R657-37-3. Requirements for the Establishment of a Cooperative Wildlife Management Unit

(1) A CWMU may be established for the purposes of hunting one or more of the following: (a) mule deer; (b) elk; (c) moose; (d) pronghorn; and (e) turkey. (2) The Wildlife Board may approve the issuance of a certificate of registration for a CWMU, provided: (a) the property is capable of independently maintaining the presence of the respective species and harboring them during the established hunting season; (b) the property is capable of accommodating the anticipated number of hunters and providing a reasonable hunting opportunity; (c) the property exhibits enforceable boundaries clearly identifiable to both the public and private hunters; (d) the CWMU contributes to meeting division wildlife management objectives; (e) as needed, the CWMU provides reasonable assistance to the division in minimizing and addressing damage to agricultural interests within and adjacent to the CWMU caused by wildlife; and (f) the CWMU meets the technical specifications provided in this rule. (3) A CWMU shall satisfy the following criteria: (a) a CWMU for elk or moose must contain at least 10,000 contiguous acres; (b) a CWMU for deer, pronghorn, or turkey must contain at least 5,000 contiguous acres; (c) the CWMU shall consist of private land to the extent practicable; (d) only private lands may be included in calculating minimum acreage requirements; (e) land parcels adjoining corner-to-corner may not be included for the purposes of meeting minimum contiguous acreage requirements; and (f) all lands counting toward the minimum acreage requirements shall provide quality hunting opportunity and form a quality hunting unit. (4) If a CWMU does not satisfy the criteria contained in Subsection (3) the CWMU can apply to be a CWMU if: (a) the CWMU meets 90% of the acreage requirements; and (b) the CWMU gives one extra permit each year to the public draw. (5) A CWMU currently operating below the required minimum acreage that was previously granted a variance for not meeting the minimum acreage requirement will continue to receive that acreage variance unless enrolled acreage is further reduced below the required minimum acreage. (6) A CWMU may include public land only if: (a) the public land is surrounded by private land or is otherwise publicly inaccessible; (b) the public land is necessary to establish an enforceable and identifiable hunt boundary; or (c) inclusion of the public land is necessary to achieve statewide and unit management objectives. (7) A CWMU may not include: (a) any lands comprising Domesticated Elk Facilities and Domesticated Elk Hunting Parks, as defined in Subsection 4-39-102(2) and Rules R58-18 and R58-20; (b) any lands already included in another active CWMU; or (c) differing hunt boundaries for multiple species approved on a single CWMU. (8) The Wildlife Board may deny a CWMU that meets technical requirements of this rule but does not otherwise fulfill the purposes of the CWMU program.