2015 Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
29. Wild animals and plants.
29.347 Possession of deer and elk; heads and skins.

WI Stat § 29.347 (2015) What's This?

29.347 Possession of deer and elk; heads and skins.

29.347(1)(1) Definition. In this section, "validated" means marked with specified information in the manner required by the department.

29.347(2) (2)Deer or elk carcass tags. Except as provided under ss. 29.324 (3) and 29.349 (2), any person who kills a deer shall immediately validate a deer carcass tag that is authorized for the type of deer killed. Any person who kills an elk shall immediately validate an elk carcass tag. Except as provided under sub. (2m) or s. 29.89 (6), no person may possess, control, store, transport, transfer, or dispose of a deer carcass unless a deer carcass tag has been validated in the manner required by the department. Except as provided under sub. (2m), no person may possess, control, store, transport, transfer, or dispose of an elk carcass unless an elk carcass tag has been validated in the manner required by the department. A person who kills a deer or an elk shall register the deer or elk in the manner required by the department. No person may possess, control, store, transport, transfer, or dispose of a deer or elk carcass unless in compliance with rules promulgated by the department under s. 29.063 (3).

29.347(2m) (2m)Removal and retention of tags.

29.347(2m)(a)(a) The person who killed or obtained an animal shall ensure that the validated carcass tag under sub. (2) and a registration tag or confirmation number issued by the department accompany the carcass until the time of butchering. After butchering, the person who killed or obtained the animal shall retain all tags and the confirmation number until the meat is consumed.

(a) A carcass tag attached under sub. (2) and a registration tag attached by the department may be removed from a gutted carcass at the time of butchering, but the person who killed or obtained the animal shall retain all tags until the meat is consumed.

29.347(2m)(b) (b) Subject to sub. (6), any person who retains a tag under par. (a) or who complies with s. 29.349 (2) (bm), if applicable, may give deer or elk meat to another person. The person who receives the gift of deer or elk meat is not required to possess a tag.

29.347(3) (3)Heads and skins.

29.347(3)(a)(a) Except as provided in sub. (6), the control or possession of the head or skin of any deer or elk lawfully killed, when severed from the rest of the carcass, are not subject to this chapter.

(a) Except as provided in par. (b) and sub. (6), the control or possession of the head or skin of any deer or elk lawfully killed, when severed from the rest of the carcass, are not subject to this chapter.

29.347(3)(b) (b) No person may possess or control deer or elk antlers in the velvet or a deer or an elk skin in the spotted coat of a lawfully killed deer or elk unless the person to whom the carcass tag for the deer or elk was issued, or the person who notified the department that he or she was taking possession of a deer under s. 29.349 (2) (bm), has requested and received authorization from the department to control or possess the antlers or skin. A request for written authorization from the department shall be made within 7 days after the carcass tag has been attached to the deer or elk or within 7 days after notification of the possession has been given to the department under s. 29.349 (2) (bm), if applicable.

29.347(4) (4)Antlers removed or broken. Any deer from which the antlers have been removed, broken, shed, or altered so as to make determination of the legality of the deer impossible is an illegal deer if the deer is taken during an open season for hunting only antlered deer or during an open season for hunting only antlerless deer. Any elk from which the antlers have been removed, broken, shed, or altered so as to make determination of the legality of the elk impossible is an illegal elk if the elk is taken during an open season for hunting only antlered elk or during an open season for hunting antlerless elk.

29.347(6) (6)Control of carcasses. No person may transport, possess, store, butcher, or control the carcass of a cervid in violation of rules promulgated by the department under s. 29.063 (3) or (4).

History: 1975 c. 97, 199; 1983 a. 546; 1991 a. 269, 316; 1995 a. 79, 126; 1997 a. 248 s. 504; Stats. 1997 s. 29.347; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 16, 56, 109; 2003 a. 247, 321; 2005 a. 286; 2011 a. 251; 2015 a. 55, 89.

Only the tag of the person who kills the deer may be attached under sub. (2). State v. Skow, 141 Wis. 2d 49, 413 N.W.2d 650 (Ct. App. 1987).

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