2013 spring turkey app's due January 11th

[dewey]

Just a reminder for all spring turkey hunters in Minnesota that applications are due January 11th if you want to hunt one of the first 4 seasons.

WHEN AND WHERE TO APPLY
All spring turkey hunters 18 and older by April 17, 2013 must apply by Friday, January 11, 2013, at any of the 1,600 ELS-POS agents
throughout the state. A $4.00 application fee will be charged. This fee must be paid at the time of application at the ELS-POS vendor and is nonrefundable.
Applicants may also apply through the Instant Licenses System (1-888-665-4236) or over the Internet (http://www.mndnr.gov). An additional
convenience fee will be charged for applications made through the Instant License System or over the Internet.

It is not necessary to enter into the lottery for time periods E through H. The E through H time periods will
be available to anyone. The E through H time period licenses will be sold as a surplus license at ELS agent
locations in mid March.


Here is a link to the MnDNR turkey hunting website.

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/turkey/index.html

I think I am going to try and get a unit 507 for time period B or C. The quota in unit 507 has increased again this year which I assume means a healthy and growing turkey population.

Dewey

[charlie elk]

It has been a few years since I crossed the river to hunt turkeys in MN. I like what you all have done with the new zones but was surprised with the low number of tags available throughout the metro ring as there is no shortage of turkeys in that area. Must be to reduce land use conflicts?
Since I most likely will be without a tag anywhere in WI during MN first season I have applied in area 501.
Does MN still use a preference point system? I had a couple of points left over from the old licensing scheme.

[Gopherlongbeards]

Yes they still use a preference point system, however I don't know how resident/non-resident status factors into the draw. Those permit numbers are only for the first 4 seasons, permits are unlimited (1 per hunter per spring) for the final four. They have been trying to make the spring hunt less restrictive over the past couple years. I wish they would follow the WI model and let a hunter purchase more than 1 tag per year, especially if they did not successfully fill a tag earlier in the spring. As it stands now you get a set 5 days per spring to hunt: weather, work, and personal circumstances be damned.

[charlie elk]

According to MDNR my preference points are still good, I have the same chance as a resident. Sorry WI is not that way, I've been working to change it but my fellow WI residents will nothing about it.

Plus if I get drawn and decide not to buy a license I keep my points and gain another. What?! That isn't right but hey I didn't make the rule. :?

[turkey junky]

many states let you basicly buy ur preference points but keep them if you stand them up man MN is to nice lol yes i wish WI was as fair as MN but what can you do???

i really dont see the big deal for the cheese heads i mean like charlie has mentioned the turkey hunter numbers are on the decline in the state but still punish a non resident paying 3-4 times as a resident what a crock... season D in WI treated me well last yr hope the same is the case this yr!!!

[Gopherlongbeards]

I kinda like it. anything that keeps most blue platers like me on the west side of the river means less competition for birds :D

[turkey junky]

i do dig the self fish side of things but thats a real lame reason to not play fair... lol i do think the WIDNR wanted to try & sell the un issued/un used tags in a better way thats why they lumped all the little units into fewer bigger hunt units but the hunter numbers are declining in the badger state & a good way to get more bang for there turkey tag bucks would be to allow non residents to be treated the same way as residents in the draw... it is the few & far between state that dose not run a fair game when it comes to selling turkey tags... if the tags were more coveted i could see the self fish argument holding weight but thats not the case any longer...

maybe in the more populated close to home hunt areas in WI there is a huge demand but hey if they dont draw a tag they can always get a later time if they are willing to drive a little i mean you ow it to the beautiful bird we all love to hunt to at least drive a little ways from home if you really want to hunt our favorite game bird??? maybe its just me??? lol i doubt it

[Gopherlongbeards]

I think it's perfectly fair the way they do it now. Residents of a state should get preference over non-residents. They pay the taxes, the DNR salaries, and own the property where the habitat is located. If you're a non-resident no-one is forcing you to go hunt in WI, while a resident hunter may not have the option of going someplace else. Honestly, WI treats non-resident hunters VERY well. Tag prices are extremely cheap, and what other state will sell you as many tags as WI? Not MN or SD. you get 1 tag each as a non-resident, and it'll cost you 80-90$...

Just my opinion, take it for what it's worth ;)

[dewey]

I think it's perfectly fair the way they do it now. Residents of a state should get preference over non-residents. They pay the taxes, the DNR salaries, and own the property where the habitat is located. If you're a non-resident no-one is forcing you to go hunt in WI, while a resident hunter may not have the option of going someplace else. Honestly, WI treats non-resident hunters VERY well. Tag prices are extremely cheap, and what other state will sell you as many tags as WI? Not MN or SD. you get 1 tag each as a non-resident, and it'll cost you 80-90$...

Just my opinion, take it for what it's worth ;)

Out of state turkey licenses are nothing compared to what an elk/deer or antelope licenses cost in the mountain states. The cost from a resident to a non resident maybe 15-30 times greater. I think WI is very friendly to out of state hunters.

Also just my opinion.

Dewey

[turkey junky]

fair is fair everybody in same boat not all you from WI in the 1st boat & every body else in the 2nd boat... the state owns the land i hunt on in WI but who owns the land should not have anything to do with a fair draw??? unless the state did not have any public lands... there really is not a hole lot that says WI residents get preference 1st is fair & thats fair explain it to a kid they will say thats not fair... lol

i mean if them poor WI residents that would not have any wear to hunt because WI maid the darw fair??? would/could just buy a tag for a later season then they would still get to hunt & they would accumalate a preference point???

WI dose have a good price on tags next in line would be SD prairie units 2 birds 100$ thats a damn fine deal 50$ a bird & there merriams hard to beat that...

any way its there state im just a visitor so its there world im just trying to get a nut... my point is the fact that non residents pay way more then residents should even things up as far as the draw goes??? but thats to simple minded