2005 California Fish and Game Code Sections 4900-4904 CHAPTER 11. BIGHORN SHEEP

4900.  The Legislature declares that bighorn sheep are an important
wildlife resource of the state to be managed and maintained at sound
biological levels.  Therefore, it is hereby declared to be the policy
of the state to encourage the preservation, restoration,
utilization, and management of California's bighorn sheep population.
  The management shall be in accordance with the policy set forth in
Section 1801.
4901.  The department shall determine the status and the trend of
bighorn sheep populations by management units.  A plan shall be
developed for each of the management units.  The plan for each
management unit shall include all of the following:
   (a) Data on the numbers, age, sex ratios, and distribution of
bighorn sheep within the management unit.
   (b) A survey of range conditions and a report on the competition
that may exist as a result of human, livestock, wild burro, or any
other mammal encroachment.
   (c) An assessment of the need to relocate or reestablish bighorn
populations.
   (d) A statement on the prevalence of disease or parasites within
the population.
   (e) Recommendations for achieving the policy objective of Section
4900.
4902.  (a) The commission may adopt all regulations necessary to
provide for biologically sound management of Nelson bighorn sheep
(subspecies Ovis canadensis nelsoni).
   (b) After the plans developed by the department pursuant to
Section 4901 for the management units have been submitted, the
commission may authorize sport hunting of mature Nelson bighorn rams.
  Prior to authorizing the sport hunting, the commission shall take
into account the Nelson bighorn sheep population statewide, including
the population in the management units designated for hunting.
   Notwithstanding Section 219, the commission shall not, however,
adopt regulations authorizing the sport hunting in a single year of
more than 15 percent of the mature Nelson bighorn rams in a single
management unit, based on the department's annual estimate of the
population in each management unit.
   (c) The fee for a license tag to take a Nelson bighorn ram may be
determined by the commission, but shall not exceed five hundred
dollars ($500).
   (d) The commission shall annually direct the department to
authorize not more than three of the license tags available for
issuance that year to take Nelson bighorn rams for the purpose of
raising funds for programs and projects to benefit bighorn sheep.
These license tags may be sold to residents or nonresidents of the
State of California at auction or by other method and shall not be
subject to the fee limitation prescribed in subdivision (c).
Commencing with tags sold for the 1993 hunting season, if more than
one tag is authorized, the department shall designate a nonprofit
organization organized pursuant to the laws of this state, or the
California chapter of a nonprofit organization organized pursuant to
the laws of another state, as the seller not less than one of these
tags.  The number of tags authorized for the purpose of raising funds
pursuant to this subdivision, if more than one, shall not exceed 15
percent of the total number of tags authorized pursuant to
subdivision (b).
   (e) No license tag issued pursuant to this section shall be valid
unless and until the licensee has successfully completed a prehunt
hunter familiarization and orientation and has demonstrated to the
department that he or she is familiar with the requisite equipment
for participating in the hunting of bighorn rams, as determined by
the commission.  The orientation shall be conducted by the department
at convenient locations and times preceding each season, as
determined by the commission.
4903.  Revenue from the fees authorized by this chapter shall be
deposited in the Fish and Game Preservation Fund and shall be
expended solely for purposes of the bighorn sheep program.
Notwithstanding Sections 711 and 13004, this revenue, upon
appropriation by the Legislature, shall be available for expenditure
by the department solely for programs and projects to benefit bighorn
sheep and for the direct costs and administrative overhead incurred
solely in carrying out the department's bighorn sheep activities.
Administrative overhead shall be limited to the reasonable costs
associated with the direct administration of the program.  These
funds shall be used to augment, and not to replace, moneys
appropriated from existing funds available to the department for the
preservation, restoration, utilization, and management of bighorn
sheep.  The department shall maintain internal accountability
necessary to ensure that all restrictions on the expenditure of these
funds are met.
4904.  (a) The department shall biennially report the following to
the Legislature:
   (1) The management units for which plans have been developed
pursuant to Section 4901.
   (2) A summary of the data from the annual count conducted by the
department for the purposes of subdivision (b) of Section 4902.
   (3) The number of license tags issued in the preceding season, and
the number of mature Nelson bighorn rams taken under valid license
tags in the preceding season.
   (4) Any instance known to the department of the unlawful or
unlicensed taking of a bighorn sheep in this state and the
disposition of any prosecution therefor.
   (5) The number of bighorn sheep relocated during the previous
year, the area where reintroduced, a statement on the success of the
reintroduction, and a brief description of any reintroduction planned
for the following year.
   (b) The report which is due in 1991 shall be presented to the
Legislature on or before July 1, 1991, and shall consist of a
compilation of the results of the ongoing study conducted pursuant to
this section each year since the enactment of this chapter and an
assessment of the environmental impact of the hunting of Nelson
bighorn sheep on the herds.