Permits to hunt Canada geese causing spring agricultural damage

Permits to hunt Canada geese causing spring agricultural damage. (1) Issuance authority. Contingent upon the establishment of a federal harvest quota and goose season framework valid for Wisconsin and in accordance with this section, the department may issue Canada goose damage shooting permits valid between May 1 and August 31 to agricultural crop land owners or lessees experiencing crop damage by Canada geese. Permittees may issue Canada goose damage hunter permits to other persons and authorize them to assist by hunting Canada geese causing damage. (2) Definitions. For purpose of this section: (a) “Goose hunting zone” means those established under s. NR 10.31 . (b) “Lands suitable for hunting” means as defined in s. NR 12.31 (4) . (3) Application requirement. An applicant shall apply for a landowner or lessee permit to hunt Canada geese causing spring agricultural damage under this section on forms supplied by the department. A separate application is required for each parcel of noncontiguous crop lands. (4) Permit issuance criteria. After determining that issuance or extension of permits under this section will not result in the harvest of Canada geese which exceeds the federally approved quota, the department may issue goose damage hunting permits only to landowners or lessees meeting the following criteria: (a) Ownership of crops being damaged. The applicant shall be an individual who owns or leases the crop lands being damaged or be one officer of the corporation that owns or leases the crop lands being damaged. No more than one landowner or lessee permit may be issued for a parcel of land at the same time. (b) Hunting access control. Applicants shall possess the authority to control entry for goose hunting on the damaged crop lands and any contiguous lands under the same ownership which are suitable for hunting; (c) $1,000 damage extent. Damage to the applicant’s crops shall be ongoing and either exceed or be likely to exceed $1,000 in the current calendar year as determined by the county wildlife damage administrator. (d) Alternative abatement attempted. The applicant shall comply with all alternative damage abatement techniques recommended by the county or the county’s agent. (f) Permit and license compliance. The applicant shall have complied with the conditions of any permit to remove Canada geese causing spring agricultural damage issued to him or her within the 12 months immediately preceding application. (5) Permit conditions. Any landowner or lessee permit issued under this section is subject to the following conditions: (a) Public goose hunting. 1. The permittee shall keep the damaged crop lands and any contiguous lands under the same ownership which are suitable for hunting open to public goose hunting subject to subd. 2. during the current calendar year’s goose hunting season. 2. Permittees may refuse access to goose hunters for reasonable cause. Reasonable cause may not be based on age, race, religion, color, disability, sex, physical condition, development disability, creed, sexual orientation or national origin. However, the presence of at least 2 hunters per each 40 acres of land suitable for hunting shall constitute reasonable cause for refusal. (f) Reporting. The landowner or lessee permittee shall maintain a record of all hunters, including themselves. Upon request from the county, its agent, or the department, the landowner or lessee permittee shall return their permit and all hunter permit records. The permittee shall report all Canada geese harvested under the permits to the department by October 31 of the year the permit was issued. (g) Permit length. Permits shall only be valid from May 1 to August 31 of each year. (6) Conditions of hunting. No person may hunt or possess Canada geese under a permit issued under this section unless they have complied with the following conditions: (a) Licensing. 1. The landowner or lessee permittee shall only be required to comply with the federal migratory bird stamp purchase and possession requirements. 2. All persons other than the landowner or lessee permittee who are authorized to participate under this section shall possess all state and federal licenses, permits and stamps required to hunt Canada geese within the goose hunting zone which contains the lands described on the permit. (b) Use of other permits. All persons authorized to participate under this section shall have used any other goose hunting permit and carcass tags issued to them which are valid for the locations and effective dates specified in the landowner or lessee permit prior to using the carcass tags issued under this section. (c) Reporting. All persons issued a permit under this section shall report the harvest of a Canada goose to the landowner or lessee permittee and mail a completed goose harvest report card to the department within 48 hours of the time of harvest. (d) Carcass tags. All persons issued carcass tags under this section shall immediately peel off and affix the carcass tag identification number to the appropriate location on the forms provided by the department. Carcass tags are nontransferable. (e) Goose disposition. Canada geese shall be disposed of in compliance with 50 CFR 21.165 (d) (5) . (f) Regulation compliance. Except as otherwise authorized in this section, all participants shall comply with all state and federal waterfowl hunting regulations. Any geese taken by a person who has not complied fully with this section shall be considered illegally obtained. (g) Permit possession. All persons hunting Canada geese under a permit issued under this section shall carry on his or her person the permit authorizing their participation.