Notice of Hearings
The Department of Natural Resources announces that it will hold public hearings on CS-03-16 related to rules related to the automated system for delivering recreational license products. The rules would revise Ch.’s NR 8, NR 10, NR 12, NR 20, and NR 23 Wis. Admin. Code. The hearings will be held at the time and place shown below.
Hearing Information
Time: 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
Date and location: Monday, August 21, DNR Service Center, 5301 Rib Mountain Drive, Wausau, WI 54401
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Date and location: Monday, August 21, DNR Service Center, 3911 Fish Hatchery Road, Fitchburg, WI 53711
Rule Information
CS-03-16 related to modernizing the system for issuing recreational license products.
This rule establishes forms of acceptable proof of products issued by the department’s statewide automated system. For hunting licenses, hunting stamps, goose permits, trapping licenses, disabled trolling or hunting permits, guide licenses, and wild rice harvest licenses, and fishing licenses and stamps used on inland waters that are not boundary waters or outlying waters, acceptable forms of proof of an original approval include a reprint of the original approval, a Wisconsin driver’s license, a conservation card, or an image displayed on an electronic device of a digital file produced by the department. For fishing licenses and fishing stamps used while fishing on inland waters that are boundary waters or while fishing on outlying waters, acceptable forms of proof of an original approval include a reprint of the original approval. For hunter education, bow hunter education, elk hunter education, and trapper education certificates of accomplishment, acceptable alternative forms of proof of the original certificate include a reprint, a Wisconsin driver’s license, a conservation card, or a digital file displayed on an electronic device. For an atv/utv, boating, and snowmobile safety certificates, temporary operating receipts issued for atv/utv, boat, snowmobile registration, temporary trail use receipts issued for atv/utv and snowmobile trail passes, and wild ginseng licenses, acceptable forms of proof of the original include a reprint or an image displayed on an electronic device of a digital file produced by the department. For a unique carcass tag for bear, deer, goose, grouse, sturgeon, or turkey that has not been validated, the only alternative form of proof of the original tag allowed is a reprint. These rules specify that for those products for which a reprint is authorized as a form of proof, a person may obtain a reprint by producing a high-quality printed hard-copy themselves, requesting the department reprint the approval at a Service Center, or requesting a license agent reprint the approval.
This rule establishes new regulations for the tagging and registration of game and makes regulations consistent among the species affected. The new rule provisions eliminate requirements that carcass tags be validated by marking the tag with a knife so that writing on the tag or separating a designated portion of the tag as indicated on the tag can be another way to validate them. This rule also eliminates the requirement that carcass tags be immediately attached after harvesting an animal, which will prevent loss or damage to carcass tags which are paper instead of a more durable material. It would still be required to display the carcass tag upon the department’s request or to attach the tag any time the carcass is left unattended by the person who tagged the animal. The species affected are the ones for which the department requires carcass tags and includes: deer, bear, elk, wild turkey, sharp-tailed grouse, Canada goose when extra harvest control measures are being implemented, bobcat, fisher, otter, and wolves when they are not listed as a threatened or endangered species.
This rule expands the prohibition of possessing a validated deer carcass tag while hunting and not also in possession of a deer carcass so that this prohibition also applies for other permit species in addition to deer. Further, these rule provisions specify that once a person harvests a bear, deer, goose, grouse, sturgeon, or turkey under the authority of an unfilled tag, that tag is considered filled and may no longer be reprinted.
In addition, this rule stablishes new regulations for the tagging of lake sturgeon harvested during the existing hook‑and‑line and spearing seasons. These rule provisions eliminate requirements that a carcass tag be validated by marking it with a knife. Instead, people who harvest sturgeon must follow the validation directions written on the carcass tags: writing the date of harvest or separating a designated portion of the tag. This rule also eliminates the requirement that carcass tags be immediately attached after harvesting an animal, which will prevent loss or damage to carcass tags which are paper instead of a more durable material. Anglers will be required to display the carcass tag upon the department’s request or to attach the tag any time the carcass is left unattended by the person who tagged the animal. The rule also clarifies that the person who harvested the sturgeon must be the person who registers a sturgeon at a department registration station.
Accessibility
1. Hearing impaired persons may request an interpreter for this hearing. Please make reservations for a hearing interpreter at least 10 days before the date of the scheduled hearing, by writing to e-mail
2. Alternatively, you may contact the Department of Natural Resources TDD at (608) 267-6897. The hearing facility is accessible to disabled users.
3. Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, reasonable accommodations, including the provision of information material in an alternative format, will be provided for qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. Please call with specific information on your request at least 10 days before the date of the scheduled hearing.
4. Handicap access is available at the hearing location.
Appearances at the Hearing and Submittal of Written Comments
Comments on the proposed rule must be received on or before Monday, August 21, 2017. Written comments may be submitted by U.S. mail, fax, E-mail, or through the internet and will have the same weight and effect as oral statements presented at the public hearing. Written comments and any questions on the proposed rules should be submitted to:
Department of Natural Resources
Attn: Ms. Linda Olver
P.O. Box 7921
101 S. Webster Street,
Madison, WI 53707-7921
Initial Regulatory Flexibility Analysis
The proposed rule will not have an effect on small businesses, as defined under s. 227.114 (1). Agency Small Business Regulatory Coordinator:
Linda Haddix (608) 266-1959
Dated at Madison, Wisconsin on July 13, 2017.
