R657-69-5. Depredation or Nuisance Hunts for Turkey

(1) Turkey depredation or nuisance hunts are intended to: (a) mitigate verified reports of material damage by turkeys and prevent future instances of material damage in the vicinity of the hunt area; (b) be a focused response to verified reports of material damage; (c) may be restricted in weapon type; (d) be a rapid response mechanism to verified reports of material damage; and (e) have limited permit numbers. (2) Turkey depredation or nuisance hunts shall operate consistent with the following guidelines: (a) turkey depredation or nuisance hunts may be held August 1 through March 14; (b) parameters for a turkey depredation or nuisance hunt must comply with the provisions established in the current Wild Turkey Management Plan approved by the Wildlife Board; and (c) the boundaries of the hunts, specific season dates, bag limits, sex of birds that may be taken, and allowable weapon types will be further defined in a depredation hunt plan by the division Regional Supervisor. (3) Hunters will be selected to receive a depredation or nuisance permit in the following order, based on permit availability: (a) randomly selected individuals in the depredation or nuisance hunter pool; and (b) individuals on the alternate limited entry drawing list, in chronological order. (4)(a) The turkey hunter depredation or nuisance pool provides hunters an opportunity to be placed on a waitlist and become eligible to receive a depredation permit as the availability for depredation permits allows. (b) Applications for the turkey hunter depredation or nuisance pool must be submitted pursuant to instructions in the current year's Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook for wild turkey. (c) Applications must be received by the date published in the Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook for wild turkey. (d) Applications received after the date published in the Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook for wild turkey may be used after the list of individuals within the depredation or nuisance hunter pool and the alternate limited entry drawing list has been exhausted. (5) If a hunter is successful in the depredation or nuisance permit drawing and possesses a valid unfilled turkey permit for a hunt in the same fiscal year as the depredation or nuisance hunt, that hunter may receive a depredation or nuisance permit at no cost. (6) Hunters selected to receive a depredation or nuisance permit who do not possess a valid unfilled turkey permit must purchase the appropriate permit before participating in the depredation or nuisance hunt. (7) Hunters selected to receive a depredation or nuisance permit will not lose bonus points associated with the limited entry application process. (8) Wild turkey depredation or nuisance permits qualify toward permit possession limits identified in Rule R657-54a. (9) Depredation or nuisance permits may be withheld from persons who have violated Title 23A, the Wildlife Resources Code of Utah, this rule, any other rule, or proclamation of the Wildlife Board, or who are otherwise ineligible to receive a permit.