Permits Issued for 2013 Spring Turkey Hunt

There were over 135,150 successful applicants in the drawing for 2013 Wisconsin spring wild turkey permits through the spring turkey preference drawing. The Department of Natural Resources says a total of 234,765 permits will be available for the spring 2013 turkey season, and the remaining permits will be available through over-the-counter sales in March.

Postcard notifications to successful applicants should be arriving within the next few weeks. Hunters can also check on the status of their permit application online through the Department of Natural Resources Online Licensing Center or by calling the DNR Customer Call Center from 7 a.m. through 10 p.m., seven days a week.

Due to high historic demand for permits in Zone 2, as well as a healthy turkey flock in this zone reflected in relatively high recent hunter success rates, an additional 1,200 permits were available for the zone compared to 2012 permit levels.

"These additional permits will go a long way toward meeting hunter demand in these zones, and will allow hunters greater access to permits for their desired time period," said Scott Walter, DNR upland wildlife ecologist.

Hunters harvested 42,433 turkeys during the 2012 spring season. Final harvest numbers for the 2012 fall season will be available this spring.

The spring 2013 turkey hunting season will run from April 10 through May 21, with six seven-day periods running Wednesday through the following Tuesday. This is a change from spring turkey seasons prior to 2012, during which the six time periods ran for five days. A total of seven zones and Fort McCoy will be open for hunting. In addition, hunters were able to apply for turkey permits within 17 designated state park units. 




Written By: Wisconsin AG Connection