Sec. 03.05.075. - Elk farming.
(a) Elk may be raised and bred as domestic stock for commercial purposes, including the sale of meat, by a person who lawfully owns the elk and who holds a current valid elk farming license. The commissioner of natural resources may issue an elk farming license for the farming of elk to a person who applies on a form provided by the commissioner, pays the biennial elk farming license fee, and proves to the satisfaction of the commissioner that the person lawfully owns the elk, intends to raise and breed elk, and possesses facilities for maintaining the elk under positive control. Before issuing or renewing an elk farming license, the commissioner shall conduct a physical inspection of the elk farming facilities and determine that the facilities are in good repair and comply with the fencing standards established under (d) of this section. In this subsection, "lawfully owns" means ownership that was obtained without violating a state or federal law or regulation or a condition of a license or permit issued with respect to elk.
(b) The commissioner of natural resources shall provide to the Department of Fish and Game a copy of each application for an elk farming license received by the commissioner and each elk farming license issued by the commissioner.
(c) The fee for a biennial elk farming license is $250.
(d) The commissioner of natural resources shall establish fencing standards for elk farming facilities to maintain elk under positive control. Proposed fencing standards shall be submitted to the commissioner of fish and game for review before the standards are adopted or amended.
(e) Notwithstanding other provisions of law, a license or permit is not required from the Department of Fish and Game in order to import, export, or possess elk for the purpose of elk farming. Elk imported, exported, or possessed for the purpose of elk farming are subject to the provisions of this title and regulations adopted under this title by the commissioner of natural resources or the commissioner of environmental conservation for domestic animals and livestock, to the extent they are made applicable to elk by the commissioners.
(f) In this section, "elk" means an animal of a subspecies of cervus elaphus that is indigenous to North America; "elk" does not include red deer or a red deer hybrid.