81-7-113. Claim for bounty. (1) A sheriff, undersheriff, and deputy sheriff, to prevent fraud, shall carefully examine each skin presented. If the examination discloses that the scalp and ears with the skin from the entire head of the animal have not been severed, punched, patched, or marked, the officer shall, in the presence of the person presenting the skin, mark the skin by severing the skin from the head, including the ears, and then redeliver the skin to the person presenting it. The officer shall require an affidavit from the claimant that the claimant killed the animal. The affidavit must be on forms prescribed by the department and contain information the department requires.

(2) The officer shall require affidavits from two residents residing in the vicinity in which the animal was killed, setting forth that they are residents paying fees on livestock, giving their post-office addresses, and stating that they are personally acquainted with the person presenting the skin and, to their knowledge, the person did kill the animal from which the skin was taken within 30 days preceding the offering of the skin for a bounty to the sheriff, undersheriff, or deputy sheriff to which it is presented. An individual who makes a false certificate or affidavit under this section in a material portion is guilty of a felony, punishable the same as for the crime of perjury.