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The application deadline for Minnesota^s spring 2001 wild turkey hunting is rapidly approaching. All applications must be completed electronically by Friday, Dec. 1.
New this year, applications for a spring 2001 wild turkey licenses must be submitted through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) computerized Electronic Licensing System (ELS) at point-of-sale agents. Wild turkey hunters are not being notified individually by mail as they have been in previous years.
It will again cost $3 to apply; this nonrefundable fee must be paid at the time of application at the ELS point-of-sale agent. Hunters can apply individually or in groups of up to four; either all members of the group will be drawn or none will.
The 2001 spring wild turkey hunt will consist of eight, five-day seasons between April 18 and May 27 in 48 wild turkey permit areas. A total of 22,936 permits will be available for the 2001 spring wild turkey hunt, a 14 percent increase from the 20,160 permits offered in 2000.
All wild turkey hunters seeking to hunt in spring 2001 will need to pick up an application booklet at one of the ELS point-of-sale agents. Wild turkey application worksheets are also on the DNR website. The application booklet contains maps of open wild turkey permit areas, permit quotas, dates and an application worksheet.
Nonresident wild turkey hunters seeking to apply can use an ELS point-of-sale agent, or complete and mail a signed and dated worksheet with a $3 application fee for each individual hunter to: Spring Turkey Hunt, DNR License Bureau, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul, MN 55155-4026. Nonresident applications must be postmarked or delivered by Friday, Dec. 1.
To participate in the drawing, a person must be at least 12 years old prior to April 18, 2001, and possess a firearms safety certificate. In addition, anyone born on or after Jan. 1, 1980, must have a firearms safety certificate, a previous hunting license, or other evidence of completing a hunter safety course, in order to obtain a license to hunt or trap in Minnesota. To qualify for a resident license, a person must be a legal resident for at least 60 days. A special landowner-tenant preference drawing for up to 20 percent of the permits is also a part of this system. For the first time this year, the qualifying land for these licenses can be noncontiguous.
Successful applicants in the drawing will be mailed the 2001 Spring Wild Turkey Hunt Book and landowner list by Feb. 15, 2001, as their winning notification. Winning applicants will then need to go to an ELS point-of-sale agent to purchase their license. Those 18 years old or older must also purchase a 2001 wild turkey stamp for $5. The actual wild turkey stamp will be sent by the DNR within 30 days of purchase. Stamp validations printed on the license are valid for hunting for 30 days after issuance.
Beginning in spring 2001, in permit areas and time periods with fewer applicants than available licenses, the remaining available licenses will be issued to unsuccessful applicants for other permit areas and time periods on a first-come, first-served basis beginning March 15, 2001, through April 17, 2001, at any of the 1,700 ELS point-of-sale agents throughout Minnesota. Availability of these licenses will be announced in early March.
All resident applications for the 2001 spring wild turkey hunt must be submitted by Friday, Dec. 1. Nonresident applications will be accepted if postmarked or delivered no later than Friday, Dec. 1. For more information, call the DNR Information Center at (651) 296-6157 or toll free 1-888-MINNDNR (646-6367).
Uploaded: 11/23/2000
Uploaded: 11/23/2000