1. Time limits. Except as provided in subsection 1‑A and in section 12307 or in rules adopted under section 12301‑B, a person may not keep any of the following unregistered wild animals for more than 18 hours:
A. Bear;
B. Deer;
C. Moose; or
D. Wild turkey.
1-A. Exceptions. The following are exceptions to the time limitation for registering harvested wild animals established in subsection 1:
A. A person may keep a harvested animal in an official registration station for that animal or at the office of a game warden for more than 18 hours;
B. A person may leave an unregistered animal harvested by that person in the woods if that person notifies a game warden within 18 hours as to the location of that animal and the circumstances necessitating leaving that animal in the woods;
C. A person on a hunting trip in an unorganized township and staying at a temporary place of lodging may keep an unregistered harvested animal at the temporary place of lodging for no more than 7 days or until that person leaves the woods, whichever comes first; and
D. A person may keep an unregistered animal harvested by that person if that person notifies a game warden within 18 hours as to the location of that animal and the circumstances preventing the person from registering the animal in accordance with subsection 1.
2. Penalty. A person who violates this section commits a Class E crime.