Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources

Rule R657-41

Conservation and Sportsman Permits

Notice of Proposed Rule

(Amendment)

DAR File No.: 33756
Filed: 06/15/2010 09:39:24 AM

RULE ANALYSIS

Purpose of the rule or reason for the change:

This rule is being amended pursuant to Regional Advisory Council and Wildlife Board meetings conducted annually for taking public input and reviewing the Division of Wildlife Resources' (DWR) rule pursuant to conservation and sportsman permits.

Summary of the rule or change:

The proposed revisions to the above listed rule: 1) establish criteria for issuing "Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permits"; 2) remove reference to Merriam and Rio Grand; and 3) change the 10-day requirement for conservation groups to submit vouchers to a 30-day period.

State statutory or constitutional authorization for this rule:

• Section 23-14-19
• Section 23-14-18

Anticipated cost or savings to:

the state budget:

This amendment establishes the process for issuing "Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permits"; removes the reference to Merriam and Rio Grand and changes a current 10-day limitation to 30 days, since there is already a system in place for the issuing of conservation permits and the removal of Merriam and Rio Grand are only name changes, DWR determines that these amendments do not create a cost or savings impact to the state budget or DWR's budget, since the changes will not increase workload and can be carried out with existing budget.

local governments:

This amendment establishes the process for issuing "Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permits"; removes the reference to Merriam and Rio Grand and changes a current 10 day limitation to 30 days, this should have little to no effect on the local government. This filing does not create any direct cost or savings impact to local governments because they are not directly affected by the rule. Nor are local governments indirectly impacted because the rule does not create a situation requiring services from local governments.

small businesses:

This amendment establishes the process for issuing "Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permits"; and removes the reference to Merriam and Rio Grand and changes a current 10 day limitation to 30 days. Therefore, the amendments do not have the potential to generate a cost or savings impact to small businesses.

persons other than small businesses, businesses, or local governmental entities:

This amendment establishes the process for issuing "Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permits"; and removes the reference to Merriam and Rio Grand and changes a current 10-day limitation to 30 days. Therefore, the amendments do not have the potential to generate a cost or savings impact to other persons.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

DWR determines that these changes will not create additional costs for residents and nonresidents wishing to hunt in Utah.

Comments by the department head on the fiscal impact the rule may have on businesses:

The changes to this rule do not create an impact on businesses.

Michael R. Styler, Executive Director

The full text of this rule may be inspected, during regular business hours, at the Division of Administrative Rules, or at:

Natural Resources
Wildlife Resources
1594 W NORTH TEMPLE
SALT LAKE CITY, UT 84116-3154

Direct questions regarding this rule to:

• Staci Coons at the above address, by phone at 801-538-4718, by FAX at 801-538-4709, or by Internet E-mail at [email protected]

Interested persons may present their views on this rule by submitting written comments to the address above no later than 5:00 p.m. on:

08/02/2010

This rule may become effective on:

08/09/2010

Authorized by:

James Karpowitz, Director

R657. Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources.

R657-41. Conservation and Sportsman Permits.

R657-41-1. Purpose and Authority.

(1) Under the authority of Section 23-14-18 and 23-14-19, this rule provides the standards and procedures for issuing:

(a) conservation permits to conservation organizations for sale at an auction, or for use as an aid to wildlife related fund raising activities; and

(b) sportsman permits.

(2) The division and conservation organizations shall use all revenue derived from conservation permits under Subsections R657-41-9(4) and R657-41-9(5)(b) for the benefit of the species for which the permit is issued, unless the division and conservation organization mutually agree in writing that there is a higher priority use for other species of protected wildlife.

 

R657-41-2. Definitions.

(1) Terms used in this rule are defined in Section 23-13-2.

(2) In addition:

(a) "Area Conservation Permit" means a permit issued for a specific unit or hunt area for a conservation permit species, and may include an extended season, or legal weapon choice, or both, beyond the season except turkey permits are valid during any season option.

(i) Area Conservation permits issued for limited entry units are not valid on cooperative wildlife management units.

(b) "Conservation Organization" means a nonprofit chartered institution, foundation, or association founded for the purpose of promoting wildlife conservation and has established tax exempt status under Internal Revenue Code, Section 501C-3 as amended.

(c) "Conservation Permit" means any harvest permit authorized by the Wildlife Board and issued by the division for purposes identified in Section R657-41-1.

(d) "Conservation Permit Species" means the species for which conservation permits may be issued and includes deer, elk, pronghorn, moose, bison, Rocky Mountain goat, Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, desert bighorn sheep, wild turkey, cougar, and black bear.

