Virginia Law

A. For the purposes of this section, the following words or terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:

"Individual, cooperators, or wildlife conservation organizations" means those people or entities whose mission is to promote and ensure the conservation of Virginia's wildlife resources or to promote opportunities for hunting, fishing, trapping, boating, or other wildlife-related recreation within Virginia.

"Proceeds" means the amount of money received by the cooperator or organization from the transfer of a reserved special elk hunting license minus all expenses, including the fees associated with the license, and administrative costs directly attributable to the transfer of the permit or the implementation of the defined project.

B. Upon receipt of a valid Conservation License Program application from an officer or other designated official representative of any individual, cooperator, or wildlife conservation organization, the director or the director's designee shall verify the application materials and may select a program awardee annually. Applications must be received or postmarked no later than April 1 to be eligible for the Conservation License Program during that calendar year.

C. A valid Conservation License Program application shall include:

1. Cooperator or organization name, name of the individual designated to submit and receive official correspondence, address for such correspondence, and a telephone number.

2. Cooperator or organization mission statement.

3. A written application describing:

a. Cooperator or organization role in wildlife conservation in Virginia.

b. Cooperator or organization purpose and intent for requesting a reserved special elk hunting license through the Conservation License Program.

c. Cooperator or organization proposal for method of generating funds from transfer of the reserved special elk hunting license to an eligible individual.

d. Cooperator or organization strategy to direct proceeds received from the transfer of the reserved special elk hunting license and any matching funding toward wildlife conservation or wildlife-related recreation in Virginia's Elk Management Zone.

D. The director shall establish a Conservation License Program Committee to review program applications and submit a recommendation to the director to reserve no more than one special elk hunting license for a cooperator or organization whose application is deemed to provide the greatest benefit to wildlife conservation and wildlife-related recreation in Virginia per license year. This committee shall be composed of a minimum of three individuals and make a recommendation to the director by May 1 each year.

E. A cooperator or organization receiving a reserved special elk hunting license must direct all proceeds from the transfer of such reservation, toward a project to improve and enhance wildlife habitat, wildlife populations, or wildlife-related recreation within the Elk Management Zone. The proposed strategy and requirements will be outlined in a memorandum of agreement between the department and the cooperator or organization.

F. A cooperator or organization may transfer the reserved special elk hunting license to any person eligible to hunt in Virginia. The generation of funds from the transfer of the reserved special elk hunting license may only be conducted through a raffle.

G. Transfer of the reserved special elk hunting license must be reported to the department no less than one month prior to the opening day of the elk hunting season during which the special elk hunting license is valid. To report a transfer to the department, the cooperator or organization shall provide the department with the hunter's:

1. Name;

2. Department customer identification number;

3. Address; and

4. Telephone number.

H. A special elk hunting license transferee may be rejected if it is determined that the transferee has been convicted of two or more wildlife violations within three years prior to the last date of the application period. In determining the transferee's eligibility, the director shall take into account the nature and severity of the violations.

I. A cooperator or organization that receives a reserved special elk hunting license shall submit an annual report to the department regarding any proceeds received from the transfer of the reserved license and an accounting of how those funds were directed toward wildlife conservation or wildlife-related recreation in the Elk Management Zone.