Changing the Turkey Zones for 2012

[S.D. Ice Angular]

I recently read in Outdoor News (front page, C'td on page 4) that the DNR wants our input to change the current turkey zones into just 9 zones. I think this is a great idea. please go to the DNR web page and tell them to change it if you agree or you can send a message to "[email protected]."

Let them know this would be a GREAT IDEA!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Archerysniper]

I'm with you on this one I think it would take allot of pressure off some of the flocks around here.

[DonBo]

I don't believe it will change hunting pressure at all. They did the same thing in Wisconsin a couple years ago. People are going to hunt where they hunt, the zones will have little impact IMO. The plus for the state is that it will be easier for them to implement the hunts on fewer zones, thereby saving money. Reason enough to support it.

[mrklean]

where can you see the proposed zone changes?

[DonBo]

http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/wildlife/input/turkeyareas/index.html

DNR seeks input on plan to consolidate wild turkey permit areas

(Released September 19, 2011)

Through Oct. 10, turkey hunters are being asked to provide input on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ (DNR) proposal to consolidate the state’s 77 spring turkey permit areas into nine larger areas.

“Our turkey populations are doing exceptionally well and we no longer have a need to manage turkey on such a small scale,” said Bill Penning, farmland wildlife program leader. “These changes will provide additional flexibility and opportunity to hunters.”

The changes will allow increased hunting access afforded by larger permit areas and will greatly simplify administration and population management. Permit numbers available to hunters are not affected by this proposal. The number of permits available in the new larger permit areas will essentially be the sum of all the permits from the original, smaller permit areas.

The Whitewater, Carlos Avery and Mille Lacs wildlife management areas would remain as separate turkey permit areas.

Hunter comments will be taken online only through Monday, Oct. 10. A map of the proposed turkey permit areas and a feedback form are available online. Additional comments can be emailed to [email protected].

Public input will be reviewed and considered in October. A decision on the spring turkey season will be made in early November.

[Scott M]

Looking forward to this change happening.

[featherslayer 1]

As for me I am against this. One reason is we had a new zone last year with only 4 permits if this goes thru how are we suppose to regulate how many turkeys are takin in a certain area? second i believe it will impact the chances on getting drawn for a license. third the way i look at it they want to try and make things easier for them. We have a strong populations of birds in minnesota and with growing areas to hunt it should prove to all of us that the system we have now is WORKING so why mess with it, if its working dont mess with it. just my thoughts on this

[bigbucks]

Zones look great to me. Everywhere I've hunted or want to hunt are all in the same area now.

[paceman]

I would like the Zone changes. I live close to a current boundry so I have to chose which one to apply for. With the zone changes I could go to more areas and my chances of being succesfull would increase.

[eyeguy 54]

so when does a guy apply for spring 2012? I have only bought over the counter for bow the last season. Might go earlier next year.

[Borch]

I believe around the first of December with a deadline during the first week in January.

[DonBo]

Deadline is Friday, January 13th.

[Muskie456]

Has anyone heard word on if they have done anything with this or not?

[Muskie456]

oops, i just found what i was looking for..

[Musky Buck]

Kinda a bit concerned about 2012, turkey numbers at the 3 farms I deer hunt and or hunt the turkey numbers seem way way down unless they just weren't there and were elsewhere but we had pretty much year round birds for the last 5-8 yearsish and we never saw any this rifle season, last rifle season saw 30-50 ish at each farm. I hope they just got spooked away or were on a different farm, driving by many usual turkey locations not seeing any ? Who knows though, will know more in March.

[DonBo]

Kinda a bit concerned about 2012, turkey numbers at the 3 farms I deer hunt and or hunt the turkey numbers seem way way down unless they just weren't there and were elsewhere but we had pretty much year round birds for the last 5-8 yearsish and we never saw any this rifle season, last rifle season saw 30-50 ish at each farm. I hope they just got spooked away or were on a different farm, driving by many usual turkey locations not seeing any ? Who knows though, will know more in March.

I strongly believe last winter was hard on most flocks in the upper Midwest. Add to that the poor nesting weather this spring and you're right, numbers are way down in most areas this year.

[Borch]

Here's the regs and map.

MN 2012 Spring Wild Turkey Regs

They've expanded the over the counter seasons forward through season E. Gonna make it tough to get drawn for one of the earlier seasons with everyone apply for the first 4 rather than through out the season.

[Musky Buck]

Right on Donbo, I hope they can hang in there, a back to back tough winter/spring conditions could wipe out flocks that were just getting very huntable. Come to think of it my dad said he had just a lone hen at his birdseed all summer and fall long here, his usual headcount is generally in the 40's-60's off and on throughout summer and fall. We'll hope for the best!

[rbs]

Looking at area 505 it says that there are 500 permits....is that per season? I am thinking that is what it means anyways

[DonBo]

Looking at area 505 it says that there are 500 permits....is that per season?

You are correct, that is 500 for each of the 8 time periods.

[rbs]

ok just making sure...thanks!

[bigbucks]

Musky Buck I wouldn't be too concerned. In fall of 2010 in area 214 I just couldn't find any turkeys during the fall hunt at a property that always had turkeys for 5+ years. When spring came they showed up again & they're there now. They're pretty transient & sometimes I think they just move, presumably because of food, but who knows.

[leech~~]

Just went and got our group number today. I noticed that our old zone 349 blow up to a large 501 zone. My question is since we have been building our groups perference points in the old zone of 349 will this change, change or screw up our groups perference? This should be our year.

[goshawk]

New to the site, had to register because it's one of the few where people are commenting on the turkey hunting changes! (and like ice fishing too!)

My understanding is that your preference will not change in the new drawing.

But I definitely saw this as the DNR fixing something that was no where near broken. In fact, turkey hunting in MN has generally been a great experience with a decent chance of success and a little elbow room (at least since I started in the early 90's).

For our group, this change will mean significantly less chance of drawing a permit in the area and season that we traditionally go for. It's also going to mean even more pressure on SE MN public land that already gets too much pressure.

I hope I'm wrong, but definitely was scratching my head when reading all the positive comments here. If you apply for a permit area that was already hard to draw under the old system and have exclusive access to private land there, I guess it wouldn't matter much to you. But if you hunt some public land and used to have decent chances in the drawing, I'm having trouble seeing where this change is a good thing. Also wondering why the change was needed? Adminstrative burden? The smaller permit areas were the same as the deer permit boundaries, and between ELS and electronic registration, was it really a big burden? Guess I just don't get it...

[DonBo]

Welcome goshawk! As I said before, I don't believe you'll see a change at all. People are going to hunt where they've been hunting. If they wanted to hunt the public lands in SE MN before, they would have applied for those zones before.

They did the same thing in WS a few years back and I haven't seen any changes at all in the hunting pressure.

I'm sure the change was made to make regulating easier, and with less money to go around the DNR for all the projects they do, I think that alone is reason enough.

For me, it opens up a few areas I haven't been able to hunt before, but it also gives the people in those zones the chance to hunt my areas as well. Same number of people hunting the same areas, just maybe a few different faces on both sides of the fence.