R657-69-5. Depredation Hunts for Turkey

  (1) Turkey depredation hunts are intended to:

  (a) mitigate verified reports of material damage by turkeys and prevent future instances of material damage in the vicinity of the hunt area;

  (b) be a focused response to verified reports of material damage;

  (c) be a rapid response mechanism to verified reports of material damage; and

  (d) have limited permit numbers.

  (2) Turkey depredation hunts shall operate consistent with the following guidelines:

  (a) turkey depredation hunts may be held August 1 through March 14;

  (b) parameters for a turkey depredation hunt must comply with the provisions established in the current Wild Turkey Management Plan approved by the Wildlife Board; and

  (c) the boundaries of the hunts, specific season dates, bag limits, sex of birds that may be taken, and allowable weapon types will be further defined in a depredation hunt plan by the division Regional Supervisor.

  (3) Hunters will be selected to receive a depredation permit in the following order, based on permit availability:

  (a) randomly selected individuals in the depredation hunter pool; and

  (b) individuals on the alternate limited entry drawing list, in chronological order.

  (4)(a) The turkey hunter depredation pool provides hunters an opportunity to be placed on a wait-list and become eligible to receive a depredation permit as the availability for depredation permits allows.

  (b) Applications for the turkey hunter depredation pool must be submitted pursuant to instructions in the current year's Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook of the Wildlife Board for wild turkey.

  (c) Applications must be received by the date published in the Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook of the Wildlife Board for wild turkey.

  (d) Applications received after the date published in the proclamation Upland Game and Turkey Guidebook of the Wildlife Board for wild turkey may be used after the list of individuals within the depredation hunter pool and the alternate limited entry drawing list has been exhausted.

  (5) If a hunter is successful in the depredation permit drawing and possesses a valid unfilled turkey permit for a hunt in the same calendar year as the depredation hunt, that hunter may receive a depredation permit at no cost.

  (6) Hunters selected to receive a depredation permit who do not possess a valid unfilled turkey permit must purchase the appropriate permit prior to participating in the depredation hunt.

  (7) Hunters selected to receive a depredation permit will not lose bonus points associated with the limited entry application process.

  (8) Wild turkey depredation permits qualify towards permit possession limits identified in R657-54.

  (9) Depredation permits may be withheld from persons who have violated this rule, any other wildlife rule, the Wildlife Resources Code, or who are otherwise ineligible to receive a permit.