(1) PERMITS AND
CARCASS TAGS.
(a)
Authorization to
hunt. No person may hunt sharp-tailed grouse unless he or she
possesses a valid sharp-tailed grouse hunting permit and carcass tag issued by
the department, in addition to an approval authorizing small game
hunting.
(b)
Permit
application procedures. Persons applying to hunt sharp-tailed grouse
shall apply for a sharp-tailed grouse hunting permit as follows:
1. Application for a sharp-tailed grouse
hunting permit shall be made on an application form provided by the
department.
2. All applications
shall be postmarked no later than the deadline dates indicated on the
application form or received by a department service center location on those
dates to be considered for selection.
Note: The department conducts extensive publicity on the
application deadlines beginning several months prior to any deadline.
Application deadline dates are published in news releases, the department web
site at http://dnr.wi.gov, hunting license outlet handouts, and pertinent
hunting regulation pamphlets. Department service center hours may vary by
location.
3. If a maximum of
4 persons wish to hunt together, each shall complete an application form for
individual permits and submit them together in a single envelope clearly marked
"group application" on the outside. The group application shall be treated as
one application for purpose of random selection or consideration for a permit.
If a group contains persons who unsuccessfully applied for sharp-tailed grouse
hunting permits in the previous year, and persons who successfully applied or
did not apply for sharp-tailed grouse permits the previous year, the group will
be placed in the preference category of those who successfully applied in the
previous year.
(c)
Permittee selection procedures for oversubscribed units. If
the number of applications for permits for a management unit exceeds the number
of available permits in that unit, successful applicants shall be randomly
selected according to the preference system established in s.
29.192(2),
Stats.
(d)
Carcass tag
issuance.
1. `Oversubscribed units.'
Each successful applicant for a sharp-tailed grouse hunting permit shall be
issued a carcass tag by the department.
2. `Undersubscribed units.' If the number of
applications is less than the available permits for a management unit, the
department may:
a. Randomly issue successful
applicants additional carcass tags; or
b. Make available to any person the remaining
permits for the unit on a first-come, first-serve basis; or
c. Use both procedures described in subd. 2.
a. and b.
(e)
Permit and carcass tag restrictions.
1. Permits and carcass tags issued under this
section are only valid for the unit indicated on the permit during the open
season established for sharp-tailed grouse.
2. Permits or carcass tags issued under this
section may not be transferred to or used by any person other than the
permittee.
(2)
Tagging procedure. No person may possess a sharp-tailed grouse in violation of
the requirements for possession and transportation established under s.
NR 10.08(7) and for tagging established
under s. NR 10.085.
(3) Harvest
quota. The number of sharp-tailed grouse hunting permits or carcass tags issued
annually for units described in s.
NR 10.28 shall be based on the annual sharp-tailed grouse
harvest quotas established for these units. The department shall base its
determination of the annual harvest quota for each unit upon:
(a) The estimated size and distribution of
sharp-tailed grouse populations.
(b) Trends in sharp-tailed grouse hunter
numbers and hunter success rates.
(c) A maximum allowable harvest of no more
than 25% of the projected fall population.
