Amends existing law to revise provisions regarding wildlife relocation.

LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO Sixty-eighth Legislature Second Regular Session - 2026 IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES HOUSE BILL NO. 653 BY RESOURCES AND CONSERVATION COMMITTEE AN ACT1 RELATING TO WILDLIFE; AMENDING SECTION 36-106, IDAHO CODE, TO REVISE PROVI-2 SIONS REGARDING THE DIRECTOR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME; AMEND-3 ING SECTION 36-202, IDAHO CODE, TO DEFINE TERMS; AND DECLARING AN EMER-4 GENCY AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.5

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:6

SECTION 1. That Section 36-106, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby7 amended to read as follows:8 36-106. DIRECTOR OF DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME. (a) Office of Direc-9 tor Created. The commission shall appoint a director of the department of10 fish and game, hereinafter referred to as the director, who shall be a person11 with knowledge of, and experience in, the requirements for the protection,12 conservation, restoration, and management of the wildlife resources of the13 state. The director shall not hold any other public office, nor any office14 in any political party organization, and shall devote his entire time to the15 service of the state in the discharge of his official duties, under the di-16 rection of the commission.17 (b) Secretary to Commission. The director or his designee shall serve18 as secretary to the commission.19 (c) Compensation and Expenses. The director shall receive such compen-20 sation as the commission, with the concurrence and approval of the governor,21 may determine and shall be reimbursed at the rate provided by law for state22 employees for all actual and necessary traveling and other expenses incurred23 by him in the discharge of his official duties.24 (d) Oath and Bond. Before entering upon the duties of his office, the25 director shall take and subscribe to the official oath of office, as provided26 by section 59-401, Idaho Code, and shall, in addition thereto, swear and af-27 firm that he holds no other public office, nor any position under any polit-28 ical committee or party. Such oath, or affirmation, shall be signed in the29 office of the secretary of state.30 The director shall be bonded to the state of Idaho in the time, form and31 manner prescribed by chapter 8, title 59, Idaho Code.32 (e) Duties and Powers of Director.33 1. The director shall have general supervision and control of all34 activities, functions, and employees of the department of fish and35 game, under the supervision and direction of the commission, and shall36 enforce all the provisions of the laws of the state, and rules and37 proclamations of the commission relating to wild animals, birds, and38 fish and, further, shall perform all the duties prescribed by section39 67-2405, Idaho Code, and other laws of the state not inconsistent with40 this act, and shall exercise all necessary powers incident thereto not41 specifically conferred on the commission.42

2 2. The director is hereby authorized to appoint as many classified em-1 ployees as the commission may deem necessary to perform administrative2 duties, to enforce the laws and to properly implement management, prop-3 agation, and protection programs established for carrying out the pur-4 poses of the Idaho fish and game code.5 3. The appointment of such employees shall be made by the director in6 accordance with chapter 53, title 67, Idaho Code, and rules promulgated7 pursuant thereto, and they shall be compensated as provided therein.8 Said employees shall be bonded to the state of Idaho in the time, form,9 and manner prescribed by chapter 8, title 59, Idaho Code.10 4. The director is hereby authorized to establish and maintain fish11 hatcheries for the purpose of hatching, propagating, and distributing12 all kinds of fish.13 5.(A) The director, or any person appointed by him in writing to14 do so, may take wildlife of any kind, dead or alive, or import the15 same, subject to such conditions, restrictions and rules as he may16 provide, for the purpose of inspection, cultivation, propagation,17 or distribution, or for scientific or other purposes deemed by him18 to be of interest to the fish and game resources of the state, sub-19 ject to the provisions of subparagraphs (D) through (F) of this20 paragraph.21 (B) The director shall have supervision over all of the matters22 pertaining to the inspection, cultivation, propagation and dis-23 tribution of the wildlife propagated under the provisions of ti-24 tle 36, Idaho Code. He shall also have the power and authority to25 obtain, by purchase or otherwise, wildlife of any kind or variety26 which he may deem most suitable for distribution in the state and27 may have the same properly cared for and distributed throughout28 the state of Idaho as he may deem necessary, subject to the provi-29 sions of subparagraphs (D) through (F) of this paragraph.30 (C) The director is hereby authorized to issue a license/tag/per-31 mit to a nonresident landowner who resides in a contiguous state32 for the purpose of taking one (1) animal during an emergency depre-33 dation hunt which includes the landowner's Idaho property subject34 to such conditions, restrictions or rules as the director may pro-35 vide. The fee for this license/tag/permit shall be equal to the36 costs of a resident hunting license, a resident tag fee and a resi-37 dent depredation permit.38 (D)(i) Unless relocation is required pursuant to subpara-39 graph (E) herein, notwithstanding the provisions of section40 36-408, Idaho Code, to the contrary, the The director shall41 not expend any funds, or take any action, or authorize any42 employee or agent of the department, or other person, or43 agency to take any action, to undertake actual transplants44 of bighorn sheep into areas they do not now inhabit for the45 purpose of augmenting existing populations until: planned46 movement of any wild game, as those terms are defined in sec-47 tion 36-202, Idaho Code, until notice has been given at least48 thirty (30) days prior to the planned movement. Such notice49 shall be given to:50

