Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources

Rule R657-33

Taking Bear

Notice of Proposed Rule

(Amendment)

DAR File No.: 34367
Filed: 01/18/2011 08:08:20 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 taking bear.

Summary of the rule or change:

The proposed revisions to the above listed rule: adds definition for "Accompany" for the purposes of bear pursuit and provides for an exception to the "accompany" requirement for dog owners pursuing bear on a restricted pursuit unit.

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 defines "Accompany" and outlines the exception to the "accompany" requirement for dog owners pursuing bear on a restricted pursuit unit. DWR determines that these amendments do not create a cost or savings impact to the state budget, since the changes will not increase workload and can be carried out with existing budget.

local governments:

Since this amendment only defines the word "Accompany" and outlines the exception to the "accompany" requirement, 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:

Since this amendment only defines the word "Accompany" and outlines the exception to the "accompany" requirement, this should have little to no effect on small businesses, therefore, DWR feels the amendments do not impose an additional requirement on small businesses, or generate a cost or savings impact to other persons if they choose to pursue on a restricted pursuit unit.

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

Since this amendment only defines the word "Accompany" and outlines the exception to the "accompany" requirement, this should have little to no effect on other persons, therefore, DWR feels the amendments do not impose an additional requirement on other persons, or generate a cost or savings impact to other persons if they choose to pursue on a restricted pursuit unit.

Compliance costs for affected persons:

DWR determines that these amendments do not create additional costs for sportsmen wishing to pursue bear in Utah.

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

The amendments 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 stacicoons@utah.gov

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:

03/17/2011

This rule may become effective on:

03/24/2011

Authorized by:

James Karpowitz, Director

R657. Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources.

R657-33. Taking Bear.

R657-33-1. Purpose and Authority.

(1) Under authority of Sections 23-14-18 and 23-14-19, of the Utah Code, the Wildlife Board has established this rule for taking and pursuing bear.

(2) Specific dates, areas, number of permits, limits and other administrative details which may change annually are published in the proclamation of the Wildlife Board for taking and pursuing bear.

 

R657-33-2. Definitions.

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

(2) In addition:

(a) "Accompany" means at a distance within which visual contact and verbal communication are maintained without the assistance of any electronic device.

([a]b) "Bait" means any lure containing animal, mineral or plant materials.

([b]c) "Baiting" means the placing, exposing, depositing, distributing or scattering of bait to lure, attract or entice bear on or over any area.

([c]d) "Bear" means Ursus americanus, commonly known as black bear.

([d]e) "Canned hunt" means that a bear is treed, cornered, held at bay or its ability to escape is otherwise restricted for the purpose of allowing a person who was not a member of the initial hunting party to arrive and take the bear.

([e]f) "Compensation" means anything of economic value in excess of $100 that is paid, loaned, granted, given, donated, or transferred to a dog handler for or in consideration of pursuing bear for any purpose.

([f]g) "Cub" means a bear less than one year of age.

([g]h) " Dog handler" means the person in the field that is responsible for transporting, releasing, tracking, controlling, managing, training, commanding and retrieving the dogs involved in the pursuit. The owner of the dogs is presumed the dog handler when the owner is in the field during pursuit.

([h]i) "Evidence of sex" means the teats, and sex organs of a bear, including a penis, scrotum or vulva.

([i]j) "Green pelt" means the untanned hide or skin of a bear.

([j]k) "Limited entry hunt" means any hunt listed in the hunt table, published in the proclamation of the Wildlife Board for taking bear, which is identified as a limited entry hunt and does not include pursuit only.

([k]l) "Limited entry permit" means any permit obtained for a limited entry hunt by any means, including conservation permits and sportsman permits.

([l]m) "Private lands" means any lands that are not public lands, excluding Indian trust lands.

([m]n) "Public lands" means any lands owned by the state, a political subdivision or independent entity of the state, or the United States, excluding Indian trust lands, that are open to the public for purposes of engaging in pursuit.

([n]o) "Pursue" means to chase, tree, corner or hold a bear at bay with dogs.

([o]p) "Restricted pursuit unit" means a bear pursuit unit where pursuit is allowed only by a dog handler who:

(i) possesses a pursuit permit issued for that particular restricted pursuit unit;

(ii) possesses or is accompanied by a person who possesses a limited entry bear permit for the unit, and the pursuit occurs within the area and during the season established for the limited entry bear permit; or

(iii) is engaged in pursuit for compensation as provided in R657-33-26(2).

([p]q)(i) "Valid application" means:

(A) it is for a species for which the applicant is eligible to possess a permit;

(B) there is a hunt for that species regardless of estimated permit numbers; and

(C) there is sufficient information on the application to process the application, including personal information, hunt information, and sufficient payment.

(ii) Applications missing any of the items in Subsection (i) may still be considered valid if the application is corrected before the deadline through the application correction process.

([q]r) "Waiting period" means a specified period of time that a person who has obtained a bear permit must wait before applying for any other bear permit.

([r]s) "Written permission" means written authorization from the owner or person in charge to enter upon private lands and must include:

(i) the name and signature of the owner or person in charge;

(ii) the address and phone number of the owner or person in charge;

(iii) the name of the dog handler given permission to enter the private lands;

(iv) a brief description of the pursuit activity authorized;

(v) the appropriate dates; and

(vi) a general description of the property.

