2009 WISCONSIN ACT
An Act to renumber and amend 29.184 (8); to amend 29.184 (3) (br) (intro.), 29.184 (4), 29.184 (5) (a), 29.184 (5) (b), 29.971 (11m) (a) and 29.971 (11m) (b); and to create 29.184 (3) (br) 1m., 29.184 (3) (br) 4., 29.184 (3m), 29.184 (4m), 29.184 (5) (c) and 29.184 (8) (b) of the statutes; relating to: privileges under a Class A or Class B bear hunting license and bear carcass tag requirements.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:
AB371,1
Section 1
. 29.184 (3) (br) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.184 (3) (br) Authorization; Class B bear license. (intro.) A Class B bear license authorizes a resident or nonresident holder of the license to do only the following:
AB371,2
Section 2
. 29.184 (3) (br) 1m. of the statutes is created to read:
29.184 (3) (br) 1m. Pursue a bear, provided that the licensee does not shoot, shoot at, capture, take, or kill the bear, unless authorized as provided under subd. 4.
AB371,3
Section 3
. 29.184 (3) (br) 4. of the statutes is created to read:
29.184 (3) (br) 4. Shoot to kill a bear that was shot and wounded but not killed by a Class A bear license holder in the same hunting party if all of the following apply:
a. The Class B bear license holder is at least 16 years old.
b. The Class B bear license holder has been issued a certificate of accomplishment under s. 29.591 or was born before January 1, 1973.
c. The Class A bear license holder possesses a carcass tag that is authorized for use on the bear.
d. The Class A bear license holder authorizes the Class B bear license holder to shoot and kill the bear.
AB371,4
Section 4
. 29.184 (3m) of the statutes is created to read:
29.184 (3m) Open season requirements; specified seasons. If the department establishes an open season in 2011 or 2012 that includes a period during which a Class A bear license holder is allowed to hunt bear with the use of a dog, the department shall allow a Class B bear license holder to engage in the activities specified in sub. (3) (br) 3. during that period.
AB371,5
Section 5
. 29.184 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.184 (4) Use of dogs. While a person is using a dog to hunt bear or to engage in any of the activities specified in sub. (3) (br) 1. to 3. 4., the person shall keep on his or her person any tag required for the dog under s. 95.21 (2) (f), 174.053 (2), or 174.07 (1) (e).
AB371,5m
Section 5m. 29.184 (4m) of the statutes is created to read:
29.184 (4m) Extended season. (a) In this subsection, “regular bear hunting season" means the 35-day combined bear harvest season established by the department by rule.
(b) In addition to the regular bear hunting season, the department shall establish Labor Day and the day following Labor Day as days on which the department shall allow bear hunting. The department shall allow bear hunting on the days specified under this paragraph only by persons hunting bear without the use of a dog.
(c) The department shall allow bear hunting as provided under par. (b) in all bear management zones that are established by the department.
(d) This subsection does not apply after December 31, 2012.
AB371,6
Section 6
. 29.184 (5) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.184 (5) (a) A person under the age of 12 16 years may engage in the activities authorized under sub. (3) (br) 1. to 3. without holding a Class B bear license.
AB371,7
Section 7
. 29.184 (5) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.184 (5) (b) If a disabled person holds either a Class A or a Class B bear license, a person who accompanies and assists the disabled person may engage in the activities authorized under sub. (3) (br) 1. to 3.
4. without holding a Class B bear license.
AB371,8
Section 8
. 29.184 (5) (c) of the statutes is created to read:
29.184 (5) (c) Any person may engage in the activities authorized under sub. (3) (br) 1. to 3. during the 3rd Saturday in August and the immediately following Sunday without holding a Class B bear license.
AB371,9
Section 9
. 29.184 (8) of the statutes is renumbered 29.184 (8) (a) and amended to read:
29.184 (8) (a) The department shall issue a bear carcass tag to each person who is issued a Class A bear license. A person who kills a bear, or for whom a bear is killed under sub. (3) (br) 4., shall immediately validate and attach the carcass tag to the bear. The carcass tag shall be attached and validated according to rules promulgated by the department.
AB371,10
Section 10
. 29.184 (8) (b) of the statutes is created to read:
29.184 (8) (b) A person who kills a bear under sub. (3) (br) 4. shall ensure that the person for whom the bear is killed attaches a current validated bear carcass tag in the manner provided under par. (a).
AB371,13
Section 13
. 29.971 (11m) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.971 (11m) (a) For shooting, shooting at, killing, taking, catching, or possessing a bear without a valid Class A bear license, or for possessing a bear which does not have a carcass tag attached or possessing a bear during the closed season, by a fine of not less than $1,000 nor more than $2,000 or by imprisonment for not more than 6 months or both for the first violation, or by a fine of not more than $10,000 or imprisonment for not more than 9 months or both for any subsequent violation, and, in addition, the court shall revoke all hunting approvals issued to the person under this chapter and shall prohibit the issuance of any new hunting approval under this chapter to the person for 3 years. This paragraph does not apply to a Class B bear license holder who shoots at or kills a bear as authorized under s. 29.184 (3) (br) 4.
AB371,14
Section 14
. 29.971 (11m) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:
29.971 (11m) (b) Except as provided under par. (a), for the violation of any provision of this chapter or any relating to bear hunting, to the activities specified in s. 29.184 (3) (br) 1. to 3. 4., or to the validation of a bear carcass tag or registration of a bear, by a forfeiture of not more than $1,000.
