29.506 Taxidermists.
(1) Definitions. In this section:
(am) “Identification numbers" include numbers that appear on identification tags under sub. (5) (b), registration numbers, and carcass tag numbers.
(b) “Taxidermist" means a person who mounts or preserves the carcass of any wild animal for consideration.
(2) Permit requirements. No person may engage in business as a taxidermist unless he or she is issued a taxidermist permit subject to s. 29.024 by the department. This subsection does not apply to agents or employees of taxidermists while working under the direct supervision of a taxidermist permit holder.
(3) Permits. The department may not issue a taxidermist permit to any person unless that person has a seller's permit issued by the department of revenue and the number of the seller's permit is reported on the application form.
(4) Authorization. Subject to this section, a taxidermist permit authorizes the permit holder to possess and transport carcasses of wild animals in connection with his or her business. This authority supersedes, to the extent permitted under this section, restrictions on the possession and transportation of carcasses of wild animals established under this chapter and ch. 169. A taxidermist permit entitles the permit holder to the same privileges as a Class A fur dealer's license.
(5) Prohibition on commingling carcasses; carcass identification.
(a) Commingling. No person may commingle, store, possess or transport carcasses of wild animals received in connection with his or her business with carcasses of wild animals received for any other purpose. This paragraph does not require separate refrigeration units for carcasses of wild animals received in connection with a person's business, if properly identified and recorded under pars. (b) and (c), and carcasses of wild animals received for any other purpose.
(b) Carcass identification. A person who receives the carcass of any wild animal in connection with his or her business as a taxidermist shall attach an identification tag to the carcass and record information concerning the owner of the carcass. The identification tag shall remain with the carcass while it is in the possession or under the control of the taxidermist. Each identification tag shall have an identification number that corresponds with the information record prepared by or for the owner of the carcass as specified under par. (c).
(c) Owner information. The information record prepared by or for the owner shall include the owner's name, address, and signature; a description of the carcass; the date on which the carcass is received by the taxidermist; and all identification numbers that are related to the carcass.
(d) Salvage and spare parts. Paragraphs (b) and (c) do not apply to salvage or spare parts of any carcass owned by a taxidermist that are used for repair or replacement purposes.
(5m) Control of cervid carcasses. No taxidermist may possess, transport, or control the carcass of a cervid in violation of rules promulgated by the department under s. 29.063 (3) or (4).
(6) Records. A taxidermist shall maintain records on sales forms, in triplicate, as required by the department. These records shall include information records prepared by or for the owner as required under sub. (5) (c), records of all other wild animal carcasses received in his or her place of business and records of deliveries and shipments of wild animal carcasses. Records related to the effective period of a taxidermist permit shall be maintained for 2 years following the end of that effective period. This subsection does not apply to salvage or spare parts of any carcass owned by a taxidermist that are used for repair or replacement purposes.
(7) Inspections.
(a) Departmental authority; limitations. A warden may enter a taxidermist's place of business for inspection purposes as provided under par. (b) only:
1. Between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m.
2. On weekdays, excluding legal holidays.
3. Upon presentation of his or her credentials to the taxidermist or an employee or agent of the taxidermist.
(b) Items subject to inspection. All records required under subs. (5) (b) and (c) and (6) or related to the taxidermist's business are subject to departmental inspection as provided under par. (a). A taxidermist or an employee or agent of the taxidermist shall cooperate with and exhibit items subject to inspection to a warden or any other agent of the department.
(c) Report. If requested, the department shall issue a report concerning any inspection conducted under this subsection.
(7m) Taxidermy school permit.
(a) The department shall issue a taxidermy school permit to a person who applies for the permit; who, on August 15, 1991, holds a valid taxidermist permit issued under this section; and who, on August 15, 1991, operates a taxidermy school approved by the educational approval board under s. 38.51, 1989 stats.
(b) A taxidermy school permit authorizes the holder of the permit to purchase muskellunge, bass, bluegill, sunfish, crappie, rock bass or northern pike, or the carcass of these fish, from persons who caught the fish and to resell the fish only to students enrolled in a taxidermy course at the taxidermy school operated by the purchaser. For purposes of this paragraph, a taxidermy course may not include a correspondence course in taxidermy.
(c) A taxidermy school permit issued under this subsection shall limit the number of each species of fish that the operator of the taxidermy school may possess on any given date to the number that the taxidermy school needs for its course of instruction for a period of 2 years beginning on that date.
(d) For the species of fish specified in par. (b), a holder of a taxidermy school permit issued under this subsection shall comply with the tagging and information requirements under sub. (5) (b) and (c) and the recording requirements under sub. (6) and shall allow inspections as authorized under sub. (7).