3 (i) (1) The boards of county commissioners of the coun-1 ties in which the release planned movement is proposed2 to take place have been given reasonable notice of the3 proposed release.; and4 (ii) (2) The affected federal and state land grazing5 permittees and owners or leaseholders of private land6 in or contiguous to the proposed release site have been7 given reasonable notice of the proposed release within8 a contiguous five (5) mile radius of the planned move-9 ment's proposed release site through mail or phone call10 or message.11 (iii) The president pro tempore of the senate and the speaker12 of the house of representatives have received from the di-13 rector a plan for the forthcoming year that details, to the14 best of the department's ability, the proposed transplants15 which shall include the estimated numbers of bighorn sheep16 to be transplanted and a description of the areas the pro-17 posed transplant or transplants are planned for.18 (ii) Any affected person may, within ten (10) days of such19 notice, request the board of county commissioners, in writ-20 ing, for a hearing. Within thirty (30) days of receiving21 such written request, the board shall conduct one (1) public22 hearing for each of the proposed actions within the noti-23 fication. At the public hearing, the board shall accept24 oral public comment and shall vote to approve or reject the25 proposed planned movement prior to concluding the hearing.26 Such vote shall be final and binding on the director.27 (E)(i) The director may proceed with responsive movement28 without prior notification, notwithstanding the provisions29 of section 36-408, Idaho Code.30 (ii) Unless no feasible alternatives exist, responsive31 movement shall avoid release sites:32 (1) Where livestock or production agricultural activ-33 ity are actively occurring;34 (2) That are within one thousand (1,000) feet of crit-35 ical infrastructure, including but not limited to36 interstates, grain bins, irrigation systems, and hay37 storage; or38 (3) That are within or near municipalities or desig-39 nated high-conflict zones.40 (iii) Within seventy-two (72) hours of completing a respon-41 sive movement, the director shall provide notice, including42 a brief description of the action taken, the species moved,43 and location of the release, to:44 (1) The board of county commissioners in the release45 county;46 (2) The affected federal and state land grazing per-47 mittees and owners or leaseholders of private land48 within a contiguous five (5) mile radius of the release49 site; and50

4 (3) The house resources and conservation committee1 and the senate resources and environment committee for2 their review during the next legislative session.3 (iv) The director shall maintain a publicly accessible re-4 port of all responsive movement actions and update it within5 thirty (30) days of any action. Patterns of repeated respon-6 sive movement release in high-conflict, occupied, or agri-7 culturally sensitive areas may be subject to legislative re-8 view. The report shall include:9 (1) The date and time of the responsive movement;10 (2) The species involved;11 (3) The reason for the responsive movement classifica-12 tion;13 (4) Any human or property interaction or damage; and14 (5) The reasoning for selection of the specific re-15 lease site.16 (F) The director shall not authorize, conduct, or otherwise per-17 mit the release, planned movement, or responsive movement of any18 wolf or grizzly bear that has been born or raised in captivity19 into the wild unless the release is specifically required to avoid20 listing pursuant to the endangered species act or is to facilitate21 delisting of the species.22 Upon request, the department shall grant one (1) hearing per23 transplant or relocation if any affected individual or entity24 expresses written concern within ten (10) days of notification re-25 garding any transplants or relocations of bighorn sheep and shall26 take into consideration these concerns in approving, modifying or27 canceling any proposed bighorn sheep transplant or relocation.28 Any such hearing shall be held within thirty (30) days of the re-29 quest.30 (G) It is the policy of the state of Idaho that existing sheep or31 livestock operations in the area of any bighorn sheep wild game32 transplant or relocation are recognized and that the potential33 risk, if any, of disease transmission and loss of bighorn sheep34 wild game when the same invade domestic livestock or sheep op-35 erations is accepted. Prior to any transplant or relocation of36 bighorn sheep wild game into areas they do not now inhabit or a37 transplant or relocation for the purpose of augmenting existing38 populations, the department shall provide for any affected fed-39 eral or state land grazing permittees or owners or leaseholders40 of private land a written agreement signed by all federal, state41 and private entities responsible for the transplant or relocation42 stating that the existing sheep or livestock operations in the43 area of any such bighorn sheep wild game transplant or relocation44 are recognized and that the potential risk, if any, of disease45 transmission and loss of bighorn sheep wild game when the same in-46 vade domestic livestock or sheep operations is accepted.47 (E) (H) The Idaho department of fish and game: (1) shall develop48 a state management plan to maintain a viable, self-sustaining49 population of bighorn sheep in Idaho which shall consider as part50

