In this part of the article we will show you the original statute as written, the changes made to the s.s. 29.347(3), and the interpretation and explanation of the new statute. Below is 29.347(3), which is shown as written before we made the changes. State Statute 29.347(3)

(3) HEADS AND SKINS. The head and skin of any deer or elk lawfully killed, when severed from the rest of the carcass, are not subject to this chapter; but no person may have possession or control of the green head or green skin of a deer or elk during the period beginning 30 days after the close of the applicable season and the opening of the succeeding applicable season. Unless authorized by the department, no person may at any time have possession or control of a deer or elk head in the velvet or a deer or elk skin in the red, blue, or spotted coat. 2003 ASSEMBLY BILL 424 June 27, 2003 ? Introduced by Representatives GUNDERSON, SUDER, HAHN, HINES, KRAWCZYK, MUSSER, OLSEN, OTT, OWENS and PETROWSKI, cosponsored by Senators ZIEN, SCHULTZ, A. LASEE and LASSA. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources. AN ACT to renumber and amend 29.347 (3); and to create 29.347 (3) (b) and 29.539 (7) of the statutes; relating to: control and possession of the head, antlers, or skin of a deer or an elk. Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau Under current law, a person may not possess the green head or green skin of a wild deer or elk during the period beginning 30 days after the close of the hunting season and ending on the opening of the succeeding hunting season. In addition, unless authorized by the Department of Natural Resources (WDNR), no one may at any time possess a wild deer or elk head with velvet antlers or a deer or an elk in the red, blue, or spotted coat.

Under this bill, a person may possess a deer or an elk head with velvet antlers or a deer or an elk in the spotted coat if the deer or elk was lawfully killed and tagged and the person has received authorization from WDNR to possess the antlers or skin.Currently, most persons may not sell, barter, buy, or trade the carcasses of wild deer or elk, regardless of whether the deer or elk was lawfully killed. This bill allows a person to sell, barter, buy, or trade the tails and skulls of any deer or elk lawfully killed, the antlers of any deer or elk lawfully killed that are not velvet, and the skins of any deer or elk lawfully killed that are not in the spotted coat. The people of the state of Wisconsin, represented in senate and assembly, do enact as follows:

SECTION 1 ASSEMBLY BILL 424 (wording in bold print and underlines shows the new wording) SECTION 1. 29.347 (3) of the statutes is renumbered 29.347 (3) (a) and amended to read: 29.347 (3) (a) The Except as provided in par. (b), the control or possession of the head and or skin of any deer or elk lawfully killed, when severed from the rest of the carcass, are not subject to this chapter; but no person may have possession or control of the green head or green skin of a deer or elk during the period beginning 30 days after the close of the applicable season and the opening of the succeeding applicable season. Unless authorized by the department, no person may at any time have possession or control of a deer or elk head in the velvet or a deer or elk skin in the red, blue, or spotted coat. SECTION 2. 29.347 (3) (b) of the statutes is created to read: 29.347 (3) (b) No person may possess or control deer or elk antlers in the velvet or a deer or an elk skin in the spotted coat of a lawfully killed deer or elk unless the person to whom the carcass tag for the deer or elk was issued, or the person who had the deer tagged under sub. (5), has requested and received authorization from the department to control or possess the antlers or skin. A request for written authorization from the department shall be made within 7 days after the carcass tag has been attached to the deer or elk. SECTION 3. 29.539 (7) of the statutes is created to read: 29.539 (7) Subsection (1) does not apply to the tails and skulls of any deer or elk lawfully killed, to the antlers of any deer or elk lawfully killed that are not in the velvet, and to the skins of any deer or elk lawfully killed that are not in the spotted coat. We will simplify everything and give you the interpretation of the new statute 29.347(3):

1) Any person now mounting deer or elk for a consideration will need a taxidermy permit in Wisconsin. This includes mounting for friends whom you are mounting a deer or elk for just expenses of the material.

2) Hunters can keep a green deer or elk skin as long as they want as the 30 days has been removed from the statute.

3) The blue and red skins have also been eliminated from the statute. The blue skins generally are from the early seasons but do show up in November, and the red skins was actually the summer hair. These were written up initially when we only had a November gun season and are no longer needed.

4) The spotted coat is still included in the statute. If it is a car killed spotted coat(fawn),you will need to call the WDNR for a road-kill permit to be able to possess it. If you shoot a spotted deer during the hunting seasons, you will need to register your deer normally and then you will have 7 day contact a WDNR warden to obtain a FREE PERMIT to be able to possess the spotted coat.

5) The velvet antlers is also still included. The requirements are the same as the spotted coat.

6) Any person will still be able to buy and sell deer and elk skins, capes and antlers without needing a taxidermy permit.

Hopefully this will clarify the new changes. Because of the new changes and needing time to get the changes out to the general public, the WDNR will not be enforcing the new law changes right away.

The WTA and the WDNR will be trying to educate the public on the new law changes as fast as possible. The WDNR will warn taxidermists whom are mounting deer and elk without a taxidermy permit. They will be allowed time to obtain a permit without a citation. The changes made to s.s. 29.347(3) were made and sent through the legislative process without any attachments, which would have affected the taxidermy industry here in Wisconsin. These changes do benefit hunters, taxidermists and the WDNR.

If anyone has any questions pertaining to this statute, please contact Brian or myself. We will both also be at the Rendezvous in Wausau in August. Leonard Gums Brian Olson, WTA’s Legislative Committee