Any person who owns or operates farm or ranch land and who actually resides on a portion of such farm or ranch land, together with members of his or her immediate family also residing on such land, may hunt and possess, within duly established season bag and possession limits, upland game birds and all game except migratory waterfowl, shore birds, elk, deer, antelope, wild turkey, and mountain sheep without paying a fee and without obtaining a hunting permit as required in sections 37-401 and 37-411 or a habitat stamp as required in sections 37-426 to 37-433. For purposes of this exemption, immediate family means and is limited to husband and wife and their children and upland game means and is limited to cottontail rabbits, squirrels, grouse, partridges, pheasants, prairie chickens, and quail. Such exemption shall only apply to hunting done on land owned or operated by such person and shall not apply when hunting on the land of other persons. The commission may by rule and regulation require a person hunting without a permit claiming to come under this exemption to sign a statement presented by a conservation officer which states facts which verify that the person comes within this exemption.

A violation of this section shall be a Class IV misdemeanor.