26.05(3)(a) (a) A person who violates this section or a rule promulgated under this section is subject to a forfeiture of not less than $100 nor more than $10,000.

26.05(3)(b) (b) Instead of the forfeiture provided under par. (a), a person who intentionally violates this section, or a rule promulgated under this section, may be punished under s. 943.20 for theft.

26.05(3)(c) (c) In addition to any other penalty, a person who violates this section, or a rule promulgated under this section, is liable for the reasonable costs incurred to establish the volume and value of the raw forest products cut, removed or transported.

26.05 History History: 1981 c. 67; 1999 a. 190.

26.06 26.06 Enforcement, seizure and sale of materials.

26.06(1) (1) Foresters, forest supervisors, rangers and wardens of the department and the cruisers and foresters of the board of commissioners of public lands have the enforcement powers specified in s. 26.97 with respect to, and may seize, without process, any forest products unlawfully severed from public lands of the state, federal lands leased to the state, county forest lands entered under s. 28.11, forest croplands entered under subch. I of ch. 77 or managed forest land designated under subch. VI of ch. 77. Seized products cut from lands under the control of the board of commissioners of public lands shall be held for the commissioners and those cut from forest croplands, managed forest land or county forest shall be held for the owner, and subject to the payment of severance share thereon to the state. Products cut from state forest lands or federal lands leased to the department shall be appraised and sold. Products appraised at more than $500 shall be sold on sealed bids not less than 10 days after a class 1 notice has been published, under ch. 985, in the county where the material is located. Any sheriff may seize and hold for the owner thereof any forest products unlawfully severed or removed.

26.06(2) (2) Any person who, without the consent of a person legally able to give consent, removes any seized products or removes or defaces a seizure notice of the department or of any sheriff shall forfeit not less than $500 nor more than $10,000.

26.06(3) (3) Any person who transports, receives or conceals any forest products, knowing the same to have been unlawfully severed from the lands of another, shall be liable to the owner for double the value thereof and in addition shall be punished as provided in s. 943.34 (1).

26.06 History History: 1971 c. 265; 1975 c. 365; 1985 a. 29; 1987 a. 266 s. 5; 1989 a. 79; 1999 a. 190; 2015 a. 358.

26.07 26.07 Money, how disposed of. All money received from the sale of logs, lumber, shingles, timber, minerals or other articles seized under this chapter, or recovered in legal proceedings for damages done the public lands, shall be paid into the treasury to the credit of the respective funds to which the lands belong on which such trespasses were committed, and all other money collected as expenses, fees, penalties and damages for trespass on such lands shall be paid into the general fund.

26.08 26.08 Leases and licenses.

26.08(1) (1) The department may, from time to time, lease parts or parcels of state park lands or state forest lands. These leases shall contain proper covenants to guard against trespass and waste. The rents arising from these leases shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the proper fund. Licenses also may be granted to prospect for ore or mineral upon any of these lands; but proper security shall be taken that the licensees will fully inform the department of every discovery of ore or mineral and will restore the surface to its former condition and value if no discovery of valuable deposits is made. The department shall retain a copy of each lease or license and file the original in the office of the board of commissioners of public lands.

26.08(2) (2) 

26.08(2)(a) (a) Except as provided under pars. (b) to (e), the department may lease state park land or state forest land for terms not exceeding 15 years.

26.08(2)(b) (b) The department may lease Rib Mountain state park lands and Willow River state park lands for terms not exceeding 30 years.

26.08(2)(bn) (bn) The department may lease state park land located within the boundaries of the Wisconsin Dells natural area for terms not exceeding 30 years.

26.08(2)(c) (c) The department may lease Kettle Moraine state forest land for the YMCA Camp Matawa for a term not exceeding 30 years.

26.08(2)(d) (d) The department may lease Northern Highland American Legion State Forest land on Statehouse Lake in the town of Manitowish Waters for the North Lakeland Discovery Center for a term not exceeding 30 years.

26.08(2)(e) (e) The department may lease state forest land located in the town of Boulder Junction to the Boulder Junction Shooting Range for terms not exceeding 30 years.

26.08(3) (3) The department shall furnish to the board of commissioners of public lands such maps, plats, surveys, valuations, information and other services as the board may request respecting any of the public lands, for use by it in granting leases or licenses or in making sales under s. 24.39.

26.08 History History: 1979 c. 34; 1987 a. 27; 1997 a. 27; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 16; 2013 a. 82.

26.09 26.09 Civil liability for unauthorized cutting, removal or transportation of raw forest products.

26.09(1b) (1b) Definitions. In this section:

26.09(1b)(a) (a) “Compass” means a sighting compass with a liquid-filled capsule that has been adjusted for the proper declination.

26.09(1b)(b) (b) “Fair market value” means the amount for which the raw forest products or land can be sold in an open market by a person willing and able but not compelled to sell and a purchaser willing and able but not obliged to buy.

26.09(1b)(c) (c) “Harvest” means to cut, remove or transport.

26.09(1b)(d) (d) “Harvesting” means cutting, removing or transporting.

26.09(1b)(e) (e) “Harvesting boundary” means the boundary of an area in which the harvesting of raw forest products is planned.

26.09(1b)(f) (f) “Owner” includes the board of commissioners of public lands if the board holds a land contract certificate under ch. 24 to the land from which the raw forest products were harvested.