5 of the plan the current federal or state domestic sheep grazing1 allotment(s) that currently have any bighorn sheep upon or in2 proximity to the allotment(s); (2) within ninety (90) days of the3 effective date of this act will cooperatively develop best manage-4 ment practices with the permittee(s) on the allotment(s). Upon5 commencement of the implementation of best management practices,6 the director shall certify that the risk of disease transmission,7 if any, between bighorn and domestic sheep is acceptable for the8 viability of the bighorn sheep. The director's certification9 shall continue for as long as the best management practices are10 implemented. The director may also certify that the risk of dis-11 ease transmission, if any, between bighorn and domestic sheep12 is acceptable for the viability of the bighorn sheep based upon13 a finding that other factors exist, including but not limited14 to previous exposure to pathogens that make separation between15 bighorn and domestic sheep unnecessary.16 6. (A) The director shall have the power, at any time when it is17 desired to introduce any new species, or if at any time any species18 of wildlife of the state of Idaho shall be threatened with exces-19 sive shooting, trapping, or angling or otherwise, to close any20 open season or to reduce the bag limit or possession limit for such21 species for such time as he may designate; in the event an emer-22 gency is declared to exist, such closure shall become effective23 forthwith upon written order of the director; in all other cases,24 upon publication and posting as provided in section 36-105, Idaho25 Code.26 (B)(i) In order to protect property from damage by wildlife,27 including bear and turkey, the fish and game commission28 may delegate to the director or his designee the authority29 to declare an open season upon that particular species of30 wildlife to reduce its population. The director or his de-31 signee shall make an order embodying his findings in respect32 to when, under what circumstances, in which localities, by33 what means, and in what amounts, numbers and sex the wildlife34 subject to the hunt may be taken. In the event an emergency35 is declared to exist, such open season shall become effec-36 tive forthwith upon written order of the director or his37 designee; in all other cases, upon publication and posting38 as provided in section 36-105, Idaho Code.39 (ii) In the event a kill permit is issued by the director40 or his designee, the individual or landowner with the kill41 permit, in conjunction with their responsibility for field42 dressing the animals taken, may keep one (1) animal for their43 personal use. In the event the director or his designee44 issues a subsequent kill permit for the same individual or45 landowner due to continued depredation, the director or his46 designee may authorize the individual or landowner to keep a47 second subsequently taken animal for their personal use.48 (C) Any season closure order issued under authority hereof shall49 be published in at least one (1) newspaper of general circulation50

