72nd OREGON LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY--2003 Regular Session
 
NOTE:  Matter within  { +  braces and plus signs + } in an
amended section is new. Matter within  { -  braces and minus
signs - } is existing law to be omitted. New sections are within
 { +  braces and plus signs + } .
 
LC 2080
 
                           A-Engrossed
 
                         House Bill 2521
                  Ordered by the House April 16
            Including House Amendments dated April 16
 
Sponsored by Representative KRUSE
 
 
                             SUMMARY
 
The following summary is not prepared by the sponsors of the
measure and is not a part of the body thereof subject to
consideration by the Legislative Assembly. It is an editor's
brief statement of the essential features of the measure.
 
    { - Modifies landowner preference tag program. Allows tag to
be used on certain lands determined by State Fish and Wildlife
Commission to be habitat for deer, elk or antelope. Limits
issuance of tag if estimated number of animals in area is lower
than population management objective. - }
   { +  Establishes Southwest Oregon Landowner Preference Pilot
Program to provide landowner preference tags for taking elk on
certain land, effective July 1, 2004, to June 30, 2008. + }
 
                        A BILL FOR AN ACT
Relating to landowner preference tags.
Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon:
  SECTION 1.  { + Notwithstanding any other provision of the
wildlife laws, the State Department of Fish and Wildlife shall
create and implement a Southwest Oregon Landowner Preference
Pilot Program during the period beginning July 1, 2004, and
ending June 30, 2008, that:
  (1) Addresses damage caused by elk on privately owned lands in
Jackson, Josephine, Coos, Curry and Douglas Counties.
  (2) Provides landowner preference tags only for areas where elk
are currently causing damage, where there has been a history of
elk damage coupled with actions to alleviate elk damage or where
the department has designated the area as an elk deemphasis area.
  (3) Limits the use of tags to taking antlerless elk.
  (4) Limits the use of tags to taking elk on property owned,
leased or rented by the landowner complaining of elk damage or on
property owned, leased or rented by a business entity that
includes the landowner as a principal partner or shareholder.
  (5) Allows exchange of unused general season elk tags or
controlled hunt elk tags for landowner preference tags.
  (6) Does not impose a limit on the number of total tags
available for each property, except that no more than five tags
may be valid at any one time on a particular property.
  (7) Does not impose a minimum acreage requirement for landowner
participation.
  (8) Allows landowners to register for participation in the
program at any time prior to the issuance of tags.
  (9) Authorizes department biologists to sell and exchange tags.
  (10) Authorizes department biologists to establish the period
of validity for tags through negotiation with landowners.
  (11) Requires landowners to record the number of elk taken and,
within 10 days after the end of a designated hunt period, to
report to the local department biologist the number of elk
taken. + }
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