(e) "Multi-Year Conservation Permit" means a conservation permit awarded to an eligible conservation organization pursuant to R657-41-7 for three consecutive years to sell, market or otherwise use as an aid in wildlife related fund raising activities.

(f) "Retained Revenue" means 60% of the revenue raised by a conservation organizations from the sale of conservation permits that the organization retains for eligible projects, excluding interest earned thereon.

(g) "Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permit" means a permit authorized by the Wildlife Board to hunt bighorn sheep or mule deer on Antelope Island State Park.

(h) "Sportsman Permit" means a permit which allows a permittee to hunt during the applicable season dates specified in Subsection ([g]j), and which is authorized by the Wildlife Board and issued by the division in a general drawing, requiring all applicants to pay an application fee and the successful applicant the cost of the permit.

([h]i) "Single Year Conservation Permit" means a conservation permit awarded to an eligible conservation organization pursuant to R657-41-6 for one year to sell, market or otherwise use as an aid in wildlife related fund raising activities.

([i]j) "Statewide Conservation Permit" means a permit issued for a conservation permit species that allows a permittee to hunt:

(i) big game species on any open unit with archery equipment during the general archery season published in the big game proclamation for the unit beginning before September 1, and with any weapon from September 1 through December 31, except pronghorn and moose from September 1 through November 15 and deer and elk from September 1 through January 15;

(ii) [one Merriam and one Rio Grand turkey]two turkeys on any open unit from April 1 through May 31;

(iii) bear on any open unit during the season authorized by the Wildlife Board for that unit;

(iv) cougar on any open unit during the season authorized by the Wildlife Board for that unit and during the season dates authorized by the Wildlife Board on any harvest objective unit that has been closed by meeting its objective; and

(v) Antelope Island is not an open unit for hunting any species of wildlife authorized by a conservation or sportsman permit, except for the Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation[p]Permit.

 

R657-41-8. Distributing Conservation Permits.

(1) The division and conservation organization receiving permits shall enter into a contract.

(2)(a) The conservation organization receiving permits must insure that the permits are marketed and distributed by lawful means. Conservation permits may not be distributed in a raffle except where the following conditions are met:

(i) the conservation organization obtains and provides the division with a written opinion from a licensed attorney or a written confirmation by the local district or county attorney that the raffle scheme is in compliance with state and local gambling laws;

(ii) except as otherwise provided in R657-41-8(5), the conservation organization does not repurchase, directly or indirectly, the right to any permit it distributes through the raffle;

(iii) the conservation organization prominently discloses in any advertisement for the raffle and at the location of the raffle that no purchase is necessary to participate; and

(iv) the conservation organization provides the division with a full accounting of any funds raised in the conservation permit raffle, and otherwise accounts for and handles the funds consistent with the requirement in Utah Admin. Code R657-41-9.

(3) The conservation organization must:

(i) obtain the name of the proposed permit recipient at the event where the permit recipient is selected; and

(ii) notify the division of the proposed permit recipient within [10]30days of the recipient selection or the permit may be forfeited.

(4) If a person is selected by a qualified organization to receive a conservation permit and is also successful in obtaining a permit for the same species in the same year through the a division drawing, that person may designate another person to receive the conservation permit, provided the conservation permit has not been issued by the division to the first selected person.

(5) If a person is selected by a qualified organization to receive a conservation permit, but is unable to use the permit, the conservation organization may designate another person to receive the permit provided:

(a) the conservation organization selects the new recipient of the permit;

(b) the amount of money received by the division for the permit is not decreased;

(c) the conservation organization relinquishes to the division and otherwise uses all proceeds generated from the re-designated permit, pursuant to the requirements provided in Section R657-41-9;

(d) the conservation organization and the initial designated recipient of the permit, sign an affidavit indicating the initial designated recipient is not profiting from transferring the right to the permit; and

(e) the permit has not been issued by the division to the first designated person.

(6) Except as otherwise provided under Subsections (4) and (5), a person designated by a conservation organization as a recipient of a conservation permit, may not sell or transfer the rights to that designation to any other person. This does not preclude a person from bidding or otherwise lawfully acquiring a permit from a conservation organization on behalf of another person who will be identified as the original designated recipient.

(7) A person cannot obtain more than one conservation permit for a single conservation permit species per year, except for:

(a) elk, provided no more than two permits are obtained where one or both are antlerless permits; and

(b) turkey.

(8) the person designated on a conservation permit voucher must possess or obtain a current Utah hunting or combination license to redeem the voucher for the corresponding conservation permit.

 

R657-41-11. Using a Conservation or Sportsman Permit.

