Field Trial Permit

PURPOSE: This rule establishes a permit to conduct field trials and sets requirements for conducting these trials. (1) Field Trial Permit. To conduct a field trial on lands other than those owned or leased by the department, application for a permit must be made to the department by a resident and postmarked not less than ten (10) days prior to the trial. The application shall specify location of trial headquarters in Missouri, area where the trial will be held, type of wildlife to be chased or pursued, approximate number of hunters, approximate number of dogs, and starting and closing dates. A single trial permit shall not cover a period of more than ten (10) consecutive days. (2) Each permit holder shall record the names and addresses of all participants for each trial held, and shall maintain these records for one (1) year following the closing date of the trial. These records shall be subject to inspection by an authorized agent of the department at any reasonable time. (3) Future permits shall be conditioned on compliance with this rule. Receipt by the department of unresolved and repeated complaints from area landowners concerning operation of the field trial may result in permit denial. (4) A field trial permit does not authorize trespass. (5) Except as otherwise provided in this rule, permits will not be valid for hound field trials during or five (5) days prior to the spring turkey, black bear, firearms deer, or firearms elk hunting season except on established field trial areas. Permits for raccoon field trials will be valid during nighttime hours and provide for casting no more than four (4) dogs at one (1) time during or five (5) days prior to the spring turkey hunting season and during all but the November portion of the firearms deer hunting season and in open counties during the firearms portion of the elk hunting season. In field trials under permit, wildlife not prohibited in 3 CSR 10-7.410 may be chased by dogs under control, but may be pursued and taken only during the open seasons and only by persons possessing a valid hunting permit, except as provided in section (6) of this rule. The sponsoring organization shall issue identification bearing the field trial permit number to all persons without a valid hunting permit who enter dogs in a trial, provided that this identification shall not be required for trials held entirely on one (1) contiguous tract of land where an agent of the department is provided with a complete list of the names and addresses of all participants before the trial. (6) For game bird field trials— (A) Designated shooters, under the field trial permit, may shoot only legally obtained and captive-reared quail, pheasants, exotic partridges, and mallard ducks. The permit holder may purchase quail, pheasants, and mallard ducks no more than ten (10) days prior to a trial and hold them no longer than ten (10) days after a trial; (B) Quail, pheasants, and exotic partridges shall be marked with a permanent avian leg band prior to release. Mallard ducks shall be marked by removal of the hind toe from the right foot, or by tattooing a readily discernible number or letter or combination on the web of one (1) foot; (C) Legally obtained quail, pheasants, exotic partridges, and mallard ducks may be taken in any number during a field trial and may be possessed and transported from the field trial area by persons other than the field trial permit holder only when accompanied by a receipt listing the date, number, and species, and name, address, and permit number of the field trial permit holder. In addition, the marked foot must remain attached to mallard ducks. AUTHORITY: sections 40 and 45 of Art. IV, Mo. Const., and section 252.040, RSMo 2016.* Original rule filed Aug. 27, 1975, effective Dec. 31, 1975. Amended: Filed July 30, 1979, effective Nov. 11, 1979. Amended: Filed Aug. 31, 1979, effective Jan. 1, 1980. Amended: Filed Aug. 1, 1980, effective Jan. 1, 1981. Amended: Filed Aug. 3, 1984, effective Jan. 1, 1985. Amended: Filed Aug. 6, 1985, effective Jan. 1, 1986. Amended: Filed July 30, 1987, effective Jan. 1, 1988. Amended: Filed May 10, 1990, effective Jan. 1, 1991. Amended: Filed April 28, 1992, effective Jan. 15, 1993. Amended: Filed June 9, 1993, effective July 1, 1994. Amended: Filed April 27, 1994, effective Jan. 1, 1995. Amended: Filed May 30, 1995, effective Jan. 1, 1996. Amended: Filed May 6, 1998, effective March 1, 1999. Amended: Filed April 24, 2000, effective March 1, 2001. Amended: Filed April 30, 2001, effective March 1, 2002. Amended: Filed May 9, 2002, effective Oct. 30, 2002. Amended: Filed Oct. 9, 2003, effective March 30, 2004. Amended: Filed Sept. 29, 2004, effective Feb. 28, 2005. Amended: Filed Oct. 2, 2006, effective March 30, 2007. Amended: Filed March 19, 2007, effective April 1, 2007. Amended: Filed Sept. 17, 2014, effective March 1, 2015. Amended: Filed Aug. 29, 2017, effective March 1, 2018. Amended: Filed June 28, 2019, effective Dec. 30, 2019. Amended: Filed Sept. 4, 2020, effective Feb. 28, 2021. Amended: Filed May 25, 2023, effective Feb. 29, 2024. Amended: Filed May 16, 2025, effective Jan. 1, 2026. *Original authority: 252.040, RSMo 1945, amended 1989.