R657-51-3. General Permit Availability and Eligibility Provisions

  (1)(a) A poaching-reported reward permit may only be issued on a unit having 10 or more public draw permits issued in the upcoming season.

  (b) If a poaching-reported reward permit is unavailable on a given unit, an alternative permit may be issued using the process identified in each species-specific section of this rule.

  (c) The division may determine that a permit is unavailable on a unit if:

  (i) less than 10 public draw permits will be issued for a given unit in the upcoming season;

  (ii) the illegally harvested animal was taken outside of established unit boundaries; or

  (iii) issuing a poaching-reported reward permit would exceed 10% of the total number of permits issued on that unit.

  (2) A Qualifying Individual remains eligible to receive a poaching-reported reward permit, regardless of any applicable waiting periods they may otherwise be subject to.

  (3) A Qualifying Individual receiving a poaching-reported reward permit will not:

  (a) forfeit bonus points or preference points accumulated; or

  (b) incur a waiting period, except as described in Subsection (4).

  (4) A Qualifying Individual receiving a poaching-reported reward permit for a once-in-a-lifetime species is ineligible to apply for or obtain another once-in-a-lifetime permit for the same species and sex through the division's big game drawing.

  (5)(a) The division may only issue one poaching-reported reward permit for any one animal illegally taken.

  (b) No more than one poaching-reported reward permit may be issued to any one person per Successful Prosecution.

  (c) No more than one poaching-reported reward permit per species shall be issued to any one person in any single calendar year.

  (d) Nothing in this rule authorizes an individual to use or possess more than one permit for an antlered or horned animal of the same species in a single hunt year.

  (e) The Qualifying Individual may choose the weapon type for the permit, so long as a permit for that weapon type is available.

  (f) The Qualifying Individual may choose the season for the permit if different seasons are offered, except that multi-season permits may not be issued through the poaching-reported reward permit program.

  (6)(a) Poaching-reported reward permits may only be issued to the individual who provides the most pertinent information leading to a Successful Prosecution.

  (b) If information is received from more than one individual, the director of the division shall make a determination based on the facts of the case as to which individual is eligible to receive the permit.

  (7) Poaching-reported reward permits are non-transferrable.

  (8) Any person who receives a poaching-reported reward permit must possess or obtain a Utah hunting or combination license and otherwise be eligible to hunt the species for which the permit is issued for.

  (9) The division may determine whether to offer monetary rewards in lieu of issuing a poaching-reported reward permit for a Qualifying Individual.