(8) Penalties. Any person who violates this section is subject to the following penalties:
(a) For a first conviction for any violation, a forfeiture of not more than $25.
(b) For a 2nd or subsequent conviction for any violation within 3 years of any previous violation, a forfeiture of not less than $25 nor more than $500.
History: 1985 a. 29; 1991 a. 39; 1995 a. 27 s. 9154 (1); 1997 a. 27; 1997 a. 248 ss. 297 to 300; Stats. 1997 s. 29.506; 1999 a. 9; 2001 a. 56; 2005 a. 22, 25, 286; 2015 a. 89; 2017 a. 59.
Structure Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Wisconsin Statutes & Annotations
Chapter 29 - Wild animals and plants.
29.011 - Title to wild animals.
29.014 - Rule-making for this chapter.
29.016 - Department authority; deer hunting seasons and license restrictions.
29.020 - Deer management assistance program.
29.024 - Approvals; forms; issuing agents.
29.03 - Wildlife violator compact.
29.035 - Report of department.
29.036 - Sporting heritage council.
29.037 - Fish and wildlife restoration.
29.038 - Local regulation of wild animals.
29.040 - Deer management report rules.
29.041 - Department to regulate hunting and fishing in interstate waters.
29.042 - Agreements to retire licenses.
29.045 - Interstate license privileges.
29.047 - Interstate transportation of game.
29.053 - Specific open and closed seasons.
29.055 - Wild animals; possession in closed season or in excess of bag limit.
29.057 - Wild animals; possession in open season.
29.063 - Management of chronic wasting disease.
29.071 - Wildlife on Indian reservations protected.
29.075 - Hunting, trapping and fishing by American Indians.
29.079 - Deer hunting by practitioners of Ho-Chunk religion.
29.083 - Interference with hunting, fishing or trapping.
29.084 - Incentives for recruitment.
29.088 - Use of poison and explosives; pole traps.
29.089 - Hunting, fishing, and trapping on land in state parks and state fish hatcheries.
29.091 - Hunting or trapping in wildlife refuge.
29.095 - Hunting on land in a school forest.
29.161 - Resident small game hunting license.
29.164 - Wild turkey hunting approvals.
29.171 - Resident archer hunting license.
29.172 - Resident crossbow hunting license.
29.173 - Resident deer hunting license.
29.177 - Special deer hunting permits.
29.179 - Transfer of approvals to minors and disabled persons.
29.180 - Transfers of approvals upon death.
29.181 - Bonus deer hunting permits.
29.182 - Elk hunting licenses.
29.183 - Deferral of certain approvals.
29.185 - Wolf harvesting licenses.
29.192 - Regulation of takings of certain wild animals.
29.193 - Approvals for disabled persons.
29.194 - Resident approvals for certain nonresidents and members of the armed forces.
29.1945 - Approvals for veterans and military members.
29.195 - Disabled veterans, Great Lakes Naval Hospital.
29.197 - Waivers of certain approvals.
29.199 - Authorizations for certain patients and institutionalized persons to fish.
29.201 - Waiver of fishing license requirement for groups of disabled persons.
29.204 - Nonresident annual small game hunting license.
29.207 - Nonresident 5-day small game hunting license.
29.211 - Nonresident deer hunting license.
29.213 - Nonresident fur-bearing animal hunting license.
29.216 - Nonresident archer hunting license.
29.217 - Nonresident crossbow hunting license.
29.219 - Resident fishing licenses.
29.228 - Nonresident fishing licenses.
29.2285 - Fishing stamps and tags.
29.229 - Fishing approvals issued by the Lac du Flambeau band.
29.2295 - Department approvals issued on the Lac du Flambeau reservation.
29.2297 - Federal approvals for hunting, trapping, and fishing.
29.235 - Conservation patron license.
29.236 - Annual disabled veteran recreation card.
29.237 - Sturgeon spearing license.
29.301 - General restrictions on hunting.
29.304 - Restrictions on hunting and use of firearms by persons under 16 years of age.
29.307 - Hunting with aid of aircraft prohibited.
29.311 - Shotshell restrictions.
29.312 - Rules regulating the sighting of a firearm.
29.317 - Taking homing pigeons.
29.322 - Taking certain wounded animals.
29.327 - Regulation of waterfowl blinds.
29.334 - Hunting and trapping; treatment of wild animals.
29.335 - Feeding wild animals for nonhunting purposes.
29.337 - Hunting and trapping by landowners and occupants.
29.341 - Duties on accidental shooting.