6 in the area affected by the order for at least once a week for two1 (2) consecutive weeks, and such order shall be posted in public2 places in each county as the director may direct.3 (D) During the closure of any open season or the opening of any4 special depredation season by the director, all provisions of laws5 relating to the closed season or the special depredation season6 on such wildlife shall be in force and whoever violates any of the7 provisions shall be subject to the penalties prescribed therefor.8 (E) Prior to the opening of any special depredation hunt, the di-9 rector or his designee shall be authorized to provide up to a max-10 imum of fifty percent (50%) of the available permits for such big11 game to the landholder(s) of privately owned land within the hunt12 area or his designees. If the landholder(s) chooses to designate13 hunters, he must provide a written list of the names of designated14 individuals to the department. If the landholder(s) fails to des-15 ignate licensed hunters, then the department will issue the total16 available permits in the manner set by rule. All hunters must have17 a current hunting license and shall have equal access to both pub-18 lic and private lands within the hunt boundaries. It shall be un-19 lawful for any landholder(s) to receive any form of compensation20 from a person who obtains or uses a depredation controlled hunt21 permit.22 7. The director shall make an annual report to the governor, the legis-23 lature, and the secretary of state of the doings and conditions of his24 office.25 8. The director may sell or cause to be sold publications and materials26 in accordance with section 59-1012, Idaho Code.27 9.(A) Any deer, elk, antelope, moose, bighorn sheep or bison im-28 ported or transported To the extent practicable, any classified29 big game imported, transported, required for sampling by the de-30 partment, or utilized for tracking by the department of fish and31 game shall be tested for the presence of certain communicable dis-32 eases and strains that can be transmitted to domestic livestock.33 Those communicable diseases to be tested for shall be arrived at34 by mutual agreement between the department of fish and game and the35 department of agriculture. Any moneys expended by the department36 of fish and game on wildlife disease research shall be mutually37 agreed upon by the department of fish and game and the department38 of agriculture.39 (B) In addition, a A comprehensive animal health program for all40 deer, elk, antelope, moose, bighorn sheep, or bison big game im-41 ported into, transported, used for tracking, or resident within42 the state of Idaho shall be implemented after said program is mutu-43 ally agreed upon by the department of fish and game and the depart-44 ment of agriculture.45 10. In order to monitor and evaluate the disease and strain status of46 wildlife and to protect Idaho's livestock resources, any suspicion by47 fish and game personnel of a potential communicable disease process in48 wildlife shall be reported within twenty-four (24) hours to the depart-49 ment of agriculture. All samples collected for disease monitoring or50

7 disease evaluation of wildlife shall be submitted to the division of an-1 imal industries, department of agriculture.2 11.(A) The director is authorized to enter into an agreement with3 an independent contractor for the purpose of providing a telephone4 order and credit card payment service for controlled hunt permits,5 licenses, tags, and permits.6 (B) The contractor may collect a fee for its service in an amount7 to be set by contract.8 (C) All moneys collected for the telephone orders of such li-9 censes, tags, and permits shall be and remain the property of the10 state, and such moneys shall be directly deposited by the con-11 tractor into the state treasurer's account in accordance with the12 provisions of section 59-1014, Idaho Code. The contractor shall13 furnish a good and sufficient surety bond to the state of Idaho in14 an amount sufficient to cover the amount of the telephone orders15 and potential refunds.16 (D) The refund of moneys for unsuccessful controlled hunt permit17 applications and licenses, tags, and permits approved by the de-18 partment may be made by the contractor crediting the applicant's19 or licensee's credit card account.20 12. The director may define activities or facilities that primarily21 provide a benefit: to the department; to a person; for personal use; to22 a commercial enterprise; or for a commercial purpose.23 13. The director shall consult with other agencies to identify eligible24 land suitable for the location or relocation of shooting ranges.25

SECTION 2. That Section 36-202, Idaho Code, be, and the same is hereby26 amended to read as follows:27 36-202. DEFINITIONS. Whenever the following words appear in title 36,28 Idaho Code, and orders and rules promulgated by the Idaho fish and game com-29 mission or the director of the Idaho department of fish and game, they shall30 be deemed to have the same meaning and terms of reference as hereinafter set31 forth. The present tense includes the past and future tenses, and the fu-32 ture, the present.33 (a) "Title" means all of the fish and game laws and rules promulgated34 pursuant thereto.35 (b) "Commission" means the Idaho fish and game commission. "Commis-36 sioner" means a member of the Idaho fish and game commission.37 (c) "Department" means the Idaho department of fish and game.38 (d) "Director" means the director of the Idaho department of fish and39 game or any person authorized to act in his name.40 (e) "Employee" means any employee of the Idaho department of fish and41 game whose salary is paid entirely or in part by funds administered by the42 Idaho fish and game commission and whose appointment is made in accordance43 with chapter 53, title 67, Idaho Code, and related rules.44 (f) "Person" means an individual, partnership, corporation, company,45 or any other type of association, and any agent or officer of any partner-46 ship, corporation, company, or other type of association. The masculine47 gender includes the feminine and the neuter. The singular, the plural, and48 the plural, the singular.49

