R657-51-4. Big Game Poaching-Reported Reward Permits

  (1) Successful Prosecutions for the illegal take of bull moose, desert bighorn ram, rocky mountain bighorn ram, rocky mountain goat, bison, bull elk, buck deer, and buck pronghorn may be eligible to receive a poaching-reported reward permit.

  (2)(a) Poaching-reported reward permits for desert bighorn ram, rocky mountain bighorn ram, bull moose, Rocky Mountain goat, and bison may be issued on units or hunts meeting the general permit availability requirements as follows:

  (i) a permit may be issued for a male animal of the same species and on the same unit as the animal illegally taken;

  (ii) if a permit described in Subsection (a) is unavailable, a permit may be issued for a male animal of the same species on an alternative unit that is closest in proximity to where the animal was illegally taken;

  (iii) if a permit described in Subsections (a) and (b) is unavailable, a permit may be issued for a male animal of another once-in-a-lifetime species on a unit that is closest in proximity to the unit where the animal was illegally taken; or

  (iv) if a permit described in Subsections (a), (b), and (c) is unavailable, a permit may be issued for a male animal of a limited entry species on an alternative unit selected by the division.

  (b) The division may issue a hunter's choice permit in lieu of a permit for a male animal for bison and Rocky mountain goat poaching-reported reward permits.

  (3) Poaching-reported reward permits for premium limited entry deer may be issued on units or hunts meeting the general permit availability requirements as follows:

  (a) a permit may be issued for a buck deer on the same premium limited entry unit as the animal illegally taken;

  (b) if a permit described in Subsection (a) is unavailable, a permit may be issued for a buck deer on an alternative premium limited entry unit that is closest in proximity to where the animal was illegally taken; or

  (c) if a permit described in Subsections (a) and (b) is unavailable, a permit may be issued for a buck deer on an alternative limited entry unit closest in proximity to where the animal was illegally taken.

  (4) Poaching-reported reward permits for limited entry buck deer, bull elk, and buck pronghorn may be issued on units or hunts meeting the general permit availability requirements as follows:

  (a) a permit may be issued for a male animal of the same species and on the same unit as the animal illegally taken; or

  (b) if a permit described in Subsection (a) is unavailable, a permit may be issued for a male animal of the same species as the animal taken on an alternative limited entry unit for that species that is closest in proximity to where the animal was illegally taken.

  (5) Poaching-reported reward permits for general season buck deer and bull elk may be issued on units or hunts meeting the general permit availability requirements as follows:

  (a) a permit may be issued for a male animal of the same species and on the same unit as the animal illegally taken; or

  (b) if a permit described in Subsection (a) is unavailable, a permit may be issued for a male animal of the same species as the animal taken on an alternative general season unit for that species that is closest in proximity to where the animal was illegally taken.

  (6) If a violation occurs at a location having both general season and limited entry opportunities for the species illegally taken, the division may issue a limited entry permit for that species using the parameters identified in Subsection (4).