting of coyote.
29.185(6)(f)
(f)
Trapping; types of traps. The types of traps that shall be authorized by the department for trapping wolves shall include cable restraints.
29.185(7)(a)(a) The department shall issue one wolf carcass tag to each person who is issued a wolf harvesting license under sub.
(3). Each holder of a wolf harvesting license who kills a wolf shall immediately validate the carcass tag. No person may possess, control, store, or transport a wolf carcass unless the carcass tag has been validated in the manner required by the department. A person who kills a wolf shall register the carcass with the department on a telephone registration system or through an electronic notification system established by the department, except as provided in par.
(am).
29.185(7)(am)
(am) In lieu of registering carcasses by telephone or through an electronic notification system, the department may require that the person who kills a wolf physically present the entire carcass to the department for registration.
29.185(7)(b)
(b) A person who harvests a wolf that has an attached or implanted radio telemetry device shall return the device to the department. The department shall inform the person, upon his or her request, of any information that has been collected through the telemetry device or otherwise by the department that relates to the wolf that was harvested.
29.191(1)(a)1.1. Except as provided in subd.
3., no person may hunt waterfowl unless he or she is issued a conservation patron license or unless he or she is issued a waterfowl hunting stamp which, in the manner required by the rule promulgated under s.
29.024 (5) (a) 3., is attached to or imprinted on the person's hunting license which authorizes the hunting of small game or to the person's sports license.
29.191(1)(a)2.
2. The waterfowl hunting stamp shall be issued by the department subject to s.
29.024.
29.191(1)(a)3.
3. Any person who is under 16 years of age is exempt from the requirements of this paragraph. Any person who is exempt from the requirement to have a hunting license or who is not required to pay a fee for a hunting license is exempt from the requirements of subd.
1. 29.191(1)(b)1.1. `Habitat.' The department shall expend 67 percent of the money received from fees for waterfowl hunting stamps for developing, managing, preserving, restoring and maintaining wetland habitat and for producing waterfowl and ecologically related species of wildlife.
29.191(1)(b)2.
2. `Propagation.' The department shall expend 33 percent of the money received from fees for waterfowl hunting stamps for the development of waterfowl propagation areas within Canada which will provide waterfowl for this state and the Mississippi flyway. Money for the development of waterfowl propagation areas shall be provided only to nonprofit organizations. Before providing any money the department shall obtain evidence that the proposed waterfowl propagation project is acceptable to the appropriate provincial and federal governmental agencies of Canada.
29.191(2)(a)1.1. Except as provided in subds.
2. to
4., no person may hunt pheasant unless he or she has a valid conservation patron license, or has a valid pheasant hunting stamp which, in the manner required by the rule promulgated under s.
29.024 (5) (a) 3., is attached to or imprinted on the person's hunting license which authorizes the hunting of small game or to the person's sports license.
29.191(2)(a)2.
2. Any person who is exempt from the requirement to have a license authorizing the hunting of small game or who is not required to pay a fee for a license authorizing the hunting of small game is exempt from the requirements under subd.
1. 29.191(2)(a)4.
4. Any person hunting pheasant outside of a pheasant management zone, as established by the department, is exempt from the requirements under subd.
1. 29.191(2)(b)
(b)
Issuance. The pheasant hunting stamp shall be issued by the department subject to s.
29.024.
29.191 History
History: 1997 a. 248 ss.
195 to
211,
352 to
355,
357 to
362,
365 to
367,
406 to
408;
2001 a. 56;
2005 a. 25.
29.191 Cross-reference
Cross-reference: See also ch.
NR 8 and ss.
NR 10.12 and
10.125, Wis. adm. code.
29.192
29.192
Regulation of takings of certain wild animals. 29.192(1)(1)
The department may regulate and limit the number of hunters and the maximum harvest of Canada geese in any area, by doing any of the following:
29.192(1)(a)
(a) Requiring hunters to tag each goose killed with a tag issued by the department.
29.192(1)(b)
(b) Requiring registration of each farm on which Canada goose hunting is allowed.
29.192(1)(c)
(c) Prohibiting the hunting of Canada geese without a valid permit issued by the department.
29.192(1m)
(1m) The department may not do any of the following:
29.192(1m)(a)
(a) Require a person to indicate on his or her hunting permit or otherwise record each Canada goose killed by the person.
29.192(1m)(b)
(b) Require a person to report to the department more than once annually each Canada goose killed by the person.
29.192(2)
(2) The department may establish by rule sharp-tailed grouse hunting zones where sharp-tailed grouse hunting is permitted. The department may establish by rule closed zones where sharp-tailed grouse hunting is prohibited. The department may regulate and limit the number of hunters and the maximum harvest of sharp-tailed grouse in any sharp-tailed grouse hunting zone or any other area, by doing any of the following:
29.192(2)(a)
(a) Requiring hunters to validate a carcass tag in the manner required by the department for each sharp-tailed grouse killed.
29.192(2)(b)
(b) Prohibiting the hunting of sharp-tailed grouse without a valid permit issued by the department.
29.192(3)
(3) The department may limit the number of trappers and the maximum harvest of wild fisher or otters in any area. The department may limit the number of hunters or trappers, or both, and may limit the maximum harvest of bobcats or beaver in any area. The department may limit the number of persons fishing for sturgeon by hook and line or by spear, or both, and may limit the maximum harvest of sturgeon in any area. The department may impose any limitation under this subsection by establishing a permit system.
29.192(4)(a)(a) If the department decides to limit the number of persons taking Canada geese or sharp-tailed grouse by issuing permits and if the number of persons seeking the permits exceeds the number of available permits, the department shall issue the permits according to a cumulative preference system established by the department. The department shall give a preference point to each applicant for each previous season for which the applicant applied but was not issued a permit. The system shall establish preference categories for these applicants, with higher priority given to those categories with more points than those with fewer points. Applicants who fail to apply at least once during any 3 consecutive years shall lose all previously accumulated preference points. If the number of applicants within a preference category or subcategory exceeds the number of permits available in the category or subcategory, the department shall select at random within the category or subcategory the applicants to be issued the permits.
29.192(4)(b)1.1. If the department decides to issue permits to limit the number of persons taking fishers, otters, bobcats, or sturgeon and if the number of persons seeking the permits exceeds the number of available permits, the department shall issue the permits according to a cumulative preference system established by the department. The system shall establish preference categories for those applicants who applied for but were not issued the applicable permits, with higher priority given to those categories with more points than those with fewer preference points. For each season, the department shall allow each applicant under the system to apply for a preference point or for a permit. The department shall give a preference point to each applicant who applies for a preference point and to each applicant who applies for a permit but who is not issued a permit. Applicants who fail to apply for either a preference point or a permit at least once during any 3 consecutive years shall lose all previously accumulated preference points. If the number of applicants within a preference category or subcategory exceeds the number of permits available in the category or subcategory, the department shall select at random within the category or subcategory the applicants to be issued the permits.
29.192(4)(b)2.
2. A person who applies for a preference point or a permit under subd.
1. shall pay the processing fee under s.
29.553 at the time of application.
29.192(4)(b)3.
3. The department shall issue a permit to those qualified applicants selected to receive a permit under subd.
1.
