(A) Except as provided in this section or division (A)(2) of section 1533.12 of the Revised Code, no person shall hunt or trap fur-bearing animals on land of another without first obtaining some type of an annual fur taker permit.

(B)

(1) Except as otherwise provided in rules adopted under division (B) of section 1533.12 of the Revised Code, each applicant for a fur taker permit or an apprentice fur taker permit shall pay an annual fee for each annual permit in accordance with the following schedule:

Fur taker permit

$ 14.00

Apprentice fur taker permit

$ 14.00

Senior fur taker permit - resident only

$ 7.00

Apprentice senior fur taker permit - resident only

$ 7.00

Special youth fur taker permit

$ 7.00

Apprentice youth fur taker permit

$ 7.00

(2) As used in division (B)(1) of this section:

(a) "Youth" means an applicant who is under the age of eighteen years at the time of application for a permit.

(b) "Senior" means an applicant who is sixty-six years of age or older at the time of application for a permit.

(C) Each type of fur taker permit is valid during the hunting license year in which the permit is purchased. The money received shall be paid into the state treasury to the credit of the fund established in section 1533.15 of the Revised Code. Apprentice fur taker permits and apprentice youth fur taker permits are subject to the requirements established under section 1533.102 of the Revised Code and rules adopted pursuant to it.

(D)

(1) No person shall issue a fur taker permit to an applicant unless it is accompanied by a written explanation of the law in section 1533.17 of the Revised Code and the penalty for its violation, including a description of terms of imprisonment and fines that may be imposed.

(2) No person shall issue a fur taker permit, other than an apprentice fur taker permit or an apprentice youth fur taker permit, to an applicant unless the applicant presents to the agent authorized to issue a fur taker permit a previously held hunting license or trapping or fur taker permit or evidence of having held such a license or permit in content and manner approved by the chief of the division of wildlife, a certificate of completion issued upon completion of a trapper education course approved by the chief, or evidence of equivalent training in content and manner approved by the chief. A previously held apprentice hunting license, apprentice fur taker permit, or apprentice youth fur taker permit does not satisfy the requirement concerning the presentation of a previously held hunting license or fur taker permit or evidence of such a license or permit.

(3) No person shall issue a fur taker permit, other than an apprentice fur taker permit or an apprentice youth fur taker permit, to any person who fails to present the evidence required by this section. No person shall purchase or obtain a fur taker permit, other than an apprentice fur taker permit or an apprentice youth fur taker permit, without presenting to the issuing agent the evidence required by this section. Issuance of a fur taker permit in violation of the requirements of this section is an offense by both the purchaser of the illegally obtained permit and the clerk or agent who issued the permit. Any fur taker permit issued in violation of this section is void.

(E) The chief, with approval of the wildlife council, shall adopt rules prescribing a trapper education course for first-time fur taker permit buyers, other than buyers of apprentice fur taker permits or apprentice youth fur taker permits, and for volunteer instructors. The course shall consist of subjects that include, but are not limited to, trapping techniques, animal habits and identification, trapping tradition and ethics, the trapper and conservation, the law in section 1533.17 of the Revised Code along with the penalty for its violation, including a description of terms of imprisonment and fines that may be imposed, and other law relating to trapping. Authorized personnel of the division of wildlife or volunteer instructors approved by the chief shall conduct the courses with such frequency and at such locations throughout the state as to reasonably meet the needs of permit applicants. The chief shall issue a certificate of completion to each person who successfully completes the course and passes an examination prescribed by the chief.

(F) Every person, while hunting or trapping fur-bearing animals on lands of another, shall carry the person's fur taker permit with the person's signature written on the permit. Failure to carry such a signed permit constitutes an offense under this section. The chief shall adopt any additional rules the chief considers necessary to carry out this section.

(G) An owner who is a resident of this state or an owner who is exempt from obtaining a hunting license under section 1533.10 of the Revised Code and the children of the owner of lands in this state may hunt or trap fur-bearing animals thereon without a fur taker permit. If the owner of land in this state is a limited liability company or a limited liability partnership that consists of three or fewer individual members or partners, as applicable, an individual member or partner who is a resident of this state and the member's or partner's children of any age may hunt or trap fur-bearing animals on the land owned by the limited liability company or limited liability partnership without a fur taker permit. In addition, if the owner of land in this state is a trust that has a total of three or fewer trustees and beneficiaries, an individual who is a trustee or beneficiary and who is a resident of this state and the individual's children of any age may hunt or trap fur-bearing animals on the land owned by the trust without a fur taker permit. The tenant and children of the tenant may hunt or trap fur-bearing animals on lands where they reside without a fur taker permit.

(H) A fur taker permit is not transferable. No person shall carry a fur taker permit issued in the name of another person.

(I) A fur taker permit entitles a nonresident to take from this state fur-bearing animals taken and possessed by the nonresident as provided by law or division rule.

Amended by 133rd General Assembly File No. TBD, HB 166, §101.01, eff. 10/17/2019.

Amended by 132nd General Assembly File No. TBD, SB 257, §1, eff. 9/28/2018.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.191, HB 420, §1, eff. 3/27/2013.

Amended by 129th General AssemblyFile No.28, HB 153, §101.01, eff. 9/29/2011.

Effective Date: 09-26-2003; 09-29-2005; 05-17-2006