040-60 Wyo. Code R. §§ 60-3 - Definitions

For the purpose of this regulation, definitions will be as set forth in Title 23, Wyoming Statutes, Commission regulations and the Commission also adopts the following definitions:

(a) "Captive Breeding Population" means live captive sage grouse in the possession of a licensee with the proper certification, where the licensee has documented captive reproductive success through natural breeding or artificial insemination practices and has successfully raised sage grouse chicks from captive sage grouse hens living entirely within an enclosure, that are self-sustaining and do not require any additional wild sage grouse to be added to or supplemented into the flock for any purpose.

(b) "Certificate of Compliance" or "Certification" means a written approval by the Department to a game bird farm licensee that authorizes the licensee to possess, propagate, breed, raise, sell, gather eggs from the wild and release live greater sage grouse and to take greater sage grouse within the boundaries of their game bird farm.

(c) "Collection Area" means a geographic area as determined by the Department and specified on a Certificate of Compliance, where sage grouse nest sites in the wild may be disturbed by a licensee for the sole purpose of collecting sage grouse eggs.

(d) "Coordination with the Department" means the game bird licensee shall contact the Department representative listed on their Certificate of Compliance to receive authorization at least ten (10) business days prior to any release of sage grouse within the state and outside of the boundaries of a game bird farm, or to release sage grouse where wild sage grouse exist within the boundaries of an existing game bird farm, or collection of any sage grouse eggs from the wild. A Department representative may observe and direct any release of sage grouse or collection of any sage grouse eggs from the wild.

(e) "Enclosure" means a holding facility designed to confine and physically separate captive sage grouse from other game birds, domestic animals, domesticated animals and livestock, and to handle live greater sage grouse. The holding facility shall be defined by legal description to the quarter/quarter (1/4-1/4) section where live sage grouse shall be possessed or confined.

(f) "Hatching Facility" means a commercially produced incubator and hatcher capable of monitoring and maintaining environmental conditions necessary to successfully hatch sage grouse eggs.

(g) "Professional Wildlife Biologist" means an individual named by an applicant on their certification application who has a professional wildlife background in the management of Greater-Sage grouse and is knowledgeable of the species' habitats, who has been approved by the Department and is listed on a licensee's Certificate of Compliance.

(h) "Sage Grouse" means live birds and viable eggs of all Greater-Sage grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus).

(i) "Successfully Raised" means documented evidence, as required by the Department, that a licensee has demonstrated an ability to hatch game bird eggs or brood chicks, raise juvenile game birds to breeding age and achieve reproduction of game birds through either natural or artificial insemination.

(j) "Vegetation Consistent with the Needs of Sage Grouse" means the presence of one (1) or more species/subspecies of appropriate sage brush, forbs and grasses suitable to sage grouse and in sufficient quantity to meet the needs of captive sage grouse and any offspring. Sage brush, forbs and grasses shall be maintained and replaced as necessary to provide food, cover and suitable dust control.

Notes

040-60 Wyo. Code R. §§ 60-3

Adopted, Eff. 11/2/2017. Amended, Eff. 1/17/2023.