Current through August 26, 2024
(1) OPENING DAY
LIMITS. On the first day of the open season, no person may possess or control
more than one daily bag limit of any game species for which a bag limit is
established.
(2) DAILY BAG LIMIT.
(a)
Generally.
1. Daily bag limits are established on a
per-hunter basis, are not transferable, and cannot be shared, except as
provided in s. 29.324, Stats. No person may
take, or attempt to take, any game for another person, unless in compliance
with s. 29.324, Stats.
2. If an animal is required to be registered
under s.
NR 10.086, no person may gift game to any person until
after it has been registered under s.
NR 10.086.
3.
No person may gift game to any person while afield. All gifted game remain
counted toward the daily bag limit of the original harvester.
(b)
Exceeding daily bag
limit. No person may:
1. Take, or
attempt to take, any game for which a daily bag limit is established and
restricted to an issued harvest authorization or tag without holding the proper
valid harvest authorization or tag.
2. Take, or attempt to take, any game in
excess of one daily bag limit in any one day.
(3) POSSESSION AND POSSESSION LIMIT.
(a)
Generally. No person
may:
1. Exceed an established possession limit
unless otherwise authorized by the department.
2. Possess game killed by unlawful or unknown
means, unless otherwise authorized by the department.
3. Except when in compliance with subds. 4.
and 5., possess game without also possessing all required approvals for that
game.
4. While afield, possess game
taken by another unless accompanied by the original harvester.
5. Possess game taken by another unless the
person provides the registration confirmation number, or name and address or
customer ID number of the source, to a warden upon demand.
(b)
Specific possession
limits. Except where otherwise provided in s.
NR 10.01, the following possession limits are
established:
1. Turkey. The possession limit
corresponds to the number of harvest authorizations issued.
2. Deer. The possession limit corresponds to
the number of harvest authorizations issued.
2m. Otter. The possession limit corresponds
to the number of harvest authorizations issued.
3. Bobcat. The possession limit corresponds
to the number of pelt tags issued.
3m. Fisher. The possession limit corresponds
to the number of harvest authorizations issued.
4. All other game which have a daily bag
limit established. The possession limit is 3 times the established daily bag
limit.
(4)
FIELD POSSESSION LIMIT. No person may possess more than one daily bag limit
while at or between the place killed and the place to which the bag limit is
taken.
Note: This rule does not authorize a person to
take more than one daily bag limit. Further, it does not prohibit possession of
double the daily bag limit when transporting game between a person's temporary
abode and his or her permanent abode.
(5) KILLING REQUIREMENTS. Except as otherwise
provided, no person may possess any live game. All game taken during the open
season shall be killed immediately and made part of the daily bag.
(6) FIELD DRESSING. No person may completely
dress any game bird while in the field or during transportation from the field.
The head or one fully feathered wing, shall remain attached to all game birds
while in the field or during transportation from the field to the person's
permanent abode or a preservation facility.
(6m) HARVEST AUTHORIZATIONS AND TAGS.
(a) Every harvest authorization and tag is
identified by a unique number, which represents a singular game harvest
approval issued to the person, regardless of the number of reprints generated,
or duplicates issued.
(b) Only the
person who has been issued the harvest authorization and tag may exercise its
privilege, except as provided in s.
29.324, Stats.
(c) A harvest authorization or tag is valid
only when all of the following apply:
1. Game
has not already been harvested under the authority of the harvest authorization
or tag.
2. The person and game are
both located in the zone, unit, and land type specified on the harvest
authorization or tag, when such restrictions are designated.
3. The season is open, and no time period
restrictions are in effect.
4. The
target game matches the type of animal specified on the harvest authorization
or tag.
5. The harvest method is
permitted by the harvest authorization or tag.
6. The harvest authorization or tag is not
expired.
(7)
CARCASS TAGS. No person may:
(a) Hunt or trap
any of the species enumerated in s.
NR 10.085 (1) unless in possession of a valid, unique
carcass tag that has not already been used to harvest an animal. A tag is not
valid when hunting or trapping in a zone, management unit, or land type that is
not authorized by the tag, or if the tag is expired. A tag is not valid when
hunting with a weapon that is not authorized for use with the tag.
(b) Upon harvesting any of the species
enumerated in s.
NR 10.085 (1), fail to immediately validate the carcass
tag that authorized the harvest.
(c) Possess or transport the carcass of any
of the species enumerated in s.
NR 10.085 (1) unless also in possession of the
validated carcass tag that authorized the harvest.
(d) Fail to keep a validated carcass tag in
good, legible condition so as to permit meaningful inspection by the
department. Carcass tags shall remain intact except that part of a tag may be
separated as designated by the department on the tag as a means of
validation.
(e) Transport or
possess an unskinned bobcat or wolf carcass, or a raw pelt of these species
unless it has been tagged in accordance with s.
NR 10.085.
(f) While afield, possess or transport the
carcass of any of the species enumerated in s.
NR 10.085 (1) that is tagged with or possessed under
the authority of a validated carcass tag of another person unless accompanied
by the person issued the carcass tag. After the animal is registered it may be
transported by vehicle on a public roadway or possessed at a dwelling or
business establishment by a person who is not hunting without the need to be
accompanied by the person who tagged and registered it. A dwelling for the
purposes of this subsection includes permanent residences as well as temporary
residences, such as an established hunting cabin or camp site.
(g) While afield, hunting, or trapping,
possess a validated carcass tag, or any copy of a unique carcass tag already
used to harvest an animal, for any of the species enumerated in s.
NR 10.085 (1) unless the person is also in possession
of the legally killed animal corresponding to that carcass tag.
(h) Validate or attach a carcass tag to an
animal trapped, killed, or harvested by another.
(i) Possess more than one copy of a unique
carcass tag while afield or hunting or trapping.
(8) RESEARCH. The department may require that
any part of animal shall be collected, sampled, or submitted to the department
for research purposes. No person may fail to comply with any collection,
sampling, or submission procedure required by the department.
Note: Additional requirements for the
transportation of deer species from chronic wasting disease affected areas in
this state and from other states and countries where CWD has been identified
are established in s.
NR 10.105.
The department lacks authority to issue wolf carcass tags
while the wolf is listed on the federal endangered list or the state endangered
list. See s. 29.185,
Stats.
