Chapter 29

29.171(2) (2) A resident archer hunting license authorizes the hunting of all game, except bear, elk, and wild turkey, during the open seasons established by the department for hunting that game with bow and arrow.

29.171(4) (4) 

29.171(4)(b) (b) Except as provided in par. (bc), no person may use a crossbow in hunting as authorized by any license or permit issued under this chapter unless the crossbow meets all of the following specifications:

29.171(4)(b)2. 2. Shall have a minimum draw weight of 100 pounds.

29.171(4)(b)4. 4. Shall have a working safety.

29.171(4)(b)5. 5. Shall be used with bolts or arrows of not less than 14 inches in length with a broadhead.

29.171(4)(bc) (bc) A compound bow equipped with a device that holds the bow at full draw but that is not constructed with a stock and designed to be shot from the shoulder with one hand is exempt from the specification under par. (b) 2.

29.171 History History: 1973 c. 90 s. 538; 1977 c. 232; 1979 c. 34; 1983 a. 27; 1985 a. 270; 1987 a. 353; 1989 a. 31; 1991 a. 39, 77; 1995 a. 293; 1997 a. 27, 168; 1997 a. 248 ss. 231 to 235; Stats. 1997 s. 29.171; 1997 a. 249 s. 25; 1999 a. 32; 2001 a. 18, 109; 2005 a. 285, 387; 2009 a. 119; 2011 a. 169, 252; 2013 a. 61, 165; 2013 a. 166 s. 77; 2015 a. 89, 222; 2017 a. 59.

29.172 29.172 Resident crossbow hunting license.

29.172(1) (1) A resident crossbow hunting license shall be issued subject to ss. 29.024 and 54.25 (2) (c) 1. d. by the department to any resident applying for this license.

29.172(2) (2) A resident crossbow hunting license authorizes the hunting of all game, except bear, elk, and wild turkey, during the open seasons for hunting that game with a crossbow established by the department. This license authorizes hunting with a crossbow only.

29.172 History History: 2013 a. 61; 2015 a. 89, 222; 2017 a. 59.

29.173 29.173 Resident deer hunting license.

29.173(1) (1) Issuance. A resident deer hunting license shall be issued subject to ss. 29.024 and 54.25 (2) (c) 1. d. by the department to any resident applying for this license.

29.173(2) (2) Authorization.

29.173(2)(a) (a) A resident deer hunting license authorizes the hunting of deer with a firearm, airgun, bow and arrow, or crossbow.

29.173(2)(b) (b) A qualified service member holding a current resident deer hunting license may hunt deer of either sex during any season open to hunting of deer with firearms that is established by the department. For purposes of this paragraph, a qualified service member is a member of the armed forces who exhibits proof that he or she is in active service with the armed forces outside this state and proof of one of the following:

29.173(2)(b)1. 1. That he or she is a resident who is on furlough or leave.

29.173(2)(b)2. 2. That he or she was a resident at the time he or she entered active service and that he or she is on furlough or leave.

29.173 History History: 1973 c. 90 s. 538; 1979 c. 34; 1983 a. 27; 1985 a. 270; 1993 a. 258; 1997 a. 27; 1997 a. 248 ss. 236 to 239; Stats. 1997 s. 29.173; 2005 a. 387; 2007 a. 51; 2011 a. 252; 2015 a. 89, 222; 2017 a. 59; 2023 a. 115.

29.173 Cross-reference Cross-reference: See also ch. NR 10, Wis. adm. code.

29.177 29.177 Special deer hunting permits.

29.177(1) (1) Issuance. The department may issue a hunter’s choice deer hunting permit, a deer hunting party permit or other special deer hunting permit to a person with a valid deer hunting license who applies for the permit and to a person who is exempt from obtaining a deer hunting license under s. 29.063 (5) who applies for a permit.

29.177(2) (2) Authorization. A hunter’s choice deer hunting permit may authorize or require the permit holder to take deer of a sex or type not authorized by a regular deer hunting license. A deer hunting party permit may authorize members of a deer hunting party to take additional deer not authorized by a regular deer hunting license. Except as authorized by rule, a person may not apply for or be issued more than one special deer hunting permit in a single season.

29.177(3) (3) Findings. The department may issue permits authorized under this section and s. 29.181 only in those years in which the department finds that the size or characteristics of the deer population of this state require additional or special types of deer to be taken for proper game management.

