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LRB-4780/1
ZDW:skw
2021 - 2022 LEGISLATURE
October 29, 2021 - Introduced by Representatives Tittl, Dallman, Brandtjen,
Callahan, Edming, James, Knodl, Magnafici, Milroy, Moses, Mursau,
Penterman, Sortwell and Thiesfeldt, cosponsored by Senators Felzkowski,
Ballweg, Jacque, Jagler, Stroebel and Testin. Referred to Committee on
Sporting Heritage.
AB667,1,7 1An Act to repeal 29.596; to amend 20.370 (1) (hy), 29.179 (4), 29.563 (14) (c) 3.,
229.563 (14) (c) 4., 29.889 (1) (e), 29.938 (intro.), 29.977 (1) (b) and 29.983 (1) (b)
32.; and to create 20.370 (1) (hy), 29.165, 29.180 (1) (a) 8m., 29.183 (1) (hm),
429.553 (1) (gm), 29.563 (2) (c) 3., 29.563 (2) (d) 3., 29.563 (13) (am), 29.563 (14)
5(a) 4. and 29.596 of the statutes; relating to: hunting of sandhill cranes,
6wildlife damage abatement assistance and claim payments for damage caused
7by sandhill cranes, and making an appropriation.
Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau
This bill requires the Department of Natural Resources to authorize the
hunting of sandhill cranes by individuals who have completed a sandhill crane
hunter education course and who possess the appropriate approval issued by DNR.
Under the bill, if DNR determines it is necessary for proper game management,
DNR may limit the number of cranes harvested and the number of hunters by issuing
permits. If DNR issues permits, DNR must determine the number of permits it will
issue for a given sandhill crane hunting area and season. If the number of
applications for the permits for a given hunting area or season do not exceed the
number of available permits, DNR must issue a permit to each applicant. If the
number of applications exceeds the number of available permits, DNR may either
issue the permits at random or establish a cumulative preference system.

Under the bill, if a cumulative preference system is used, the system
establishes preference categories for applicants who applied for but were not issued
permits, with higher priority given to applicants with more preference points. Under
the preference system, an applicant may elect to apply for a permit or a preference
point and pay a processing fee. There is no fee for the permit itself. The revenue from
the processing fees is appropriated for improving and managing the sandhill crane
population and for administering the sandhill crane hunter education program.
Current law authorizes a person who owns, leases, or controls land on which
certain wild animals cause damage to crops or livestock to apply under a
state-funded wildlife damage program for wildlife damage abatement assistance
and for wildlife damage claim payments. Wildlife damage for which a person is
eligible for assistance or payments includes damage caused by sandhill cranes if
hunting of cranes is authorized by DNR. The bill removes this condition. The
revenue from the wildlife damage surcharge fees is appropriated for use under the
wildlife damage program and other fish and game management activities.
The bill requires DNR to establish and conduct a sandhill crane hunter
education program. The bill repeals this requirement after two years.
For further information see the state and local fiscal estimate, which will be
printed as an appendix to this bill.
The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do
enact as follows:
AB667,1 1Section 1. 20.370 (1) (hy) of the statutes is created to read:
AB667,2,52 20.370 (1) (hy) Sandhill crane management. All moneys received as processing
3fees for sandhill crane hunting permit applications under s. 29.563 (14) (a) 4. for
4developing, managing, preserving, restoring, and maintaining the sandhill crane
5population and for the sandhill crane hunter education program under s. 29.596.
AB667,2 6Section 2 . 20.370 (1) (hy) of the statutes, as created by 2021 Wisconsin Act ....
7(this act), is amended to read:
AB667,2,118 20.370 (1) (hy) Sandhill crane management. All moneys received as processing
9fees for sandhill crane hunting permit applications under s. 29.563 (14) (a) 4. for
10developing, managing, preserving, restoring, and maintaining the sandhill crane
11population and for the sandhill crane hunter education program under s. 29.596.
AB667,3 12Section 3. 29.165 of the statutes is created to read:
AB667,3,8
129.165 Sandhill crane hunting permits. (1) Authorization; restrictions.
2(a) Department authority. The department shall authorize the hunting of sandhill
3cranes in this state. The department may issue sandhill crane hunting permits to
4limit the number of hunters of sandhill cranes and the number of sandhill cranes
5harvested in any area of the state if the department determines that such limitations
6are required for proper game management. The department shall establish one
7sandhill crane hunting season and may establish by rule closed zones where the
8hunting of sandhill cranes is prohibited.
AB667,3,129 (b) Requirements. No person may hunt sandhill cranes unless he or she has a
10valid small game license, or other license that authorizes the hunting of small game,
11and a valid sandhill crane hunting permit if such a permit is required under this
12section.
AB667,4,9 13(2) Issuance of permits. (a) Procedure; preference system. If the department
14requires sandhill crane hunting permits under sub. (1) (a), the department shall
15determine the number of permits it will issue for a given sandhill crane hunting area
16and for a given sandhill crane hunting season. If the number of applications for
17sandhill crane hunting permits for a given hunting area or season do not exceed the
18number of available sandhill crane hunting permits allocated by the department for
19that hunting area or that season, the department shall issue a sandhill crane
20hunting permit to each applicant who pays the applicable fee. If the number of
21applications for sandhill crane hunting permits for a given hunting area or season
22exceeds the number of available sandhill crane hunting permits allocated by the
23department for that area or that season, the department may either issue the
24permits at random or establish a cumulative preference system. If a cumulative
25preference system is used, the system shall establish preference categories for those

