MN Turkey Lottery

I got drawn again!!! last hunt was a success so hopefully this year will be too!!!

I realize people have things come up and some people can’t and don’t follow through with the purchase of their MN spring turkey permit. The problem with this lottery system is, for starters people who apply for a permit and draw one aren’t forced to purchase the license. If they don’t purchas the license, nobody else gets the permit either. And they still gain a prefrence point. That makes no sense to me. I think the DNR needs to make some changes to the system. Either make the hunter purchase the permit up front and if they get drawn send out a tag, if not they get sent a refund. Or, make the hunters that get drawn purchase their permit by a certain date(well before the seasons) and if they don’t their permit gets put into the surplus licenses for someone else to use.

I realize people have things come up and some people can’t and don’t follow through with the purchase of their MN spring turkey permit. The problem with this lottery system is, for starters people who apply for a permit and draw one aren’t forced to purchase the license. If they don’t purchas the license, nobody else gets the permit either. And they still gain a prefrence point. That makes no sense to me. I think the DNR needs to make some changes to the system. Either make the hunter purchase the permit up front and if they get drawn send out a tag, if not they get sent a refund. Or, make the hunters that get drawn purchase their permit by a certain date(well before the seasons) and if they don’t their permit gets put into the surplus licenses for someone else to use.

I can agree with that. If I get drawn for a permit, which I did, and I don’t buy it, that permit should go back into the pool. I don’t think a guy should get a refund, but the permit should go to someone who’ll use it.

All you’ll need to do is set up a deadline for people to purchase their permits by.

I can agree with that. If I get drawn for a permit, which I did, and I don’t buy it, that permit should go back into the pool. I don’t think a guy should get a refund, but the permit should go to someone who’ll use it.

All you’ll need to do is set up a deadline for people to purchase their permits by.

You have to remember that there are people out there “PETA” for example that buy permits on purpose to save animals from dying. I’ve heard of people doing this for special deer hunt ie; Camp Ripley bow hunt. I don’t have a strong opinion on it now that we can buy a bow tag over the counter for the last 2 wks of the season. No matter what the DNR does there is going to be some flaws and tags that will not be used. I do agree that the permits should be open to buy if they are not going to be used….. i just don’t know how that would be possible?

You have to remember that there are people out there “PETA” for example that buy permits on purpose to save animals from dying. I’ve heard of people doing this for special deer hunt ie; Camp Ripley bow hunt. I don’t have a strong opinion on it now that we can buy a bow tag over the counter for the last 2 wks of the season. No matter what the DNR does there is going to be some flaws and tags that will not be used. I do agree that the permits should be open to buy if they are not going to be used….. i just don’t know how that would be possible?

I didn’t mean the applicant gets a refund of the application fee. I meant, if we were forced to pay an application fee and the purchase of the license up front(like Iowa and some others states for big game) and the applicant doesn’t draw, they would get the license refunded, not the application fee. Sorry that was a little confusing.
It would be interesting to know how many licenses ultimately don’t get purchased and go unused. Maybe its very few, but if it were a good amount you’d think the DNR would want those sales. And you know there is plenty of turkey hunters that would love that license.

I didn’t mean the applicant gets a refund of the application fee. I meant, if we were forced to pay an application fee and the purchase of the license up front(like Iowa and some others states for big game) and the applicant doesn’t draw, they would get the license refunded, not the application fee. Sorry that was a little confusing.
It would be interesting to know how many licenses ultimately don’t get purchased and go unused. Maybe its very few, but if it were a good amount you’d think the DNR would want those sales. And you know there is plenty of turkey hunters that would love that license.

Here’s a link to the list of surplus liscense for available for each area. Looks like there is still opportunity for a guy to get a liscense if he was not drawn in the lottery.

ttp://files.dnr.state.mn.us/outdoor_activities/hunting/turkey/springturkey2007_surplus.pdf

Here’s a link to the list of surplus liscense for available for each area. Looks like there is still opportunity for a guy to get a liscense if he was not drawn in the lottery.

ttp://files.dnr.state.mn.us/outdoor_activities/hunting/turkey/springturkey2007_surplus.pdf