Hunters and trappers who applied to participate in Minnesota’s first-ever wolf season can check lottery results online at www.mndnr.gov/hunting/wolf to see if they were successful in the drawing. They also can view a copy of the 2012 wolf season regulations handbook.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) received more than 23,000 applications for the 6,000 available licenses.
Lottery winners, who also will receive notification and wolf hunting regulations via postal mail, now may purchase their licenses from DNR license agent, online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense or by telephone at 888-665-4236.
Participants in the early season hunt, which coincides with firearms deer season, must purchase their wolf licenses by Wednesday, Oct. 24. Participants in the late hunting and trapping season, which runs from Saturday, Nov. 24, to Thursday, Jan. 31, 2013, must buy their licenses by Thursday, Nov. 15.
Any licenses not sold by those dates will be available on a first-come, first-served basis to unsuccessful lottery applicants beginning at noon on Monday, Oct. 29, for the early season and at noon on Monday, Nov. 19, for the late hunting and trapping season.
Any remaining licenses not purchased by unsucc essful applicants will be available for purchase by any eligible hunter beginning at noon on Thursday, Nov. 1, for the early season and noon on Wednesday, Nov. 21, for the late hunting and trapping season.
Minnesota assumed state management of the gray wolf after the species was removed Jan. 27 from federal protection in Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan. Minnesota’s wolf population is estimated to be about 3,000 wolves. The target harvest of 400 wolves for this inaugural wolf season is a conservative approach that does not pose a threat to the conservation of the population.
Additional information about wolf management in Minnesota is available online at www.mndnr.gov/wolves.