8 (g) "Wildlife" means any form of animal life, native or exotic, gener-1 ally living in a state of nature provided that domestic cervidae as defined2 in section 25-3701, Idaho Code, shall not be classified as wildlife.3 (h) "Trophy big game animal" means any big game animal deemed a trophy4 as defined in this subsection. For the purpose of this section, a score shall5 be determined from the antlers of the mule deer, white-tailed deer or elk as6 measured by the copyrighted Boone and Crockett scoring system. The highest7 of the typical or nontypical scores shall be used for determining the total8 score.9 1. Mule deer: any buck scoring over one hundred fifty (150) points;10 2. White-tailed deer: any buck scoring over one hundred thirty (130)11 points;12 3. Elk: any bull scoring over three hundred (300) points;13 4. Bighorn sheep: any ram;14 5. Moose: any bull;15 6. Mountain goat: any male or female;16 7. Pronghorn antelope: any buck with at least one (1) horn exceeding17 fourteen (14) inches;18 8. Caribou: any male or female;19 9. Grizzly bear: any male or female.20 (i) "Take" means hunt, pursue, catch, capture, shoot, fish, seine,21 trap, kill, or possess or any attempt to so do.22 (j) "Hunting" means chasing, driving, flushing, attracting, pursuing,23 worrying, following after or on the trail of, shooting at, stalking, or ly-24 ing in wait for, any wildlife whether or not such wildlife is then or sub-25 sequently captured, killed, taken, or wounded. Such term does not include26 stalking, attracting, searching for, or lying in wait for, any wildlife by27 an unarmed person solely for the purpose of watching wildlife or taking pic-28 tures thereof.29 (k) "Fishing" means any effort made to take, kill, injure, capture, or30 catch any fish or bullfrog.31 (l) "Trapping" means taking, killing, and capturing wildlife by the32 use of any trap, snare, deadfall, or other device commonly used to capture33 wildlife, and the shooting or killing of wildlife lawfully trapped, and34 includes all lesser acts such as placing, setting or staking such traps,35 snares, deadfalls, and other devices, whether or not such acts result in the36 taking of wildlife, and every attempt to take and every act of assistance to37 any other person in taking or attempting to take wildlife with traps, snares,38 deadfalls, or other devices.39 (m) "Possession" means both actual and constructive possession, and40 any control of the object or objects referred to; provided that wildlife41 taken accidentally and in a manner not contrary to the provisions of this ti-42 tle shall not be deemed to be in possession while being immediately released43 live back to the wild.44 (n) "Possession limit" means the maximum limit in number or amount of45 wildlife which may be lawfully in the possession of any person. "Possession46 limit" shall apply to wildlife being in possession while in the field or be-47 ing transported to final place of consumption or storage.48 (o) "Bag limit" means the maximum number of wildlife which may be49 legally taken, caught, or killed by any one (1) person for any particular50

9 period of time, as provided by order of the commission. The term "bag limit"1 shall be construed to mean an individual, independent effort and shall not be2 interpreted in any manner as to allow one (1) individual to take more than his3 "bag limit" toward filling the "bag limit" of another.4 (p) "Buy" means to purchase, barter, exchange, or trade and includes5 any offer or attempt to purchase, barter, exchange, or trade.6 (q) "Sell" means to offer or possess for sale, barter, exchange, or7 trade, or the act of selling, bartering, exchanging or trading.8 (r) "Transport" means to carry or convey or cause to be carried or con-9 veyed from one (1) place to another and includes an offer to transport, or re-10 ceipt or possession for transportation.11 (s) "Resident" means any person who has been domiciled in this state,12 with a bona fide intent to make this his place of permanent abode, for a pe-13 riod of not less than six (6) months immediately preceding the date of ap-14 plication for any license, tag, or permit required under the provisions of15 this title or orders of the commission and who, when temporarily absent from16 this state, continues residency with intent to return, and who does not claim17 any resident privileges in any other state or country for any purpose. Such18 privileges include, but are not limited to: state where valid driver's li-19 cense is issued; state of voter registration; state where resident state in-20 come taxes are filed; state where homeowner's tax exemption is granted. Pro-21 vided that, until any such person has been continuously domiciled outside22 the state of Idaho for a sufficient period of time to qualify for resident23 hunting and fishing privileges in his new state of residence, said person24 shall be deemed not to have lost his residency in Idaho for the purposes of25 this title. However, mere ownership of real property or payment of property26 taxes in Idaho does not establish residency. Provided further that:27 1. Idaho residents shall not lose their residency in Idaho if they28 are absent from the state for religious (not to exceed two (2) years)29 or full-time educational (not to exceed five (5) years) purposes,30 full-time to be defined by the educational institution attended, and31 do not claim residency or use resident privileges in any other state or32 country for any purpose.33 2. Idaho residents who are in the military service of the United States34 and maintain Idaho as their official state of residence as shown on35 their current leave and earnings statement, together with their spouse36 and children under eighteen (18) years of age living in the household,37 shall be eligible for the purchase of resident licenses.38 3. A member of the military service of the United States or of a for-39 eign country, together with his spouse and children under eighteen (18)40 years of age residing in his household, who have been officially trans-41 ferred, stationed, domiciled and on active duty in this state for a pe-42 riod of thirty (30) days last preceding application shall be eligible,43 as long as such assignment continues, to purchase a resident license. A44 member of the state national guard or air national guard, domiciled in45 this state for a period of thirty (30) days last preceding application46 shall be eligible, as long as such residency continues, to purchase a47 resident license.48