29.345 - Hunting, fishing or trapping accident; failure to report.
29.346 - Registration information.
29.347 - Possession of deer and elk; heads and skins.
29.349 - Animals killed by motor vehicles.
29.351 - Skins of fur-bearing animals.
29.354 - Possession of game birds and animals.
29.357 - Transportation; general provisions.
29.361 - Transportation of deer or elk.
29.364 - Transportation of game birds.
29.401 - Possession of fishing equipment.
29.404 - Fishing shanties on ice, regulation.
29.405 - Fishing with bow and arrow or crossbow.
29.407 - Transportation of fish.
29.411 - Cooperation during a fish census.
29.414 - Erection of barriers to exclude rough fish.
29.417 - Permit to take rough fish.
29.421 - Removal of rough fish.
29.424 - Control of detrimental fish.
29.501 - Fur dealers regulated.
29.503 - Wholesale fish dealer license.
29.514 - Outlying water sport trolling licenses.
29.516 - Fishing with nets and setlines.
29.519 - Commercial fishing in outlying waters.
29.522 - Description of nets; use of.
29.523 - Net licenses, Mississippi and St. Croix rivers.
29.526 - Slat net fishing in the Mississippi River.
29.529 - Trammel net fishing in the Mississippi River.
29.531 - Set or bank pole licenses.
29.533 - Setline licenses; inland waters.
29.535 - Shovelnose sturgeon permit.
29.537 - Clams, clamming and commercial clamming.
29.539 - Sale of wild animals.
29.541 - Serving of game to guests.
29.564 - Voluntary contributions; invasive species grants.
29.565 - Voluntary contributions; venison and wild turkey processing and donation program.
29.566 - Collection, retention, and deposit of fees.
29.567 - Voluntary contributions; elk research.
29.591 - Hunter education program and bow hunter education program.
29.592 - Hunting mentorship program.
29.593 - Requirement for certificate of accomplishment to obtain hunting approval.
29.595 - Elk hunter education program.
29.597 - Trapper education program.
29.598 - Outdoors skills training.
29.604 - Endangered and threatened species protected.
29.614 - Scientific collector permit.
29.617 - Public hunting and fishing grounds.
29.624 - Senior citizen recreation card.
29.627 - Domestic fur-bearing animal farms.
29.630 - Raffling lake sturgeon from state fish hatcheries.
29.701 - Propagation of fish; protected wild animals.
29.705 - Propagation of fish; removal of fish.
29.707 - Propagation of fish; department rules.
29.709 - State fish hatcheries.
29.713 - Trespass to state fish hatchery.
29.717 - Trespass on riparian land.
29.733 - Natural waters used in fish farms.
29.734 - Barriers required for fish farms.
29.737 - Permit for private management.
29.738 - Private fishing preserves.
29.739 - Grants for walleye production.
29.740 - Contracts for walleye production.
29.741 - Food in the wild for game birds.
29.749 - Horicon marsh fur farm and dam.
29.753 - Importation of wild elk.
29.875 - Disposal of escaped deer or elk.
29.885 - Removal of wild animals.
29.886 - Management of double-crested cormorants.
29.887 - Wildlife control in urban communities.
29.888 - Wolf depredation program; wolf damage claims.
29.889 - Wildlife damage abatement program; wildlife damage claim program.
29.89 - Venison and wild turkey processing and donation program.
29.921 - Warrants; arrests; police powers.
29.924 - Investigations; searches.
29.934 - Sale of confiscated game and objects.
29.936 - Distribution of fish and game to food distribution services.
29.938 - Use by the department of unclaimed, seized, or confiscated property.
29.941 - Assistance of law enforcement officers.
29.944 - Exemption from liability.
29.947 - Law enforcement aid program; spearfishing.
29.954 - False impersonation of warden.
29.957 - Breaking seals of department.
29.961 - Incorrect information.
29.962 - Worthless checks for approvals.
29.964 - Falsification or illegal possession of approvals.
29.967 - Prohibitions during periods of suspension or revocation.
29.969 - Larceny of wild animals.
29.971 - General penalty provisions.
29.972 - Revocation; failure to comply.
29.973 - Commercial fish reporting system.
29.974 - Penalties; repeaters.
29.977 - Civil actions for damages caused by law violations.
29.981 - Parties to a violation.
29.983 - Wild animal protection surcharges.
29.984 - Commercial fish protection surcharge.
29.985 - Fishing shelter removal surcharge.
29.987 - Natural resources surcharge.
29.989 - Natural resources restitution surcharge.
29.99 - Wildlife violator compact surcharge.