29.177(3m) (3m) Deer management rules. For the purposes of permits issued under this section and s. 29.181, the department shall specify by rule the type and number of deer which may be taken, the deer management areas where these permits are valid, the number of permits to be issued, the open seasons during which the permits are valid, the types of weapons authorized to be used under the permits, and other restrictions and conditions concerning these permits.

29.177(4) (4) Cumulative preference system. If the number of qualified applicants for a type of special deer hunting permit in a deer management area exceeds the number of such available special permits, the department shall issue those special permits for that deer management area according to the cumulative preference system.

29.177(5) (5) Preference categories.

29.177(5)(a) (a) First preference. The department shall create a first preference category for applicants who are qualified landowners, but not more than 30 percent of the available special permits for a deer management area for one season may be issued under this preference category.

29.177(5)(b) (b) Second preference. The department shall create a 2nd preference category for resident applicants who applied for but were not issued special permits for a given deer management area for the previous season. Within this preference category, the department shall give a preference point to each applicant for each previous season in which the person applied for but was not issued a special permit for that deer management area. The department shall create subcategories for each point total and place each applicant in the applicable subcategory. The department shall rank the subcategories according to the number of points received, giving higher priority to those subcategories with more points than those with fewer points. Applicants who fail to apply at least once during any 3 consecutive years shall lose all previously accumulated preference points.

29.177(5)(c) (c) Third preference. The department shall create a 3rd preference category for those persons who are not eligible under the 1st or 2nd preference categories.

29.177(5)(d) (d) Random selection. If the number of applicants within a preference category or a subcategory under this subsection exceeds the number of special deer hunting permits available in the category or subcategory, the department shall select at random within the category or subcategory the applicants to be issued the permits.

29.177(6) (6) Qualified landowner. In order to apply for a special deer hunting permit as a qualified landowner a person is required to be a resident and the owner of record or a vendee under a land contract of at least 50 acres in one parcel located in whole or in part in the deer management area for which the special permit is valid. No more than one person may apply as a qualified landowner for one parcel of land in one season and if the parcel of land is located in more than one deer management area, the owner or vendee may apply as a qualified landowner in only one of the deer management areas in which the parcel of land is located in one season.

29.177(7) (7) Exemption from cumulative preference system.

29.177(7)(a) (a) Notwithstanding sub. (4), the department may issue special deer hunting permits without requiring that the permits be issued pursuant to the cumulative preference system under sub. (4) to members of the U.S. armed forces who are all of the following:

29.177(7)(a)1. 1. Residents.

29.177(7)(a)2. 2. In active service with the U.S. armed forces outside this state.

29.177(7)(a)3. 3. On furlough or leave within the state.

29.177(7)(b) (b) The department may not impose any deadline or other restriction on the timing for permit applications or issuing permits under this subsection. If a permit under this subsection is issued during the applicable hunting season, the permit shall authorize hunting beginning on the date of issuance.

29.177 History History: 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 274, 353, 399; 1989 a. 31; 1991 a. 39; 1997 a. 27; 1997 a. 248 ss. 241 to 247; Stats. 1997 s. 29.177; 1997 a. 249 s. 27; 2005 a. 286; 2007 a. 24; 2013 a. 61.

29.179 29.179 Transfer of approvals to minors and disabled persons.

29.179(1) (1) Definitions. In this section:

29.179(1)(a) (a) “Approval” means any of the following that the department issues to a resident or a nonresident under a random or preference selection system:

29.179(1)(a)1. 1. A hunter’s choice deer hunting permit.

29.179(1)(a)2. 2. A bonus deer hunting permit.

29.179(1)(a)3. 3. A bobcat hunting and trapping permit.

29.179(1)(a)4. 4. An otter trapping permit.

29.179(1)(a)5. 5. A fisher trapping permit.

29.179(1)(a)6. 6. A Canada goose hunting permit.

29.179(1)(a)7. 7. A wild turkey hunting license.

29.179(1)(a)8. 8. A sharp-tailed grouse hunting permit.

29.179(1)(a)9. 9. A Class A bear license.

29.179(1)(a)10. 10. An elk hunting license.

29.179(1)(a)10m. 10m. Wolf harvesting license.

29.179(1)(a)11. 11. A sturgeon spearing license.

29.179(1)(am) (am) “Disabled person” means a person who holds a Class A, Class B, Class C, or Class D permit issued under s. 29.193.