(1)(a) A conservation or sportsman permit allows the recipient to take only one individual of the species for which the permit is issued, except a statewide turkey conservation or sportsman permit allows the holder to take [one Merriam's and one Rio Grand turkey]two turkeys.

(b) The species that may be taken shall be printed on the permit.

(c) The species may be taken in the area and during the season specified on the permit.

(d) The species may be taken only with the weapon specified on the permit.

(2) The recipient of a conservation or sportsman permit is subject to all of the provisions of Title 23, Wildlife Resources Code, and the rules and proclamations of the Wildlife Board for taking and pursuing wildlife.

(3) Bonus points shall not be awarded or utilized:

(a) when applying for conservation or sportsman permits; or

(b) in obtaining conservation or sportsman permits.

(4) Any person who has obtained a conservation or sportsman permit is subject to all waiting periods as provided in Rules R657-5, R657-6, R657-10 and R657-33.

 

R657-41-12. Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permit.

(1) If the Wildlife Board authorizes a hunt for bighorn sheep or mule deer on Antelope Island State Park, one permit for each species will be made available as a Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permit.

(2) Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permits will be issued for one year.

(3) Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permits will be issued under this section and will not be limited by the requirements of R657-41-3 through R657-41-8.

(4) Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permits will be provided to the conservation group awarded the wildlife convention permit series as provided in R657-55 for marketing at the wildlife convention where the wildlife convention permits are awarded.

(5) The division and conservation organization receiving Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permits shall enter into a contract

(6) The conservation organization receiving Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permits must insure that the permits are marketed and distributed by lawful means.

(7) The conservation organization must:

(a) obtain the name of the proposed permit recipient at the event where the permit recipient is selected; and

(b) notify the division of the proposed permit recipient within 10 days of the recipient selection or the permit may be forfeited.

(8) If a person is selected by a qualified organization to receive a Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permit and is also successful in obtaining a permit for the same species in the same year through a division drawing, that person may designate another person to receive the Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permit, provided the permit has not been issued by the division to the first selected person.

(9) If a person is selected by a qualified organization to receive a Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permit, but is unable to use the permit, the conservation organization may designate another person to receive the permit provided:

(a) the conservation organization selects the new recipient of the permit;

(b) the amount of money received by the division for the permit is not decreased;

(c) the conservation organization relinquishes to the division and otherwise uses all proceeds generated from the re-designated permit, pursuant to the requirements provided below:

(i) the conservation organization and the initial designated recipient of the permit, sign an affidavit indicating the initial designated recipient is not profiting from transferring the right to the permit; and

(ii) the permit has not been issued by the division to the first designated person.

(10) Except as otherwise provided under Subsections (8) and (9), a person designated by a conservation organization as a recipient of a Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permit, may not sell or transfer the rights to that designation to any other person. This does not preclude a person from bidding or otherwise lawfully acquiring a permit from a conservation organization on behalf of another person who will be identified as the original designated recipient.

(11) A person cannot obtain a Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permit for a bighorn sheep or mule deer and any other permit for a male animal of the same species in the same year.

(12) The person designated to receive a Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permit must possess or obtain a current Utah hunting or combination license before being issued the permit.

(13) Within 30 days of the convention, but no later than May 1 annually, the conservation organization must submit to the division:

(a) a final report on the distribution of the Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permits;

(b) the total funds raised on each permit; and

(c) the funds due to the division.

(14)(a) Permits shall not be issued until the permit fees are paid to the division.

(b) If the conservation organization is paying the permit fees for the permit recipient, the fees must be paid from the 10% retained by the conservation organization as provided in R657-41-9(5)(a).

(15)(a) Conservation organizations shall remit to the division 90% of the total revenue generated by the Special Antelope Island State Park Conservation Permit sales in that year.

(b) Failure to remit 90% of the total permit revenue to the division by the September 1 deadline may result in criminal prosecution under Title 76, Chapter 6, Part 4 of the Utah Code.

(16) A conservation organization may retain 10% of the revenue generated by the permits for administrative expenses.

(17) Upon receipt of the permit revenue from the conservation organization, the division will transfer the revenue in its entirety to the Division of Parks and Recreation as provided in a cooperative agreement between the two divisions.

 

R657-41-13. Failure to Comply.

Any conservation organization administratively or criminally found in violation of this rule or the Wildlife Resources Code may be suspended from participation in the conservation permit program and required to surrender all conservation permit vouchers.

 

KEY: wildlife, wildlife permits, sportsmen[t], conservation permits

Date of enactment or last Substantive Change: [August 7, 2007]2010

Notice of Continuation: November 21, 2005

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 23-14-18; 23-14-19