Section NR 16.18 - Fur farms, purpose(1) APPLICATION. This section is developed pursuant to s. 169.18, Stats., to establish qualifications and conditions for wild fur farm licenses.(2) SINGLE PARCEL. (a)Land owned. In order to qualify as a single parcel for an application by an owner of land, a tract of land shall meet the following standards:1. The owner of record of all tracts or portions of land comprising a single parcel shall be identical except for spouses qualifying as joint owners under the Wisconsin marital property law.2. All portions of the land comprising the single parcel shall be contiguous.3. Parcels or tracts of land may constitute a single parcel if they do not touch but are separated only by a town, county or state highway.4. Calculation of the 640 acre maximum includes bodies of water in which the bed is owned by the applicant or which are entirely surrounded by lands owned by the applicant.5. Applicants who are owners of land included in the application may lease additional contiguous parcels provided the total does not exceed 640 acres.(b)Land leased. In order to qualify as a single parcel for an application by a lessee of land, the tract of land shall meet the following standards:1. The applicant shall provide proof of a lease specifically authorizing the right to establish a wild fur farm for the term of the license. The lease shall be in writing. Leases for a term exceeding one year shall meet the requirements of s. 706.02, Stats.2. All portions of the land included in the lease shall be contiguous.3. Separate tracts of land covered by the lease may constitute a single parcel if they do not touch but are separated only by a town, county or state highway.4. Calculation of the 640 acre maximum includes bodies of water in which the bed is leased by the applicant or which are entirely surrounded by lands leased by the applicant.(3) ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS. Except as authorized by s. 169.18(3) (b), Stats., in order to be eligible for a wild fur farm license, the applicant shall own or lease at least 40 acres of land in a single parcel. If multiple, noncontiguous parcels are sought to be licensed by an applicant, the applicant shall obtain a separate wild fur farm license for each parcel.(4) AUTHORIZATION. The wild fur farm license authorizes the taking of beaver, coyote, mink, muskrat, otter, opossum, raccoon, skunk and weasel on the licensed facility.(5) LIMITATION. (a) The wild fur farm license does not authorize the taking or possession of badger, bobcat, fisher, fox, lynx, marten, rabbit or wolf. No person may harvest, possess or sell these species except under the authority of chs. NR 10 and 12 and ch. 29, Stats.(b) All skunks taken shall be immediately killed in a humane manner and may not be sold live.(c) A person trapping on a licensed wild fur farm under the authority of a wild fur farm license issued under s. 169.18, Stats., shall comply with the trap, cable restraint and snare size and placement rules specified under s. NR 10.13(1) (b), unless otherwise authorized in writing by the department.(6) PUBLIC RIGHTS. The issuance of a wild fur farm license does not affect any public right of hunting, fishing or navigation on navigable waters included within the licensed premises.(7) OTTER QUOTA. The number of otter which may be taken in any given year under the authority of the wild fur farm license may not exceed the number allowed an individual trapper by s. NR 10.145. Note: This provision does not limit the number of otter that may be taken on a licensed facility by individuals trapping under authority of a trapping license and valid otter tag issued under ch. NR 10. A wild animal nuisance or damage permit may also be applied for pursuant to ch. NR 12 and s. 29.885, Stats.
(8) TAGGING, REGISTRATION, AND TRANSFER. Otter taken under the authority of the wild fur farm license shall comply with the following restrictions: (a)Field harvest. Each person who kills an otter under the authority of a wild fur farm license shall comply with the registration requirements for wild otter found in s. NR 10.086.(b)Live capture.1. When a live otter is captured and kept for a live sale, transfer or shipment and before it is carried by hand or transported in any manner, the licensee shall immediately validate the otter carcass tag issued by the department by slitting, tearing or punching the tag in the manner indicated by the department. The tag shall be kept in possession of the person transporting the live otter.2. The tag shall accompany the cage used to contain a live otter until the otter is killed or sold.3. If a caged live otter is sold or otherwise transferred alive to another person authorized to possess a live captive wild otter, the tag shall accompany the transportation cage used to contain a live otter and shall be retained for a period of 3 years by the person to whom the live otter was sold or otherwise transferred.4. No person may transport or possess an otter harvested on a wild fur farm unless it has been tagged in accordance with this section.Wis. Admin. Code Department of Natural Resources NR 16.18
CR 03-030: cr. Register October 2003 No. 574, eff. 11-1-03; CR 07-015: cr. (5) (c) Register September 2007 No. 621, eff. 2-1-08.Amended by, CR 19-146: r. and recr. (8) Register June 2020 No. 774, eff. 7-1-20; correction in (8) made under s. 35.17, Stats., Register June 2020 No. 774, eff. 7/1/2020Amended by, CR 20-087: am. (8) (a) Register August 2021 No. 788, eff. 9/1/2021