87-3-111. Unlawful possession, shipping, or transportation of game fish, birds, game animals, or fur-bearing animals -- exceptions -- penalties. (1) It is unlawful for a person to possess, ship, or transport all or part of any game fish, bird, game animal, or fur-bearing animal that was unlawfully killed, captured, or taken, whether killed, captured, or taken in Montana or outside of Montana.
     (2) This section does not prohibit:
     (a) the possession, shipping, or transportation of hides, heads, or mounts of lawfully killed, captured, or taken game fish, birds, game animals, or fur-bearing animals, except that the sale or purchase of a hide, head, or mount of a grizzly bear is prohibited, except as provided in 87-3-110;
     (b) the possession, shipping, or transportation of naturally shed antlers or the antlers with a skull or portion of a skull attached from a game animal that has died from natural causes and that has not been unlawfully killed, captured, or taken or accidentally killed;
     (c) the possession, shipping, or transportation of the bones of an elk, antelope, moose, or deer that has died from natural causes and that has not been unlawfully killed, captured, or taken or accidentally killed;
     (d) the possession, shipping, or transportation of paddlefish roe as caviar under the provisions of 87-4-601; or
     (e) the possession, shipping, or transportation of captive-reared migratory waterfowl.
     (3) It is unlawful for a person to possess, ship, or transport live fish away from the body of water in which the fish were taken, except:
     (a) as provided in Title 87, chapter 4, part 6, or as specifically permitted in the laws of this state;
     (b) for fish species approved by the commission for use as live bait and subject to any restrictions imposed by the commission; or
     (c) within the boundaries of the eastern Montana fishing district, as established by commission regulations.
     (4) The possession of all or part of a dead game fish, bird, game animal, or fur-bearing animal is prima facie evidence that the person or persons in whose possession the same are found killed, captured, or took the game fish, bird, game animal, or fur-bearing animal.
     (5) The value of a game fish, bird, game animal, or fur-bearing animal that is unlawfully possessed, shipped, or transported must be determined from the schedules of restitution values in 87-1-111 and 87-1-115. The value of game fish, birds, game animals, or fur-bearing animals that are unlawfully possessed, shipped, or transported pursuant to a common scheme, as defined in 45-2-101, or as part of the same transaction, as defined in 46-1-202, may be aggregated in determining the value.
     (6) (a) If a person is convicted under this section or forfeits bond or bail after being charged with a violation of this section and if the value of all or part of the game fish, bird, game animal, or fur-bearing animal or combination thereof does not exceed $1,000, then the person is subject to the penalties in 87-1-102.
     (b) If a person is convicted under this section or forfeits bond or bail after being charged with a violation of this section and if the value of all or part of the game fish, bird, game animal, or fur-bearing animal or combination thereof exceeds $1,000, then the person shall be fined not more than $50,000 or be imprisoned in the state prison for a term not to exceed 5 years, or both. In addition, a person who is convicted under this section or who forfeits bond or bail after being charged with a violation of this section shall lose all hunting, fishing, and trapping licenses and permits and license privileges for a minimum of 3 years or up to a lifetime revocation from the date of conviction. The department shall notify the person of the loss of privileges as imposed by the court, and the person shall surrender all licenses and permits, as ordered by the court, to the department within 10 days of notification by the department.

     History: En. Sec. 63, Ch. 173, L. 1917; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 142, L. 1919; re-en. Sec. 3742, R.C.M. 1921; amd. Sec. 23, Ch. 77, L. 1923; amd. Sec. 28, Ch. 59, L. 1927; re-en. Sec. 3742, R.C.M. 1935; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 115, L. 1939; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 22, L. 1941; amd. Sec. 24, Ch. 224, L. 1947; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 146, L. 1955; R.C.M. 1947, 26-806; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 92, L. 1981; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 540, L. 1985; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 409, L. 1989; amd. Sec. 8, Ch. 277, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 3, Ch. 329, L. 1991; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 153, L. 1993; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 116, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 1, Ch. 262, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 499, L. 2003; amd. Sec. 2, Ch. 59, L. 2005.