2010 Wyoming Statutes
Title 23 - Game And Fish
Chapter 5 - Game Bird Farms; Fishing Preserves

CHAPTER 5 - GAME BIRD FARMS; FISHING PRESERVES

ARTICLE 1 - GAME BIRD FARMS

23-5-101. Compliance with provisions prerequisite to establishment of game bird farm.

Any person who owns, or any person who holds or controls fee land, by lease or otherwise which holding, controlling or lease shall be for a period of five (5) years beyond the time of compliance with this act, any continuous tract of land within the state suitable for game birds upon complying with the provisions of this act, may, establish, operate and maintain a game bird farm for the purpose of breeding, propagating, killing, hunting, and selling game birds.

23-5-102. Department to issue licenses.

The department shall issue licenses for game bird farms, and for the propagation, breeding, possession, use, releasing, killing, hunting, and sale of licensed birds therefrom.

23-5-103. Applicant for license to file verified declaration.

An owner or lessee desiring to establish, operate, and maintain a game bird farm in conformity with this act shall file with the department a verified declaration, describing the purpose for, and proposed methods of breeding, propagating, hunting and sale of licensed game birds and setting forth the number of acres embraced in the tract to be so used, together with the legal description of the tract.

23-5-104. Investigation of applicant; issuance of license; purchase or replacement of birds; marking of birds.

(a) Upon the filing of the declaration the department shall investigate and require the applicant to produce satisfactory evidence of the facts stated in the declaration. The licensee shall purchase or replace to the state all game birds within the boundaries of the proposed farm and to effect this purpose, the department shall appoint one (1) man, the applicant one (1) man, and these two (2) shall select a third man, the three (3) to act as a board to go upon the lands embraced within the proposed license and determine as nearly as possible the number of wild game birds occupying the proposed tract. The determination shall be made within thirty (30) days after the date of the application for a license. The necessary expense of all of the members of the board shall be paid by the licensee. Within thirty (30) days after the date of the determination of the number of occupying game birds the licensee shall pay to the department a specified sum per bird as determined by the department or replace to the state an equivalent number of birds.

(b) The department shall issue a license to the applicant describing the lands, and certifying that the licensee is lawfully entitled to use the lands for the breeding, propagating, hunting, killing, and selling of licensed game birds thereon according to the provisions of this act if upon such examination it appears:

(i) The applicant is the owner or lessee of the lands;

(ii) The applicant intends in good faith to establish, operate, and maintain a commercial game bird farm, and raise and release additional game birds into the wild;

(iii) The area to be licensed is enclosed by a legal fence and posted as a "private game bird farm"; and

(iv) The applicant has paid to the department the specified sum for game birds on the premises or replaced to the state an equivalent number of game birds.

(c) When a license has been granted, the licensee becomes the owner of all offspring of the game birds actually produced and remaining thereon. No person shall entice game birds into the licensed premises by baiting, artificial feeding or by any other means. All adult game birds released on the licensed premises shall be marked by identifying leg or wing bands. After three (3) years of continuous operation and licensure for the same location, the licensee shall not be required to mark adult game birds with identifying leg or wing bands. To be qualified as a licensee under this act, each licensee shall release a minimum of one hundred (100) game birds each year on the licensed premises. Failure to release the minimum number of birds is cause for revocation of the license. The commission shall not limit by rule and regulation or policy the number of game birds a licensee may raise, possess, confine, transport or dispose of in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.

23-5-105. License fee; expiration; renewal of license.

Applicants for the license shall pay the proper fee. The license expires on February 1 of each year, but may be renewed each year in the discretion of the department upon the payment of the proper fee.

23-5-106. Rights of licensee generally.

The game bird farm license is prima facie evidence in all courts and proceedings of the lawful right of the licensee therein named, his or its successor or assigns, for the term of license, to establish and operate a game bird farm upon the premises, and entitles the licensee therein named or his successors or assigns, to the exclusive right for and during the term to breed, propagate, hunt, kill, and sell the licensed game birds thereon. The licensee shall not shoot or kill over ninety-six percent (96%) of the birds reared or released on his premises.

