State Wildlife Bounty Laws by State:
Alabama
Code: B
Species: Beavers
Amount: $5
Summary: Whenever the commissioner of conservation and natural resources determines that a reduction in the number of beavers is necessary to the public health and welfare of the people of this state or for the preservation of the species or to prevent serious damage resulting from the damming or diversion of public streams by beavers, said commissioner shall be authorized to open or close a season in any county, area or section of the state for the killing of beavers and to provide for the payment of a bounty for each beaver killed.
Citation: §9-11-262
Enacted 1971
Alaska
Code: R
Arizona
Code: O
Arkansas
Code: B
Species: Wolves
Amount: $15 ($5 if under 6 months of age)
Summary: The county court of any county of this state is authorized to pay a bounty for each wolf killed within the county when satisfactory proof has been made of the killing of the animals. Payment shall be made from the Game Protection Fund of the Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission. No bounty shall be paid to a nonresident or employee of the federal or state government. Upon certification of the county judge certifying to the secretary of Arkansas State Game and Fish Commission that a bounty has been paid for the killing of the wolves to the persons killing the wolves, the secretary shall approve the claim and draw a voucher for the amount approved. The State Auditor shall issue a warrant for the amount to the person killing the wolves, the claim to be paid to the persons by the county courts.
Citation: 15-46-102
Enacted 1949
California
Code: U
Summary: It is unlawful for any person, including state, federal, county, and city officials or their agents, to authorize, offer or pay a bounty for any bird or mammal. This section does not apply to any person with respect to the taking of any bird or mammal on the private property of such person.
Citation: §2019
Enacted 1974
Colorado
Code: B
Species: Coyote; Wolf
Amount: Coyote: $1
Wolf: $2
Summary: Any person who kills any wolf, coyote, or any number of such animals within this state, shall receive a premium. Production of the scalps, including the entire ears, within 3 months of the killing to the county treasurer of the county in which the animal was killed and shall take an oath before the treasurer.
Citation: 35-40-107
Enacted 1893
Last Activity 1963
Connecticut
Code: R
Delaware
Code: O
District of Columbia
Code: O
Florida
Code: O
Georgia
Code: O
Hawaii
Code: O
Idaho
Code: O
Illinois
Code: O
Indiana
Code: O
Iowa
Code: O
Kansas
Code: R
Kentucky
Code: B
Species: Beaver
Amount: $10
Summary: Upon adoption of a resolution by the fiscal court that beaver exist within the county in such quantities that they present a threat to the preservation of farmland, trees, and other property, the fiscal court may request the department to pay a bounty on beaver. No bounty shall be paid when funds, personnel or equipment of any governmental unit are used in killing beaver. Upon presentation of the tail of any beaver, any conservation officer of the department shall issue a receipt to the person. The department shall redeem the receipts from funds especially appropriated for this purpose.
Citation: 150.425
Enacted 1978
Louisiana
Code: B
Species: Beaver
Amount: $5(In pilot programs, $15/pelt: $10 to be paid by the state and $5 to be paid by the parish.)
Summary: The department may, when funds are provided, offer a bounty for each beaver destroyed. No bounty shall be paid when funds, personnel or equipment of the department are employed in killing beaver. Upon presentation of the beaver to any bona fide or licensed alligator farm, a receipt shall be issued to the person presenting the animal. The department shall redeem such receipt only from funds only from funds especially appropriated for this purpose.
Citation: 3:3031
Enacted 1990
Maine
Code: R
Maryland
Code: U
Summary: The Department may not pay bounties for any wildlife.
Citation: §10-207
Enacted 1957
Last Activity 1994
Massachusetts
Code: U
Summary: A person shall not take, disturb or destroy a nest or eggs of any bird except an English sparrow, crow, jay or starling. A city, town, county or private organization shall not offer to pay bounties for the killing or taking of any bird.
Citation: G.L.c. 131, §74
Enacted 1967
Michigan
Code: B
Species: Rat; English Sparrow; Starling; Crow
Amount: Rat (any black, brown, grey, or Norway rats commonly known as the house rat, barn rat or wharf rat): 10 cents; English Sparrow: 2 cents; Starling: 3 cents; Crow: 10 cents
Summary: Every person being an inhabitant of this state who shall kill any black, brown, grey, or Norway rats commonly known as the house rat, barn rat or wharf rat in any organized township, village or city in this state, shall be entitled to receive a bounty when presenting the animals (or their heads, in the case of rats) to the clerk of the township, village or city. ... when presenting the animals (or their heads, in the case of rats) to the clerk of the township, village or city.
Citation: 433.251
Enacted:
Rats: 1915
Sparrow: 1907
Starling & Crow: 1941
Minnesota
Code: B
Species: Striped, Gray, and Pocket Gophers; Ground Squirrels; Woodchucks
Summary: Any county board or board of town supervisors may, by resolution, offer a bounty for the destruction of gophers or ground squirrels. The resolution may be made to cover the whole or any part of the county, and may be annually renewed, but it shall have force and effect only during the calendar year in which it was adopted or renewed. The four feet of striped and gray gophers and woodchucks, and both front feet of pocket gophers shall be produced to the chair of the town board.
