87-3-315. Recovery and possession of horns and skulls from mountain sheep that died of natural causes. (1) Except as provided in subsections (6) and (7), a person may recover and possess the horn or horns and attached skull, or portion thereof, of a mountain sheep that died of natural causes and was not purposefully or accidentally killed, captured, or taken, including due to being struck by a vehicle.

(2) Horns and skulls recovered pursuant to this section must be reported to the department by a method prescribed by the department within 48 hours and presented to the department for inspection and placement of a permanent pin in a horn within 10 days. The fee for the pin is $25.

(3) The insertion of a pin does not certify that an animal died of natural causes but identifies the horn or horns and indicates that the requirements of subsection (2) were met.

(4) The department may require a person who recovered a horn or horns and skull, or portion thereof, to return to the site of recovery to verify they were lawfully recovered.

(5) Skulls and horns recovered under this section may not be sold, bartered, or purchased and may not be transferred to another person without a permit issued by the department.

(6) This section does not allow the recovery or possession of horns and skulls found in state parks.

(7) The department may suspend the recovery of horns and skulls pursuant to this section during a disease-related die-off event within a mountain sheep population.

(8) For the purposes of this section, the term "horn" means the hollow horn sheath of a male mountain sheep, either attached to the skull or separated from the skull.