Where do the fines and restitution go that are paid by wildlife violators?
In district and county courts the wildlife fines paid go to the school district in the county where the violation occurred. Restitution, or reimbursement to the state for the value of the animal, goes to the state of Wyoming general fund. The only money the G&F might receive from a wildlife violation is if the judge orders equipment used in the crime forfeited by the violator. In that case, the G&F can sell the property by some type of auction.
In federal courts the fines paid go to the federal government. In some cases, federal judges have ordered restitution from wildlife cases to be paid to the G&F law enforcement fund as reimbursement for investigation charges.
I missed getting in on the antelope drawing. Is there any way I can still get a license?
The drawing for antelope licenses is scheduled for July 3. There typically are a number of antelope areas which have leftover licenses and are then issued in a supplemental drawing. A listing of leftover areas will be on the G&F web site at gf.state.wy.us or can be obtained by contacting any G&F office. A supplemental drawing to issue these licenses will be held in late July. The application period for these licenses is July 10-20. Keep in mind that usually all leftover antelope licenses are for areas that are mostly private land. Hunters are advised to locate a place to hunt before applying.
Black bear hunting continued until May 31 in the following bear management areas: 240, 216, 301, 317, 319, the 400 series, and 580. For hunters with validated licenses, bear hunting continued until May 31 in bear management areas 103,106, and 107. Bear management areas 316 and portions of 341 remained open until June 15.
Details on black bear seasons are available in the 2001-2002 Montana Hunting Regulations available at all FWP offices.
Hunters and outfitters are reminded that regulations require their black bear baits on public land must be removed within one week after the close of the spring or fall season.
Anyone encountering a bear bait on public land after June 22 is asked to report the location to the nearest G&F office.
A delay in printing the Utah big game antlerless proclamation has prompted state wildlife officials to extend the deadline for antlerless hunting applications by one week.
2001 Utah antlerless applications are now due no later than 5 p.m. on July 2.
Randy Brudnicki, publications editor for the Division of Wildlife Resources, says Antlerless Addendums and applications are now available at all Division offices and hunter education centers. Hunting and fishing license agents should have their copies by the week of June 18.
Both items also are available at the Division's Internet web site www.nr.state.ut.us/dwr/dwr.htm. Hunters who have an American Express, Discover, MasterCard or Visa credit card are encouraged to apply on-line at the web site.
For more information, contact the Utah Wildlife Administrative Services office at 1-800-221-0659, the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the Division's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.
Hunters who bought the B-tag for the Unit 39 Boise River elk hunting zone last fall will be notified by postcard that the number of tags available this year has been capped.
About 4,000 elk hunters will see the card in the mail within 10 days. This form of special notification of a rule that has already been made and included in the current big game hunting rules booklet may be unprecedented but Fish and Game wildlife managers want to make sure hunters are fully aware of this important change in one of Idaho's most popular hunting units.
Fish and Game commissioners voted in March to place a limit of 3,300 B-tags — tags that allow the taking of bull elk with rifles — on the unit in an attempt to maintain quality elk hunting there. The harvest of bull elk has been too high in recent years to maintain management goals. Unit 39 borders the most populous area of Idaho and is generally easily accessible. Of the 3,300 tags, 269 were allotted to nonresidents and 18 to outfitters. Slightly more than 4,000 hunters bought B-tags for the unit last year.
Resident hunters may buy tags or exchange their receipts for tags they have already bought beginning on August 1. Tags are sold on a first-come, first-served basis.
When Idahoans were asked two years ago for Fish and Game fee increases, more information for hunters and anglers was frequently mentioned by license buyers as one aspect of service they wanted to see improved. This card mailing is an effort by the Department to improve that service.