4VAC15-90-540. Game: Deer. Special elk hunting license, Landowner License Program.
Summary
The proposal is to (i) omit details on the following: applications, point accrual, point system, license draw, and stipulations on lands eligible to be hunted with a landowner license, and (ii) provide more flexibility in considering wildlife violations in awarding an opportunity to purchase a special elk hunting license.
Proposed Language
Note: In the “Proposed Language” document, underlined text denotes proposed new language, while text with a strikethrough denotes language that is proposed to be deleted.
Rationale
This regulation was brought forth before the elk hunt in the Elk Management Zone started and there was a greater desire to have details outlined in regulation to eliminate uncertainty associated with a new hunt and program. Now that the hunt is coming upon its fourth year, there is much more certainty in how the process moves forward and a greater desire to streamline the regulation. The proposed omission of details involving applications, point accrual, point system, license draw, and stipulations on lands eligible to be hunted with a landowner license are all details that can be included in Department guidance documents or policies. Much of this information is already contained on the Elk Landowner License Program webpage. Similar programs that the Department administers, such as DMAP, DCAP, and DPOP are not detailed in regulation.
The proposed amendment to the subsection involving wildlife violations serves two purposes: simplifying the language and allowing the Department the appropriate flexibility in being able to take into account wildlife violations for those drawn in the landowner lottery. Elk hunting is an extremely limited and highly sought after opportunity that the Commonwealth offers. Not considering previous wildlife violations committed by potential elk license holders would be a disservice to all the law-abiding hunters who apply for the elk lottery and to those landowners who open their properties for elk license holders to hunt on.