23-5-107. Receipt to be given for removal of birds from licensed premises.

Before any bird may be removed from the licensed premises, the licensee or operator shall issue to the person removing birds a receipt. The receipt shall be dated and shall contain information as to the number of birds, the sex, and species being removed from the licensed premises.

23-5-108. Hunting restricted to established seasons; license required; exceptions.

(a) No person shall take game birds on any licensed game bird farm area at any time except during the established season for game bird farms and unless:

(i) The person has in his possession at the time a license authorizing the hunting of game birds as required under this act or a special bird license; or

(ii) The person is participating in a special competitive game bird hunt as defined by commission regulation conducted on a licensed game bird farm.

23-5-109. Special bird license; fee; license not required of commercial purchasers.

All game bird farm licensees are authorized selling agents of the commission, may issue a special bird license on forms prescribed by the commission to any person who does not have in his possession a license authorizing the hunting of game birds as required by this act, and shall comply with all provisions of this act. Special bird licenses are valid for a period of three (3) days from the date of issuance and valid for use only on the premises of the licensee selling the license. The appropriate fee for the special bird license shall be paid to the department. The licensee may charge such additional fee for his personal services as he feels his operations may dictate, or he may sell directly to a commercial operator or restaurant operator, live or dressed game birds without their having to be killed by the purchaser, provided they are properly receipted, in which case the purchaser is not required to possess a valid game bird hunting license.

23-5-110. Season required; exceptions.

Game bird farms shall have a season commencing the first day of August and ending the last day of March. Each initial application or annual application for renewal shall submit the opening and closing dates of the season for approval by the commission. Special competitive game bird hunts as defined by commission regulation may take place throughout the year with the approval of the department.

ARTICLE 2 - FISHING PRESERVES

23-5-201. Department authorized to issue licenses.

The department upon application and payment of the proper fee shall issue licenses for fishing preserves permitting the acquisition, possession, and rearing of fish therein.

23-5-202. "Fishing preserve waters" defined.

"Fishing preserve waters" means any artificial or man-made body of water not exceeding one hundred (100) surface acres, lying wholly within the boundaries of privately owned lands, operated for the purpose of permitting the owner to provide fishing facilities for fishermen. It does not include natural streams, natural ponds or waters impounded by the damming of natural streams with a normal stream flow in excess of five (5) second feet. It is unlawful to use such natural waters as a fishing preserve. The sources of water for fishing preserve waters are limited to surface runoff, natural springs, wells, or waters lawfully diverted from a natural stream, or the damming of natural streams with a normal stream flow of five (5) second feet or less.

23-5-203. Issuance of license; separate license required for each body of water; contents of license.

(a) The department shall, after application and payment of the proper fee, issue to an owner of fishing preserve waters a fishing preserve license permitting the holder to manage the fishing preserve waters and to possess, rear and to take or permit others to take therefrom, fish acquired from any legal source. A separate license is required for each body of water defined in this act as fishing preserve waters. Two (2) or more ponds under one (1) ownership, supplied by one (1) common water source and located on one (1) continuous parcel of land, shall be considered as one (1) body of water requiring one (1) license.

(b) The license so issued shall:

(i) Specify the species of fish authorized to be stocked therein;

(ii) Specify the source of acquisition of fish stocked therein;

(iii) Specify the means, if any, to be used to trap the fish below the licensed waters.

23-5-204. Permission to take fish from licensed waters; fee or dues; fishing license not required; receipts for removal of fish.

Any licensee, during the term of his license, may grant permission to other persons to take fish in or from the licensed fishing preserve waters and to charge a fee for fishing, or if a club, to impose dues permitting such angling by members of the club. No fishing license is required to fish in any licensed fishing preserve waters. The licensee shall issue a receipt to any person removing fish from licensed premises. The receipt shall be provided by the department.