 

R657-33-26. Bear Pursuit.

(1)(a) Except as provided in rule R657-33-3(b) and Subsection (2), bear may be pursued only by persons who have obtained a bear pursuit permit.

(b) The bear pursuit permit does not allow a person to:

(i) kill a bear; or

(ii) pursue bear for compensation.

(c) A person may pursue bear for compensation only as provided in Subsection (2).

(d) To obtain a bear pursuit permit, a person must possess a Utah hunting or combination license.

(2)(a) A person may pursue bear on public lands for compensation, provided the dog handler:

(i) receives compensation from a client or customer to pursue bear;

(ii) is a licensed hunting guide or outfitter under Title 58, Chapter 79 of the Utah Code and authorized to pursue bear;

(iii) possesses on his or her person the Utah hunting guide or outfitter license;

(iv) possesses on his or her person all permits and authorizations required by the applicable public lands managing authority to pursue bear for compensation; and

(v) is accompanied by the client or customer at all times during pursuit.

(b) A person may pursue bear on private lands for compensation, provided the dog handler:

(i) receives compensation from a client or customer to pursue bear;

(ii) is accompanied by the client or customer at all times during pursuit; and

(iii) possesses on his or her person written permission from all private landowners on whose property pursuit takes place.

(c) A person who is an employee or agent of the Division of Wildlife Services may pursue bear on public lands and private lands while acting within the scope of their employment.

(3) A pursuit permit is not required to pursue bear under Subsection (2).

(4)(a) A person pursuing bear for compensation under subsections (2)(a) and (2)(b) shall comply with all other requirements and restrictions in statute, rule and the proclamations of the Wildlife Board regulating the pursuit and take of bear.

(b) Any violation of, or failure to comply with the provisions of Title 23 of the Utah Code, this rule, or the proclamations of the Wildlife Board may be grounds for suspension of the privilege to pursue bear for compensation under this subsection, as determined by a division hearing officer.

(5) Except as provided in Subsection (6), a bear pursuit permit authorizes the holder to pursue bear with dogs on any unit open to pursuing bear during the seasons and under the conditions prescribed by the Wildlife Board in proclamation.

(6) The Wildlife Board may establish or designate in proclamation restricted pursuit units as determined necessary or convenient to better manage wildlife resources, including to protect wildlife, curtail over-utilization of resources, reduce conflict with other recreational activities, reduce conflict with private and public land activities, and protect wildlife habitat.

(a) Bear may not be pursued on a restricted pursuit unit unless the dog handler:

(i) possesses a pursuit permit issued for the particular restricted pursuit unit;

(ii) possesses or is accompanied by a person who possesses a limited entry bear permit for the unit, and the pursuit occurs within the area and during the season established for the limited entry bear permit; or

(iii) is engaged in pursuit for compensation as provided in Subsection (2), and pursuit occurs within the area and during the season established for the:

(A) paying client's limited entry bear permit; or

(B) restricted pursuit unit.

(b) A pursuit permit issued for a restricted pursuit unit authorizes the holder to pursue bear on:

(i) the particular restricted pursuit unit for which the permit is issued; and

(ii) any other bear pursuit unit not designated as a restricted pursuit unit.

(c) Notwithstanding Subsection (6)(a)(i), when two or more dog owners are in the field pursuing bear together with a single pack of eight dogs or less on a restricted pursuit unit, only one must possess a restricted pursuit unit permit , provided the dog owners accompany the person possessing the restricted pursuit unit permit at all times .

(i) A dog owner pursuing bear on a restricted pursuit unit may leave the pursuit permit holder to retrieve dogs that separate from the pack, provided the dog owner;

(A) takes reasonable steps to keep the pack together before and during pursuit;

(B) separates from the pursuit permit holder exclusively to retrieve stray dogs and does not attempt to actively pursue bear during the retrieval process; and

(C) immediately releases any bear incidentally treed or held at bay by the stray dogs.

(7) Pursuit permits may be obtained at division offices, through the Internet and at license agents.

(a) The Division may distribute pursuit permits for restricted pursuit units:

(i) through its offices, license agents, or online resources on a first-come, first-served basis; or

(ii) through a random drawing.

(8) A person may not:

(a) take or pursue a female bear with cubs;

(b) repeatedly pursue, chase, tree, corner or hold at bay the same bear during the same day;

(c) individually or in combination with another person, use more than eight dogs in the field to pursue a bear during the summer pursuit season as established by the Wildlife Board in proclamation; or

(d) possess a firearm or any device that could be used to kill a bear while pursuing bear.

(i) The weapon restrictions set forth in Subsection (d) do not apply to a person licensed to carry a concealed weapon in accordance with Title 53, Chapter 5, Part 7 of the Utah Code, provided the person is not utilizing or attempting to utilize the concealed weapon to injure or kill bear.

(9) If eligible, a person who has obtained a bear pursuit permit may also obtain a limited entry bear permit.

(10) Season dates, closed areas and bear pursuit permit areas are published in the proclamation of the Wildlife Board for taking and pursuing bear.

 

KEY: wildlife, bear, game laws

Date of Enactment or Last Substantive Change: [March 25, 2010]2011

Notice of Continuation: December 11, 2007

Authorizing, and Implemented or Interpreted Law: 23-14-18; 23-14-19; 23-13-2