29.931 Seizures.
(1) Seizure and confiscation of wild animals or plants. The department and its wardens shall seize and confiscate any wild animal, carcass or plant caught, killed, taken, had in possession or under control, sold or transported in violation of any of the laws for which the department and its wardens have enforcement authority under s. 29.921. The officer also may, with or without warrant, open, enter and examine all buildings, camps, boats on inland or outlying waters, vehicles, valises, packages and other places where the officer has probable cause to believe that wild animals, carcasses or plants that are taken or held in violation of any of these laws are to be found.
(2) Seizure and confiscation of objects; sale of perishable property.
(a) The department and its wardens shall seize and hold, subject to the order of the court for the county in which the alleged offense was committed, any vehicle, boat or object declared by this chapter to be a public nuisance, or which they have probable cause to believe is being used in violation of any of the laws for which the department and its wardens have enforcement authority under s. 29.921. If it is proven that the vehicle, boat or object is a public nuisance or that within 6 months previous to the seizure the vehicle, boat or object was used in violation of any of the laws for which the department and its wardens have enforcement authority under s. 29.921, it shall be confiscated if the court directs in its order for judgment.
(am) If the department or its wardens seize any net or similar fishing device under par. (a), the owner shall reimburse the department for all costs associated with the seizure within 20 days after the department gives written notice to the owner of the owner's obligation to reimburse the department. The notice shall include the amount of the costs required to be reimbursed by the owner. If the owner does not reimburse the department as required under this paragraph, the owner shall forfeit not more than $1,000 in addition to the costs of reimbursement. All reimbursement costs collected under this paragraph shall be credited to the appropriation under s. 20.370 (3) (mi).
(b) Any perishable property seized by the department or its wardens under this section may be sold at the highest available price, and the proceeds of the sale turned into court for disposition as the court directs.
(3) Entire shipment affected. Confiscation of any part of a shipment under this section shall include the entire shipment.
(4) Ordinance violations. For purposes of this section, a violation of ch. 169 includes a violation of an ordinance enacted under s. 169.43.
History: 1997 a. 248 ss. 108 to 110, 712; 2001 a. 56; 2005 a. 288, 394.
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.