10 4. Any person enrolled as a corpsman at a job corps center in Idaho shall1 be eligible, as long as he is so enrolled, to obtain a resident fishing2 license irrespective of his length of residence in this state.3 5. Any foreign exchange student enrolled in an Idaho high school shall4 be eligible, as long as he is so enrolled, to obtain a resident fishing5 license irrespective of his length of residence in this state.6 (t) "Senior resident" means any person who is over sixty-five (65)7 years of age who meets the definition of a "resident" pursuant to the provi-8 sions of this section.9 (u) "Nonresident" means any person who does not qualify as a resident.10 (v) "Order, rule, regulation and proclamation" are all used inter-11 changeably and each includes the others.12 (w) "Blindness" means sight that does not exceed 20/200 as provided by13 the administrative guidelines of section 56-213, Idaho Code.14 (x) "Public highway" means the traveled portion of, and the shoulders15 on each side of, any road maintained by any governmental entity for public16 travel, and includes all bridges, culverts, overpasses, fills, and other17 structures within the limits of the right-of-way of any such road.18 (y) "Motorized vehicle" means any water, land or air vehicle propelled19 by means of steam, petroleum products, electricity, or any other mechanical20 power.21 (z) "Commercial fish hatchery" means any hatchery, pond, lake or stream22 or any other waters where fish are held, raised, or produced for sale but23 shall not include facilities used for the propagation of fish commonly con-24 sidered as ornamental or aquarium varieties.25 (aa) "License" means any license, tag, permit or stamp.26 (bb) "License vendor" means any person authorized to issue or sell li-27 censes.28 (cc) "Proclamation" means the action by the commission and publication29 of the pertinent information as it relates to the seasons and limits for tak-30 ing wildlife.31 (dd) "Commercial wildlife tannery" means any person or entity whose32 primary business is the actual tanning of wildlife skins/hides, processes in33 excess of ten thousand (10,000) wildlife skins/hides per year, and receives34 more than seventy-five percent (75%) of its business via common carrier in35 interstate commerce.36 (ee) "Planned movement" means the department's scheduled or otherwise37 discretionary capture, relocation, or transplantation of an animal that38 does not pose an imminent threat to public safety or a direct danger to human39 life or property. Planned movement may include but is not limited to:40 1. Actions taken for habitat modification or restoration;41 2. Population management or augmentation;42 3. Genetic diversity efforts;43 4. Research or tracking purposes;44 5. Mitigation of human-wildlife conflicts that do not require respon-45 sive movement; and46 6. Reintroductions into areas where objectives are not being met.47 (ff) "Responsive movement" means the department's immediate capture,48 relocation, or transplantation of an animal because it is necessary to pro-49

11 tect public safety due to an imminent threat. Such threats may include but1 are not limited to situations in which an animal:2 1. Enters a developed or populated area;3 2. Becomes trapped or injured; or4 3. Otherwise poses a direct and immediate danger to human life, public5 infrastructure, or private property.6 (gg) "Wild game" means all wildlife, excluding game fish and classified7 predatory wildlife, as that term is defined in section 36-201, Idaho Code,8 including such raised in captivity.9

SECTION 3. An emergency existing therefor, which emergency is hereby10 declared to exist, this act shall be in full force and effect on and after11 July 1, 2026.12