Section 26.06. Enforcement, seizure and sale of materials.

 

(1)   Foresters, forest supervisors, rangers and wardens of the department and the cruisers and foresters of the board of commissioners of public lands have the enforcement powers specified in s. 26.97 with respect to, and may seize, without process, any forest products unlawfully severed from public lands of the state, federal lands leased to the state, county forest lands entered under s. 28.11 , forest croplands entered under subch. I of ch. 77 or managed forest land designated under subch. VI of ch. 77 . Seized products cut from lands under the control of the board of commissioners of public lands shall be held for the commissioners and those cut from forest croplands, managed forest land or county forest shall be held for the owner, and subject to the payment of severance share thereon to the state. Products cut from state forest lands or federal lands leased to the department shall be appraised and sold. Products appraised at more than $500 shall be sold on sealed bids not less than 10 days after a class 1 notice has been published, under ch. 985 , in the county where the material is located. Any sheriff may seize and hold for the owner thereof any forest products unlawfully severed or removed.

(2)  Any person who, without the consent of a person legally able to give consent, removes any seized products or removes or defaces a seizure notice of the department or of any sheriff shall forfeit not less than $500 nor more than $10,000.

(3)  Any person who transports, receives or conceals any forest products, knowing the same to have been unlawfully severed from the lands of another, shall be liable to the owner for double the value thereof and in addition shall be punished as provided in s. 943.34 (1) .

1971 c. 265 ; 1975 c. 365 ; 1985 a. 29 ; 1987 a. 266 s. 5 ; 1989 a. 79 ; 1999 a. 190 ; 2015 a. 358 .