29.053 Specific open and closed seasons.

(1) All fishing seasons on inland waters shall open on a Saturday.

(2) The department may exercise its authority under s. 29.014 with reference to the state as a whole, or for any specified county or part of a county, or for any lake or stream or part of a lake or stream.

(a) The department may establish a fishing season on specified bodies of water in certain urban areas, as determined by rule by the department, that allows fishing only by persons who are under 16 years old or who are disabled and can produce the evidence specified in s. 29.193 (3) (a), (b) or (c), subject to all of the following conditions:

1. The department may not designate a body of water under this subsection that is 25 acres or greater in area.

2. The department may not designate a body of water under this subsection without the written agreement of each private owner of shoreline and of each city, village, town, county, federal agency or other state agency that owns shoreline.

3. The department shall post notice of the restricted fishing season at each designated body of water.

(b) Section 227.16 (2) (e) does not apply to a rule promulgated under this subsection and, when the department proposes to add a body of water to or delete a body of water from a rule under this subsection, the department shall hold a hearing, as required under s. 227.16 (1), either in the county in which the body of water is located or within 50 miles of the body of water.

(3) The department may modify any requirement of this chapter or rules promulgated under it, establish special seasons, authorize the use of special equipment or take any other action in order to provide additional hunting and fishing opportunities for persons who are physically disabled or visually handicapped. The department may limit the number of persons involved, except that if the department establishes a special season for hunting deer with firearms for persons who are physically disabled, the season shall be open to persons who have been issued a Class D permit under s. 29.193 (2).

History: 1997 a. 248 ss. 112, 384, 388 to 392; 1999 a. 32; 2011 a. 168.