Prairie chicken hunt lottery opens July 1

Starting July 1, hunters can enter a lottery for one of 126 permits available for the 2014 Minnesota prairie chicken season.

Applications are available wherever Minnesota Department of Natural Resources hunting and fishing licenses are sold. The deadline is Friday, Aug. 15.

“Having a prairie chicken hunt raises awareness of this unique species and how heavily these birds rely on healthy prairies and grasslands,” said Steve Merchant, DNR wildlife populations and regulations manager. “Having hunters take an interest in prairie chickens is beneficial because prairie conservation and prairie chickens go hand in hand.”

The nine-day prairie chicken season, which will begin on Saturday, Sept. 27, is open to Minnesota residents only. Hunters will be charged a $4 application fee and may apply individually or in groups up to four. Prairie chicken licenses cost $23. Apply at any DNR license agent; the DNR License Center, 500 Lafayette Road, St. Paul; online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense or by telephone at 888-665-4236. An additional fee is charged for Internet and phone orders.

The hunt will be conducted in 11 prairie chicken quota areas in west-central Minnesota between St. Hilaire in the north and Breckenridge in the south. Up to 20 percent of the permits in each area will be issued to landowners or tenants of 40 acres or more of prairie or grassland property within the permit area for which they applied.

The season bag limit is two prairie chickens per hunter. Licensed prairie chicken hunters will be allowed to take sharp-tailed grouse while legally hunting prairie chickens.

Sharptails and prairie chickens are similar looking species. The general closure on taking sharp-tailed grouse by small game hunters in this area is to protect prairie chickens. Licensed prairie chicken hunters who want to take sharptails must meet all regulations and licensing requirements for taking sharp-tailed grouse.

In 2013, an estimated 96 prairie chickens were harvested, with 60 percent of hunters taking at least one bird. Hunter success varies considerably from year-to-year, especially when poor weather prevents hunters from going out in the field.

“Prairie chickens need large tracts of native prairie and grasslands, but unfortunately prairie conservation is challenging,” said Merchant. “That’s why the DNR has been a partner along with the Minnesota Prairie Chicken Society, The Nature Conservancy and numerous others in developing and implementing the Minnesota Prairie Conservation Plan. This plan aims to protect Minnesota’s remaining native prairie, and restore and manage grasslands, and the prairie chicken should benefit as a result.”

For more information on the prairie chicken, search “prairie chicken” at the DNR’s rare species guide at www.mndnr.gov/rsg. For more information on the Minnesota Prairie Conservation plan, see www.mndnr.gov/prairieplan.

Surplus prairie chicken licenses on sale Sept. 9

Five prairie chicken licenses remain available and will go on sale to unsuccessful prairie chicken lottery applicants at noon on Monday, Sept. 9, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

Successful applicants should receive their winner notification by Tuesday, Sept. 3. Licenses can be purchased at any DNR license agent, online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense and via telephone at 888-665-4236.

Surplus licenses will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. People who purchase these surplus licenses will maintain their preference points for next year’s prairie chicken lottery.

In the unlikely event that any licenses remain, people who did not participate in the prairie chicken lottery may purchase them on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at noon on Tuesday, Sept. 10.

The prairie chicken season runs from Saturday, Sept. 28, to Sunday, Oct. 6. Two prairie chickens may be taken throughout the season. A total of 126 licenses were made available to lottery participants.

prairie chicken hunting applications

Hunters who wish to apply for one of 186 permits for the 2012 Minnesota prairie chicken season must do so by Friday, Aug. 17, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) said.

Application materials and maps of permit areas for both hunts are available on the DNR website at www.mndnr.gov/hunting/prairiechicken. Winners will be notified by mail by mid-September after applying at any DNR license agent, online at www.mndnr.gov/buyalicense or by phone at 888-665-4236.

The five-day prairie chicken season, which will begin on Saturday, Oct. 20, is open to Minnesota residents only. Hunters will be charged a $4 application fee and may apply individually or in groups up to four. Prairie chicken licenses cost $20.

The hunt will be conducted in 11 prairie chicken quota areas in west-central Minnesota between Warren in the north and Breckenridge in the south. Up to 20 percent of the permits in each area will be issued to landowners or tenants of 40 acres or more of prairie or grassland property within the permit area for which they applied. Resident hunters younger than 12 may apply for a prairie chicken license.

The odds of being drawn are about one-in-three depending upon the area chosen, said Steve Merchant, DNR wildlife population and regulation manager.

The season bag limit is two prairie chickens per hunter. Licensed prairie chicken hunters will be allowed to take sharp-tailed grouse while legally hunting prairie chickens.

Sharptails and prairie chickens are similar looking species and the general closure on taking sharp-tailed grouse by small game hunters in this area is to protect prairie chickens. Licensed prairie chicken hunters who wish to take sharptails must meet all regulations and licensing requirements for taking sharp-tailed grouse.
In 2011, an estimated 103 birds were harvested with 45 percent of hunters taking at least one bird.

(via MN DNR)