(1) As used in this section: (a) "Landowners association" means an organization consisting of private landowners working with the division to implement this section and whose land: (i) provides habitat for deer, elk, or pronghorn as determined by the division; and (ii) is not enrolled in another private lands permit program. (b) "Voucher" means an authorization issued by the division to a landowner that entitles the landowner or a permitted transferee of the landowner to purchase a permit from the division. (2) The landowners association program under this section: (a) provides an incentive for a private landowner to manage the private landowner's land as quality habitat for public wildlife; (b) assists and supports the division in managing big game populations; (c) increases private landowner tolerance of big game on the private landowner's private land; (d) increases big game hunting opportunities; (e) increases and secures public hunting access on a participating landowner's private land; (f) reduces the division's obligations in responding to and compensating for depredation events occurring on private lands; (g) uses objective criteria to determine how hunting opportunities are allocated to the landowners association program; and (h) allocates hunting opportunities in a manner that fluctuates in proportion to variations in public draw permits. (3) A landowners association may not be established or operate without first obtaining a certificate of registration from the Wildlife Board. (4) (a) The division shall establish the number of limited entry landowners association program vouchers available on an annual basis by: (i) identifying the total number of public draw permits in a limited entry unit for the previous hunt year; (ii) identifying the total acreage of private land in a limited entry unit enrolled in the landowners association; (iii) calculating the percentage of habitat of a big game species in the landowners association by dividing the habitat acreage represented by the landowners association by the habitat acreage in the whole limited entry unit; and (iv) applying the percentage described in Subsection (4)(a)(iii) to the total number of available public draw permits from the previous year to determine the number of limited entry landowners association program vouchers to be allocated to the landowners association. (b) The division shall round numbers when determining permit numbers by rounding down when the number is .49 or less and rounding up when the number is .50 or greater. (c) An approved landowners association that qualifies for less than one voucher under Subsection (4)(a) does not receive a voucher under Subsection (4)(a), but shall annually receive one voucher in accordance with Subsection (4)(d). (d) The division shall annually allocate one additional voucher to each landowners association described in Subsection (4)(a) or (c). (5) A landowner participating in the landowners association program may not submit a claim for compensation for wildlife damage under Chapter 8, Part 4, Damage by Big Game, to the landowner's private land that is enrolled in the landowners association program. (6) The Wildlife Board may make rules, in accordance with Title 63G, Chapter 3, Utah Administrative Rulemaking Act, and enforce rules applicable to the landowners association program organized for the hunting of big game that in the Wildlife Board's judgment are necessary to administer and enforce this section.
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