Mississippi § 49-7-26 - Development of tagging and reporting program for deer and turkey to collect harvest data and monitor bag limit compliance; penalties for violation of turkey or deer tagging program.

§ 49-7-26. Development of tagging and reporting program for deer and turkey to collect harvest data and monitor bag limit compliance; penalties for violation of turkey or deer tagging program.

The department may develop, implement and regulate a tagging and reporting program to collect harvest data and monitor bag limit compliance by any means as provided in this section. The department may charge a fee for the tagging program. The department shall provide an annual report to the Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks Committees of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The department may establish a tagging and reporting program for deer harvested by nonresidents. A nonresident who violates any law or regulation of the nonresident deer tagging program shall be subject to the fine and forfeiture penalties provided for a nonresident hunting without a license under Section 49-7-21. In addition, a nonresident shall be assessed the administrative fee prescribed in this section. The department may establish a tagging and reporting program for turkey. A person who violates any law or regulation of the turkey tagging program is guilty of a Class III violation and shall be subject to the fines provided in 49-7-101. In addition, a person shall be assessed the administrative fee prescribed in this section. A person convicted of a first violation of the tagging program shall be assessed an administrative fee of not less than One Hundred Dollars ($100.00) nor more than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00), which shall be imposed and collected upon conviction. A person convicted of a second or subsequent violation shall be assessed an administrative fee of not less than Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) nor more than One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00), which shall be imposed and collected upon conviction. The clerk of the court shall collect and deposit the administrative fees with the State Treasurer, in the same manner and in accordance with the same procedure, as nearly as practicable, as required for the collection and deposit of state assessments under Section 99-19-73. The administrative fees shall be credited to the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks and may be expended by the department upon appropriation by the Legislature. Each deer or turkey taken or possessed in violation of the tagging program is a separate offense.