Citation: 348.12; 348.13
Enacted 1909
Last Activity 1994
Mississippi
Code: B
Species: Nutria; Beaver; Bobcat.
Summary: Any board of supervisors may offer a bounty where such board finds and determines that these animals are in such quantities that the preservation of trees and other properties requires such bounties to be offered. The animal's tail shall be presented to the sheriff for a receipt to be presented to the chancery clerk.
Citation: 19-5-51
Enacted 1942
Last Activity 1974
Montana
Code: B
Citation: 81-7-11
Enacted 1925
Last Activity 1997
New Hampshire
Code: R
Species: Porcupine Bounty Repealed 1979
Summary: Bobcat Bounty Repealed 1973
New Jersey
Code: U
Summary: No county or municipality shall hereafter pay any premium or bounty for the killing of any fox or woodchuck.
Citation: 23:4-62.2
Enacted 1975
New Mexico
Code: U
Citation: 77-15-3
Enacted 1919
Last Activity 1997
New York
Code: U
North Dakota
Species: Gophers, Rabbits, Crows
Citation: 4-16-03
Enacted 1905
Last Activity 1985
Oregon
Code: U
Citation: 610.005
Enacted 1959
Pennsylvania
Code: B
Species: Rattlesnakes; Copperhead snakes; Porcupines
Amount: Snakes: $1; Porcupines: 50 cents.
Summary: The board of commissioners of any county of the sixth, seventh or eighth class may provide for the payment of rewards or bounties for the killing within the county.
Citation: 16 P.S. §1972
Enacted 1955
Last Activity 1972
Rhode Island
Code: R
South Carolina
Code: O
South Dakota
Code: B
Species: Coyotes
Amount: $5
Citation: 40-37-9
Enacted 1939
Last Activity 1998
Tennessee
Code: O
Texas
Code: B
Summary: (Animals and bounties vary by county.)
Citation: Enacted 1989
Utah
Code: B
Summary: (Board appointed to designate predatory animals and specify bounties.)
Citation: 4-23-5
Enacted 1953
Last Activity 1995
Vermont
Code: B
Species: Dog
Amount: $5
Summary: Selectmen may offer a bounty for anyone killing a dog caught in the act of killing or worrying sheep.
Citation: 20 V.S.A. §3749
Enacted 1947
Virginia
Code: B
Species: Coyote
Summary: Any locality may by ordinance permit the killing of coyotes within its boundaries at any time and may pay, out of any available funds, a bounty for each coyote killed within its boundaries. The ordinance may prescribe the conditions to be met and the evidence to be submitted before any such payment is made, as well as the amount of the bounty to be paid.
Citation: §15.2-926.1
Enacted 1999
Washington
Code: O
West Virginia
Code: O
Wisconsin
Code: B
Species: Pocket or Striped gopher; any black, brown, gray or Norway rate, commonly known as the house rat or barn rat; any mole; any red or grey fox; any wildcat; any weasel.
Summary: The governing body of any county, town, city or village may direct that every person who kills an animal stated in this section shall be entitled to a reward as determined by the governing board of any county, town, city or village.
Exhibit the ears of the gopher or head of any other animal to an officer designated by such governing body in its ordinance or resolution providing for such reward, and present an affidavit to such officer stating that said ears or head are of the animal the person killed, and that the person has not spared the life of any such animal within the person's power to kill. Such officer shall issue a certificate. The town, city or village clerk shall issue to the holder the amount stated.
Citation: 66.37
Enacted 1975
Last Activity 1997
Wyoming
Code: A
Summary: Each predatory animal district board may adopt rules and regulations necessary for the purpose of controlling predatory animals. Each board is authorized to pay bounties for predatory animals.
Citation: 11-6-206
Enacted 1943
Last Activity 1990
A = Districts are authorized to enter into bounty agreements to
control predatory animals.
B = Bounty paid for one or more species.
R = Bounty statute(s) repealed.
O = No statute governing this issue.
U = Statute makes it unlawful to pay bounties.
Colorado - Coyote bounties allowed (enacted 1893)
South Dakota - Coyote bounties allowed (enacted 1939)
Virginia - Coyote bounties allowed (enacted 1999)
Utah - Coyote bounties allowed (enacted 1953)
Texas - Coyote bounties allowed (since 1989)
Conservation Department: Plagued by an overpopulation of nutria, the State of Louisiana has placed a $4 bounty on the animal in hopes of controlling the damage being done to its coastal and inland wetlands. About 7 million nutria inhabit the state, out of a total of 20 million in the entire country. The bounty is set to go into effect with the opening of the trapping season on November 20, 2002. The structure of the program, particularly with regard to what kind of proof must be submitted, has yet to be determined. The plan is to reduce the nutria population by 200,000-300,000 animals to restore the ecological balance.
