HOUSE BILL NO. 332

INTRODUCED BY A. WALTERS

A BILL FOR AN ACT ENTITLED: "AN ACT ALLOWING A NONRESIDENT AND RESIDENT MOUNTAIN LION HUNTER TO TAKE UP TO TWO MOUNTAIN LIONS EACH HUNTING SEASON; ALLOWING A NONRESIDENT AND RESIDENT TO PURCHASE A CLASS D-1 AND D-2 LICENSE, RESPECTIVELY, AT ANY TIME DURING THE HUNTING SEASON; RESTRICTING THE PURCHASE OF A TROPHY LICENSE TO MALE MOUNTAIN LIONS; AMENDING SECTIONS 87-2-507, 87-2-508, AND 87-2-702, MCA; AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE."

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF MONTANA:

Section 1. Section 87-2-507, MCA, is amended to read:

"87-2-507. (Temporary) Class D-1--nonresident mountain lion license. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a person who is not a resident, as defined in 87-2-102, but who is 12 years of age or older, upon payment of a fee of $320 for each license any time during the hunting season, may receive up to two Class D-1 licenses that entitle the holder to hunt mountain lion and possess the carcass of the mountain lion as authorized by department rules. If a holder of a valid mountain lion license under this section kills a mountain lion, the licensee shall purchase a trophy license for a fee of $50 for male lions only, within 10 days after the date of kill. The trophy license authorizes the holder to possess and transport the trophy. (Terminates March 1, 2006--secs. 1, 2, Ch. 241, L. 1993.)

87-2-507. (Effective March 1, 2006) Class D-1--nonresident mountain lion license. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a person who is not a resident, as defined in 87-2-102, but who is 12 years of age or older, upon payment of a fee of $300 for each license any time during the hunting season, may receive up to two Class D-1 licenses that entitle the holder to hunt mountain lion and possess the carcass of the mountain lion as authorized by department rules. If a holder of a valid mountain lion license under this section kills a mountain lion, the licensee shall purchase a trophy license for a fee of $50 for male lions only, within 10 days after the date of kill. The trophy license authorizes the holder to possess and transport the trophy."

Section 2. Section 87-2-508, MCA, is amended to read:

"87-2-508. Class D-2--resident mountain lion license. Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, a person who is a resident, as defined in 87-2-102, and who is 12 years of age or older, upon payment of a fee of $15 for each license any time during the hunting season, may receive up to two Class D-2 licenses that entitle the holder to hunt mountain lion and possess the carcass of the mountain lion as authorized by department rules. If a holder of a valid mountain lion license under this section kills a mountain lion, the licensee shall purchase a trophy license for a fee of $50 for male lions only, within 10 days after the date of kill. The trophy license authorizes the holder to possess and transport the trophy."

Section 3. Section 87-2-702, MCA, is amended to read:

"87-2-702. Restrictions on special licenses. (1) A person who has killed or taken any game animal, except a deer, mountain lion, or antelope, during the current license year is not permitted to receive a special license under this chapter to hunt or kill a second game animal of the same species.

(2) The commission may require applicants for special permits authorized by this chapter to obtain a valid big game license for that species for the current year prior to applying for a special permit.

(3) A person may lawfully take only one grizzly bear in Montana with a license authorized by 87-2-701.

(4) (a) A person who receives a moose, mountain goat, or limited mountain sheep license, with the exception of an adult ewe license, as authorized by 87-2-701, is not eligible to receive another special license for that species for the next 7 years. For the purposes of this subsection (4)(a), "limited mountain sheep license" means a license that is valid for an area in which the number of licenses issued is restricted.

(b) A person who takes a mountain sheep using an unlimited mountain sheep license, with the exception of a mountain sheep taken pursuant to an adult ewe license, as authorized by 87-2-701, is not eligible to receive another special license for that species for the next 7 years. For the purposes of this subsection (4)(b), "unlimited mountain sheep license" means a license that is valid for an area in which the number of licenses issued is not restricted."

NEW SECTION. Section 4. Effective date. [This act] is effective July 1, 1999.

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