Montana Code Annotated
Part 1. General Administration
81-2-121. Taking of publicly owned wild buffalo or wild bison that are present on private property -- notice -- supplemental feeding -- penalty

81-2-121. Taking of publicly owned wild buffalo or wild bison that are present on private property -- notice -- supplemental feeding -- penalty. (1) This chapter may not be construed to impose, by implication or otherwise, criminal liability on a landowner or the agent of a landowner for the taking of a publicly owned wild buffalo or wild bison that is suspected of carrying disease and that is present on the landowner's private property and is potentially associating with or otherwise threatening the landowner's livestock if the landowner or agent:
(a) notifies or makes a good faith effort to notify the department in order to allow as much time as practicable for the department to first take or remove the publicly owned wild buffalo or wild bison that is present on the landowner's property;
(b) makes a good faith effort to notify the department that a taking has occurred and to retain all parts for disposal by the department; and
(c) is not in violation of subsection (2)(a).
(2) (a) A person may not intentionally provide supplemental feed to game animals in a manner that results in artificial concentration of game animals that may potentially contribute to the transmission of disease. A person who violates this subsection (2)(a) 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, a 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.
(b) This subsection (2) does not apply to supplemental feeding activities conducted by the department for disease control purposes.
History: En. Sec. 3, Ch. 540, L. 1995; amd. Sec. 84, Ch. 258, L. 2011; amd. Sec. 4, Ch. 403, L. 2011.

Structure Montana Code Annotated