WI

[Hoyt4]

WI update for excess turkey permits

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Over-the-counter sales of spring turkey permits to begin March 23 under new sales system

More than 70,000 turkey harvest permits for the spring 2009 season will be sold in late March under a new and much improved first-come, first-served system. Procedures spread the demand for the popular permits over a week’s time and assure a level playing field for all hunters regardless of location and method they use to purchase an extra permit.

“There’s been a lot of planning and consultation with hunters on how to best sell leftover turkey permits this spring,” said Vance Rayburn, DNR services administrator. “We will provide the kind of service our customers deserve: shorter lines, preserving first-come first-served service, and quick response. We’ve required our contractor to significantly beef up capacity, checked and rechecked, and just in case, we have a fully fleshed out backup plan.

“We’re ready, and we’re looking forward to getting the permits in hunter hands,” he said.

An estimated 70,900 permits will be available for over-the-counter sales. Leftover permits will be first sold by zone, one zone at a time. Sales will start at 10 a.m. each day and run through midnight. Each zone will have a designated sales date as follows:

• Zone 1 – Monday, March 23

• Zone 2 – Tuesday March 24

• Zone 3 – Wednesday, March 25

• Zone 4 – Thursday, March 26

• Zones 5 & 6 – Friday, March 27. Due to the low number of permits left in these units, the sale has been combined into one day.

• Any permits still remaining for all zones – Saturday, March 28 starting at 10 a.m. and continuing until sold out or the season ends.

Hunters will be limited to one permit per day until all permits are sold.

The number of permits available by zone and times periods is as follows:

Zone Time Period Remaining Permits

D E F

1 7,823 10,838 11,791 30,452

2 0 0 4,382 4,382

3 5,415 9,328 10,023 24,766

4 0 3,702 5,059 8,761

5 0 719 1,733 2,452

6 0 0 66 66

• There are no leftover permits available for Zone 7 after the initial drawing.

• There are no leftover permits for time periods A, B or C in the other zones.

• Hunters are limited to purchasing one permit per day until all permits are sold

Where to buy a permit

“We have nearly 1,400 license vendor partners throughout the state ready to sell you a permit,” said Rayburn. “And there’s also telephone sales and Internet service available.”

Leftover permits may be purchased over the Internet through the Online Licensing Center, at any license sales location, at DNR service centers during their regular business hours (check service center link for hours of operation, which vary by service center; service centers are closed Saturdays), or over the phone (1-877-945-4236). Hunters with any questions about when or how to buy permits may call the DNR Customer Call Center from 7 a.m. through 10 p.m. seven days a week at 1-888-WDNRINFo (1-888-936-7463.)

The fee for these permits will be $10 for residents, and $15 for nonresidents. All hunters will also be required to purchase the spring turkey license and stamp, unless they have previously purchased the license and stamp, or are a 2009 Conservation Patron License holder. Residents and nonresidents will have equal opportunity to purchase over-the-counter permits. Purchasing these permits will not affect preference status for future spring or fall turkey permit drawings.

Permit purchases are limited to one permit per day until each zone and time period is sold out. A limited number of disabled only turkey permits for state park areas are available. Disabled hunters who have been issued either a Class A or Class C Disabled Hunter Permit should visit a DNR Service Center on Tuesday, March 24, 2009 beginning at 10 a.m. to purchase one of these permits. Disabled hunters should note that these permits will only be available through DNR Service Centers.

Hints for fast action

• Check the turkey zone map [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/turkey/] and verify where you want to hunt.

• Check the leftover permit sales schedule [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/turkey/] so you apply on the correct day for the zone you want to hunt in.

• Have your DNR customer ID ready.

For updated information on leftover spring permit availability and other information regarding the 2009 spring turkey hunting season, please visit the Wild Turkey page of the DNR Web site: [http://dnr.wi.gov/org/caer/cs/springturkey/]

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Vance Rayburn - 608-266-2241

Spring 2009 wild turkey harvest permit drawing completed

Season to run April 15 – May 24; Youth turkey hunt set for April 11-12

[DonBo]

Good info. After last year they really needed to do something different.

Can you believe there are over 70,000 permits left over??? I remember when there were only 5,000 available.

[Hoyt4]

The last few years have been real bad at trying to get your extra tag.This seems like they have figured it out and have a better idea how to service the customer and try to not have the system crashing.

[sticknstring]

Do any of you MN guys hunt birds in WI on public land? With 70,000 tags leftover, I wouldn't mind the drive to the closest border state for an opportunity. Anyone know off-hand without checking what non-resident sconi tags run?

[DonBo]

Non-Resident tags are like $60 or so? Not much public land close to the border near the cities, but permission is surprisingly easy to get.

[sticknstring]

That's not bad at all. I may have to do some research...

[DonBo]

That's not bad at all. I may have to do some research...

Stick, send me an email.

[Hoyt4]

Sticknstring ,$60 for tag then stap I think it's $5.The zones where changed over there this year so you have a lot bigger areas.Getting permisson is not too bad on private.