Utah Code 4-25-303. Feral swine detrimental to state’s interests — Seizure, capture, or destruction of feral swine

4-25-303. Feral swine detrimental to state‘s interests — Seizure, capture, or destruction of feral swine.

(1)	Feral swine are detrimental to the state’s interests in agriculture and wildlife.

Agriculture: means the science and art of the production of plants and animals useful to man, including the preparation of plants and animals for human use and disposal by marketing or otherwise. See Utah Code 4-1-109
Department: means the Department of Agriculture and Food created in Chapter 2, Administration. See Utah Code 4-1-109
Land: includes :Utah Code 68-3-12.5
State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes a state, district, or territory of the United States. See Utah Code 68-3-12.5

(2)

Feral swine may be seized, captured, or destroyed at any time, in any place, and in any manner by:

(a)	the department and the department’s authorized agents;

(b)	the Division of Wildlife Resources and the Division of Wildlife Resources’ authorized agents; or

(c)	a certified peace officer.

(3)

(a)	Notwithstanding Section 76-9-301, and subject to the requirements of this section, an individual may kill a feral swine roaming on private or public land.

(b)	An individual shall obtain the consent of the landowner before killing a feral swine on private land.

(c)

Feral swine may be killed:

(i)	year-round;

(ii)	in any number; and

(iii)

with a firearm, bow and arrow, or crossbow.

(4)

Feral swine may not be hunted or killed under Subsection (3)(c):

(a)	with the use of artificial light or night vision equipment, except as authorized by county ordinance; or

(b)	from or with any airborne vehicle or device, except as provided in Section 4-23-106.

(5)	An individual may not receive compensation, or attempt to receive compensation, from hunting feral swine.

(6)

An authorized individual who kills a swine under this section is not liable to the owner for the loss of the swine, unless:

(a)	the swine is conspicuously identified by an ear tag or other form of visual identification; and

(b)	the individual who killed the swine knew the swine was identified by an ear tag or other form of usual identification.

Renumbered and Amended by Chapter 345, 2017 General Session