Spring Turkey Hunt - 2007

[HateHumminbird]

DNR Press Release:

Spring turkey hunting applications available (2006-10-24)

Applications for the 2007 spring turkey hunt are now being accepted wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold.

Spring turkey hunters may apply for one of 33,976 permits to hunt a five or seven-day season in one of 60 permit areas. Last year, spring turkey hunters harvested 8,241 birds.

"Turkey hunters can look forward to more great opportunities this spring," said Bill Penning, DNR farmland wildlife program leader. "Turkey numbers remain strong and their range continues to expand into parts of northern Minnesota."

This spring's hunt will consist of six five-day and two seven-day seasons. All Minnesota residents must apply no later than Friday, Dec. 1, at any of 1,800 locations where hunting and fishing licenses are sold or by telephone at 1-888-665-4236. A nonrefundable $3 application fee must be paid at the time of application. An additional nonrefundable $3.50 convenience fee will be charged for all applications made by telephone. Nonresident hunters may apply by mail or by telephone.

Hunters will also be asked to state a second choice in the last three seasons if they aren't successful in the lottery for their first choice. If a hunter is successful in the lottery for second choice and purchases a license, they will lose their preference points for future drawings.

Hunters who are successful for either the first or second choice drawing and choose not to purchase a tag, will lose the current year's preference point for future drawings but not accumulated preference from past years. Hunters who were not successful in either the first or second choice drawing will be eligible to purchase surplus turkey permits, which are sold, on a first-come, first-served basis in mid-March.

Archery spring turkey licenses will once again be available for residents and nonresidents. Archery spring turkey licenses may be purchased for the last two time periods only for any permit area with 50 or more applicants. Applicants who are successful in the spring permit lottery are ineligible for the spring archery license.

This year, for the first time, hunters will be able to hunt until sunset rather than the previous quitting time of 5 p.m. "This change will have no impact on turkey populations but will give folks an opportunity to hunt for a couple of hours after school or work," Penning said.

All wild turkey hunters seeking to hunt in spring 2007 must obtain an application booklet at one of the ELS agents or an application worksheet on the DNR Web site under wild turkey hunting at www.dnr.state.mn.us.

The application booklet contains maps of open wild turkey permit areas, permit quotas, dates and an application worksheet.

The application worksheet should be filled out in advance to ease completion of the application process at an ELS agent. Turkey hunting licenses are made available by a preference system drawing.

A special landowner-tenant preference drawing for up to 20 percent of the permits is also a part of this system. Successful applicants in the drawing will be mailed the 2006 Spring Wild Turkey Hunt Book in February. For more information, call the DNR Information Center at (651) 296-6157 or toll free 1-888-MINNDNR (646-6367).

[Stratosman]

Thanks for posting that info.

[BigWadeS]

Now I have to find somewhere to go if I get drawn...excellent post and thanks for the info