29.181 Bonus deer hunting permits.

(1b) Definitions. In this section:

(a) “Agricultural purpose" means beekeeping, dairying, egg production, feedlots, grazing, arboriculture, horticulture, floriculture, plant nurseries and green houses, raising of livestock, raising of poultry, aquaculture, fur farming or growing of vegetables, fruits, nuts, berries, grains, grass, sod, mint or seed crops.

(b) “Farm" means land that is used on a commercial basis for an agricultural purpose during the year during which the bonus deer hunting permit is valid. “Farm" does not include land that is enrolled in the conservation reserve program under 16 USC 3831 to 3836.

(1m) Issuance. Subject to s. 29.177 (3) and (3m), the department may issue a bonus deer hunting permit to a person who has a hunting license that authorizes the hunting of deer and who applies for the bonus deer hunting permit.

(2) Authorization.

(a) A bonus deer hunting permit shall authorize the holder of the bonus deer hunting permit to do any of the following:

1. Take an additional deer of the sex or type specified by the department on the permit.

2. Take an additional deer in a county or deer management area in which the department has confirmed that a deer has tested positive for chronic wasting disease.

(c) Except as authorized by rule or as provided under par. (d), a person may not apply for or be issued more than one bonus deer hunting permit in a single season.

(d) A person may be issued more than one bonus deer hunting permit in a single season if each bonus deer hunting permit authorizes the person to take deer only in a county or deer management area in which a deer has tested positive for chronic wasting disease.

(2m) Resident farm owner. If the department determines that for a deer management area the number of available bonus deer hunting permits for a single season will exceed the number of applications submitted, the department may authorize by rule the issuance of one or more bonus deer hunting permits to a resident without the resident having to pay any fee, including any processing or issuing fee, if the resident meets all of the following requirements:

(a) The resident is an owner of record or a vendee under a contract of a farm that is located in whole or in part in the deer management area or in whole or in part in an adjacent deer management area.

(b) The resident has been issued one bonus deer hunting permit for that season and for that deer management area for which the resident has paid the fee specified under s. 29.563 (2) (c) 1. or 1m.

(3) Use of money from fees. From the moneys received from the sale of bonus deer hunting permits issued that authorize the taking of deer as provided under sub. (2) (a) 2., the department shall credit an amount equal to $5 times the number of those bonus deer hunting permits issued to the appropriation under s. 20.370 (1) (hx).

(4) Rules. The department may promulgate a rule that establishes a fee for a bonus deer hunting permit issued under sub. (2) (a) 2. that is higher than the fee specified in s. 29.563 (2) (c) 1m. or (d) 2.

History: 1991 a. 39; 1995 a. 27; 1997 a. 1; 1997 a. 248 ss. 248 to 254; Stats. 1997 s. 29.181; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 108; 2013 a. 20.