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 for a period not to exceed five years.

C. The director shall establish a Conservation License Program Committee composed of a minimum of three individuals to review program applications and submit a recommendation to the director to reserve no more than one special elk hunting license per license year for a period not to exceed five years for a cooperator or organization whose application is deemed to provide the greatest benefit to elk conservation and elk-related recreation.

D. The awardee will receive a reserved special elk hunting license each license year during the award period, subject to the provisions of subsection G of this section. The awardee must direct all proceeds from the transfer of such reservation toward projects to improve and enhance elk habitat, elk populations, or elk-related recreation within the Elk Management Zone.

E. In coordination with the department, 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.

F. A special elk hunting license transferee may be rejected if it is determined that the transferee has a hunting license revocation at the time the transferee is drawn, has been convicted of one or more wildlife violations within five years prior to the last date of the application period, or has been convicted of one or more violations involving elk. In determining the transferee's eligibility, the department shall take into account the nature and severity of the violations.

G. The department reserves the right to terminate a multi-year award if the cooperator or organization violates the intent of the Conservation License Program or breaches any agreement made with the department pertaining to the Conservation License Program, or if the department alters special elk hunting license opportunities for elk management purposes.

H. Cooperators or organizations are eligible to apply for and be selected for the Conservation License Program, regardless of the number of times the cooperator or organization has applied or been selected in the past.