29.179(1)(b) (b) “Minor” means a person who is under 18 years of age.

29.179(1)(c) (c) “Service member” means a person who is serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces.

29.179(2) (2) Application; generally. Upon application by a holder of an approval to transfer the approval to a minor or a disabled person, and upon the payment of any fee required under sub. (3), the department shall transfer the approval to the minor or the disabled person if the application is made no later than the 15 days immediately preceding the first day of the applicable open season and if the minor or the disabled person has not been previously transferred that type of approval under this section and if the minor or disabled person is otherwise eligible to use the approval. The department may transfer a sturgeon spearing license under this subsection only during the period beginning on the October 1st of each year and ending on the day that is the 15th day preceding the first day of the open season for the spearing of lake sturgeon that follows that October 1st.

29.179(2m) (2m) Application; Class A bear license. Upon application by a holder of a Class A bear license to transfer the license to a person awarded the Purple Heart or to a service member, and upon the payment of any fee required under sub. (3), the department shall transfer the license to the person awarded the Purple Heart or the service member if the application is made no later than 15 days immediately preceding the open season for the hunting of bear to which the license applies and if the person awarded the Purple Heart or the service member has not been previously transferred a Class A bear license under this section.

29.179(3) (3) Payment of fee.

29.179(3)(a) (a) If the holder of an approval applies to transfer the approval and if there is a fee for the approval, the transferee shall pay the fee for the approval.

29.179(3)(b) (b) A holder of an approval being transferred under this section may not receive any consideration for the transfer of the approval.

29.179(4) (4) Retention of preference points. Notwithstanding ss. 29.164 (3) (cr), 29.177 (5) (b), 29.184 (6) (b), and 29.192 (4), a person who is transferred an approval under this section shall retain all preference points that he or she has previously accumulated for that type of approval.

29.179(5) (5) Applicability. This section does not apply to transfers of approvals to minors that are subject to s. 29.180 (3).

29.179 History History: 2007 a. 65 ss. 2 to 5, 10 to 13; 2009 a. 180; 2011 a. 169; 2013 a. 64; 2015 a. 89, 98.

29.180 29.180 Transfers of approvals upon death.

29.180(1) (1) In this section:

29.180(1)(a) (a) “Approval” means any of the following approvals that the department issues to the resident or nonresident under a random or preference selection system:

29.180(1)(a)1. 1. Hunter’s choice deer hunting permit.

29.180(1)(a)2. 2. Bonus deer hunting permit.

29.180(1)(a)3. 3. Bobcat hunting and trapping permit.

29.180(1)(a)4. 4. Otter trapping permit.

29.180(1)(a)5. 5. Fisher trapping permit.

29.180(1)(a)6. 6. Canada goose hunting permit.

29.180(1)(a)7. 7. Wild turkey hunting license.

29.180(1)(a)8. 8. Sharp-tailed grouse hunting permit.

29.180(1)(a)9. 9. Class A bear license.

29.180(1)(a)10. 10. Elk hunting license.

29.180(1)(a)10m. 10m. Wolf harvesting license.

29.180(1)(a)11. 11. Sturgeon spearing license.

29.180(1)(b) (b) “Designee” means the decedent’s surviving spouse, personal representative, guardian, or trustee that the decedent has designated to transfer his or her preference points, preference categories, or approval to a minor.

29.180(1)(c) (c) “Minor” means a person who is eligible to receive an approval or permit and is under 18 years of age.

29.180(2) (2) 

29.180(2)(a) (a) When a person dies, the designee may apply to the department to transfer any preference points or preference category related to an approval to a minor. A request to transfer any preference points or preference category authorized under this section shall be submitted on a form provided by the department that contains all of the information requested by the department, including the signatures of both the designee and the minor.

29.180(2)(b) (b) An application to transfer preference points or preference category of a deceased person must be submitted within one year of the person’s death.

29.180(2)(c) (c) A minor shall submit an application for an approval by the established application deadline date for that approval.

29.180(3) (3) 

29.180(3)(a) (a) If a person who has been awarded an approval dies before the first day of the season to which the approval is valid, the designee may apply to the department for the transfer of the approval to a minor. A request to transfer an approval authorized under this section shall be submitted on a form provided by the department that contains all of the information requested by the department, including the signatures of both the designee and the minor.