1applicants who applied for but were not issued permits, with higher priority given
2to those categories with more preference points than those with fewer preference
3points. Under the system, the department shall allow each applicant to apply for a
4preference point or for a permit for each sandhill crane hunting season. The
5department shall give a preference point to each applicant who applies for a
6preference point and to each applicant who applies for a permit but who is not
7selected. If the number of applicants within a preference category exceeds the
8number of permits available in the category, the department shall select at random
9within the category the applicants to be issued the permits.
AB667,4,1210 (b) Loss of preference points. Applicants who fail to apply for either a preference
11point or a permit at least once during any 3 consecutive years shall lose all previously
12accumulated preference points.
AB667,4,1413 (c) Permit limitation. No person may apply for or receive more than one
14sandhill crane hunting permit for one season.
AB667,4,2015 (d) Notification; issuance; payment. The department shall issue a notice of
16approval to those qualified applicants selected to receive a sandhill crane hunting
17permit under par. (a). A person who receives a notice of approval and who pays the
18permit fee in the manner required by the department shall be issued a sandhill crane
19hunting permit and tag. The department may not charge a fee for a tag that is issued
20under this paragraph.
AB667,4,23 21(3) Use of moneys from fees. The fees collected from the issuance of sandhill
22crane hunting permits shall be credited to the appropriation account under s. 20.370
23(1) (hy).
AB667,4 24Section 4. 29.179 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB667,5,4
129.179 (4) Retention of preference points. Notwithstanding ss. 29.164 (3)
2(cr), 29.165 (2) (b), 29.177 (5) (b), 29.184 (6) (b), and 29.192 (4), a person who is
3transferred an approval under this section shall retain all preference points that he
4or she has previously accumulated for that type of approval.
AB667,5 5Section 5. 29.180 (1) (a) 8m. of the statutes is created to read:
AB667,5,66 29.180 (1) (a) 8m. Sandhill crane hunting permit.
AB667,6 7Section 6. 29.183 (1) (hm) of the statutes is created to read:
AB667,5,88 29.183 (1) (hm) Sandhill crane hunting permit.
AB667,7 9Section 7. 29.553 (1) (gm) of the statutes is created to read:
AB667,5,1010 29.553 (1) (gm) Sandhill crane hunting permit.
AB667,8 11Section 8. 29.563 (2) (c) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
AB667,5,1212 29.563 (2) (c) 3. Sandhill crane: $0.
AB667,9 13Section 9. 29.563 (2) (d) 3. of the statutes is created to read:
AB667,5,1414 29.563 (2) (d) 3. Sandhill crane: $0.
AB667,10 15Section 10. 29.563 (13) (am) of the statutes is created to read:
AB667,5,1816 29.563 (13) (am) Surcharge for sandhill crane permit. The surcharge for a
17sandhill crane hunting permit shall be $2. This surcharge shall be paid together with
18the processing fee specified in sub. (14) (a) 4.
AB667,11 19Section 11 . 29.563 (14) (a) 4. of the statutes is created to read:
AB667,5,2120 29.563 (14) (a) 4. The processing fee for applications for sandhill crane hunting
21permits: $7.75.
AB667,12 22Section 12. 29.563 (14) (c) 3. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB667,6,323 29.563 (14) (c) 3. Each application for a hunter's choice permit, bonus deer
24hunting permit, elk hunting license, wild turkey hunting license, Class A bear
25license, wolf harvesting license, Canada goose hunting permit, sandhill crane

1hunting permit,
sharp-tailed grouse hunting permit, bobcat hunting and trapping
2permit, otter trapping permit, fisher trapping permit, or sturgeon fishing permit: 25
3cents.
AB667,13 4Section 13. 29.563 (14) (c) 4. of the statutes is amended to read:
AB667,6,65 29.563 (14) (c) 4. Each bonus deer hunting permit issued for which a fee is
6charged under sub. (2) (c) 1. or 1m. or (d) 1. or 2.: 75 cents.
AB667,14 7Section 14 . 29.596 of the statutes is created to read:
AB667,6,10 829.596 Sandhill crane hunter education program. (1) The department
9shall establish and conduct a sandhill crane hunter education program. The
10program shall provide a course of instruction that includes all of the following:
AB667,6,1211 (a) History and recovery of the sandhill crane in this state and in the eastern
12United States.
AB667,6,1313 (b) Methods used to distinguish sandhill cranes from other birds.
AB667,6,1414 (c) Methods used to estimate the population of sandhill cranes in the state.
AB667,6,1515 (d) Areas covered by sandhill crane hunting zones.
AB667,6,1716 (e) Any rules promulgated by the department concerning the hunting of
17sandhill cranes.
AB667,6,19 18(2) (a) Except as provided in par. (b), no person may hunt sandhill cranes unless
19he or she has successfully completed the course established under sub. (1).
AB667,6,2320 (b) A person who has a certificate, license, or other evidence that is satisfactory
21to the department indicating that he or she has successfully completed in another
22state, country, or province a sandhill crane hunter education program recognized by
23the department may obtain a sandhill crane hunting permit.
AB667,6,25 24(3) The department may not charge a fee for the course of instruction under
25sub. (1).
AB667,15
1Section 15 . 29.596 of the statutes, as created by 2021 Wisconsin Act .... (this
2act), is repealed.
AB667,16 3Section 16. 29.889 (1) (e) of the statutes is amended to read:
AB667,7,54 29.889 (1) (e) Sandhill crane if hunting of sandhill cranes is authorized by the
5department
.
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