(a) No person may hunt a bighorn sheep without first having acquired a bighorn sheep hunting permit issued by the department on a form provided by the department. A holder of a bighorn sheep hunting permit may hunt only on those lands for which the permit is valid.
(b) The permit may be distributed by the department or by a party to a cooperative agreement with the department for the restoration, protection, and management of bighorn sheep. A party to a cooperative agreement may distribute permits only for land that he owns or is in charge of or that is designated in the cooperative agreement.
(c) Permits distributed by the department shall be distributed to parties to a cooperative agreement and other members of the public by means of a fair method, subject to the limitations of the maximum number of permits to be issued.
(d) The department may authorize the sale, trade, auction, or donation of a bighorn sheep hunting permit if the proceeds of the sale, trade, auction, or donation are used to restore, protect, or manage bighorn sheep.