169.20 Dog training licenses.

(1) Bird dog training license.

(a) The department shall issue a bird dog training license to any individual who is at least 10 years of age who files a proper application and pays the applicable fee. If the department issues a bird dog training license to an individual who is under 12 years of age, the individual is subject to the restrictions specified under s. 29.592.

(b) Except as provided in par. (c), a bird dog training license authorizes the holder of the license to purchase, possess, release into the wild, and hunt any of the live captive wild birds specified in s. 169.19 (2) (b) 1. to 6. solely for the purposes of training a dog to retrieve, point, flush, and track game.

(c) The department may restrict the possessing, releasing, and hunting of a species of wild birds specified in par. (b) by persons holding dog training licenses in zones or areas for which the department has by rule imposed special hunting restrictions for that species.

(d) A person training a bird dog in a bird hunting preserve for which the hunting of pheasant, quail, mallard ducks bred in captivity, or partridge has been authorized under a bird hunting preserve license is exempt from holding a bird dog training license to possess, release into the wild, and hunt live captive wild birds for the purposes of training the dog to retrieve, point, flush, and track wild birds.

(2) Hound dog training license.

(a) The department shall issue a hound dog training license to any individual who is at least 10 years of age who files a proper application and pays the applicable fee. If the department issues a hound dog training license to an individual who is under 12 years of age, the individual is subject to the restrictions specified under s. 29.592.

(b) A hound dog training license authorizes the holder of the license to purchase, possess, release into the wild, and hunt any of the following wild animals for the purpose of teaching hound dogs to track game:

1. Live captive rabbit purchased or otherwise acquired from a person holding a captive wild animal farm license.

2. Live captive raccoon.

3. Live captive bear of the species Ursus americanus.

4. Live captive fox.

5. Live captive coyote.

6. Live captive bobcat.

(3) Dog club training license.

(a) The department may issue a dog club training license to an organization that meets the conditions established by the department by rule for dog club training licenses, that files a proper application and that pays the applicable fee.

(b) A dog club training license authorizes the club or its members to purchase, possess, release into the wild, and hunt species of live captive wild animals that are authorized by the department on property owned or leased by the club for the purpose of teaching a bird dog or hound dog to retrieve, point, flush, or track game.

(4) Rules. The department may promulgate rules to establish additional standards, limitations, and requirements for licenses issued under this section. The rules may include standards that provide adequate protection for the wild animals that are authorized under a dog training license. The department shall issue a license to an applicant based on the rules in effect under this subsection on the date of the application and may not delay the issuance of a license pending promulgation of additional, modified, or new rules.

(5) Restrictions.

(a) No person may sell wild animals under a license issued under this section, but a person holding a bird dog training license who has been contracted to train a dog may charge for the wild birds used in the training.

(b) A license under this section does not authorize organized competitive field events.

History: 2001 a. 56; 2003 a. 239; 2009 a. 39.