It's never too early to think fall hunting

You only think, because summer has just begun, that it is too early to think about hunting in Minnesota. Well, think again.

Applications for the 2005 regular archery deer hunts at Camp Ripley near Little Falls were already accepted on July 1. Hunters may pick from only one of two hunting seasons, Oct. 20-21 or Oct. 29-30. A total of 4,500 permits, 2,250 per two-day hunt, will be made available. The application deadline is Aug. 19. This year, participants will be allowed to use bonus permits and take up to two deer during their hunt.

To apply, resident and nonresident hunters will need a valid state driver's license or state issued identification card with current address, a firearms safety certificate number, or a Minnesota DNR number found on a recent Minnesota fishing and hunting license.

Applicants must be at least 12 years of age prior to Oct. 20. In addition, anyone born after Dec. 31, 1979, must have a Firearms Safety Certificate, a previous hunting license, or other evidence of successfully completing a hunter safety course to obtain a license to hunt or trap in Minnesota.

Applications for the 2005 special youth deer hunts are being accepted now. The application deadline is Friday, Aug. 19. Successful applicants will be notified in early September. There is no fee to apply, although successful applicants will have to purchase the appropriate deer-hunting license prior to their hunt.

The youth individual firearms and youth individual archery license, which costs $14, are available to residents age 12 to 17.

There will be four archery and four firearms special youth hunts in October. Eligible youth may apply for one archery hunt and one firearms hunt.

Youth ages 12 to 15 are eligible for the firearms hunts, and youth ages 12 to 17 are eligible for the archery hunts. