SB 135

Under current law, in addition to the authority of the Department of Natural

Resources (DNR) to issue Class A and Class B bear licenses, DNR also has the

authority to issue certificates for two Class A bear licenses to the Wisconsin Bear

Hunters' Association, Inc. The association is allowed to raffle one of the certificates

and conduct an auction for the other certificate. Currently, DNR is required to issue

a resident or nonresident Class A bear license to a person who presents the

department with the certificate and pays the required fees.

This bill requires DNR to issue one certificate for a Class A bear hunting license

to an organization known as the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program, if the

organization applies for the certificate. The bill requires the U.S. Army Wounded

Warrior Program to transfer the certificate to a person who receives support under

the U.S. Army Wounded Warrior Program who is a resident and qualified to receive

a residential Class A bear hunting license. If the person who receives a certificate

presents the certificate to DNR with the appropriate required fees, the bill requires

the department to issue the person a resident Class A bear hunting license and the

carcass tag and back tag for that hunting season. A person may be issued only one

Class A bear hunting license under this program in his or her lifetime.