...(e) Duties and Powers of Director [of the Department of Fish and Game]:...
5.
(A) The director, or any person appointed by him in writing to do so, may take wildlife of any kind, dead or alive, or import the same, subject to such conditions, restrictions and rules as he may provide, for the purpose of inspection, cultivation, propagation, distribution, scientific or other purposes deemed by him to be of interest to the fish and game resources of the state...
(D)...Upon request, the department shall grant one (1) hearing per transplant or relocation if any affected individual or entity expresses written concern within ten (10) days of notification regarding any transplants or relocations of bighorn sheep and shall take into consideration these concerns in approving, modifying or canceling any proposed bighorn sheep transplant or relocation. Any such hearing shall be held within thirty (30) days of the request. It is the policy of the state of Idaho that existing sheep or livestock operations in the area of any bighorn sheep transplant or relocation are recognized and that the potential risk, if any, of disease transmission and loss of bighorn sheep when the same invade domestic livestock or sheep operations is accepted. Prior to any transplant or relocation of bighorn sheep into areas they do not now inhabit or a transplant or relocation for the purpose of augmenting existing populations, the department shall provide for any affected federal or state land grazing permittees or owners or leaseholders of private land a written agreement signed by all federal, state and private entities responsible for the transplant or relocation stating that the existing sheep or livestock operations in the area of any such bighorn sheep transplant or relocation are recognized and that the potential risk, if any, of disease transmission and loss of bighorn sheep when the same invade domestic livestock or sheep operations is accepted.
(E) The Idaho department of fish and game: (1) shall develop a state management plan to maintain a viable, self-sustaining population of bighorn sheep in Idaho which shall consider as part of the plan the current federal or state domestic sheep grazing allotment(s) that currently have any bighorn sheep upon or in proximity to the allotment(s)(,) (2) within ninety (90) days of the effective date of this act will cooperatively develop best management practices with the permittee(s) on the allotment(s). Upon commencement of the implementation of best management practices, the director shall certify that the risk of disease transmission, if any, between bighorn and domestic sheep is acceptable for the viability of the bighorn sheep. The director's certification shall continue for as long as the best management practices are implemented. The director may also certify that the risk of disease transmission, if any, between bighorn and domestic sheep is acceptable for the viability of the bighorn sheep based upon a finding that other factors exist, including but not limited to previous exposure to pathogens that make separation between bighorn and domestic sheep unnecessary...
9. Any deer, elk, antelope, moose, bighorn sheep or bison imported or transported by the department of fish and game shall be tested for the presence of certain communicable diseases that can be transmitted to domestic livestock. Those communicable diseases to be tested for shall be arrived at by mutual agreement between the department of fish and game and the department of agriculture. Any moneys expended by the department of fish and game on wildlife disease research shall be mutually agreed upon by the department of fish and game and the department of agriculture. In addition, a comprehensive animal health program for all deer, elk, antelope, moose, bighorn sheep, or bison imported into, transported, or resident within the state of Idaho shall be implemented after said program is mutually agreed upon by the department of fish and game and the department of agriculture.
10. In order to monitor and evaluate the disease status of wildlife and to protect Idaho's livestock resources, any suspicion by fish and game personnel of a potential communicable disease process in wildlife shall be reported within twenty-four (24) hours to the department of agriculture. All samples collected for disease monitoring or disease evaluation of wildlife shall be submitted to the division of animal industries, department of agriculture.
Citation: I.C. § 36-106.