Montana Code Annotated 2023

TITLE 87. FISH AND WILDLIFE

CHAPTER 6. FISH AND WILDLIFE CRIMINAL PROVISIONS

Part 7. Commercial Offenses

Failure To Report Or Tattoo

87-6-701. Failure to report or tattoo. (1) Any bear, wolf, tiger, mountain lion, or coyote that is captured alive to be released later or that is held in captivity for any purpose must be reported to the department within 3 days of the capture or commencement of captivity.

(2) Each animal reported as required in subsection (1) must be permanently tattooed or otherwise permanently identified in a manner that will provide positive individual identification of the animal. No tattoo is required if the animal is subject to a permanent, individual identification process by another state or federal agency.

(3) Any person holding a bear, wolf, tiger, mountain lion, or coyote in captivity shall immediately report to the department any death, escape, release, transfer of custody, or other disposition of the animal.

(4) A person convicted of a violation of this section shall be fined not less than $50 or more than $1,000 or be imprisoned in the county detention center for not more than 6 months, or both. In addition, the person, upon conviction or forfeiture of bond or bail, may be subject to forfeiture of any current hunting, fishing, or trapping license issued by this state and the privilege to hunt, fish, or trap in this state or to use state lands, as defined in 77-1-101, for recreational purposes for a period of time set by the court.

History: En. Sec. 49, Ch. 258, L. 2011.