(1) The department may authorize participation in the upland game bird release program projects for turkeys if the proposed project meets the following requirements:

(a) all releases made will be of wild/free ranging stock that have been trapped in Montana or have been moved into Montana under the direction of the department;

(b) all releases outside of Flathead County will be Merriam's turkey only;

(c) eastern turkeys may be moved only within Flathead County;

(d) no new releases will take place until:

(i) an environmental assessment evaluating the release and the release site has been completed and approved by the commission; and

(ii) the department has secured agreements from adjacent landowners that would be affected by expanded populations indicating consent for the transplant and free public hunting for the species; and

(e) supplemental releases will require an evaluation by the department that will include but not be limited to:

(i) a history of previous releases;

(ii) justification for supplementing the existing population;

(iii) a legal description of the release site;

(iv) a legal description of the area that will be closed to public hunting until the population has become established (two-year minimum) ; and

(v) agreements from adjacent landowners that would be affected by expanded populations indicating consent for the transplant and free public hunting for the species.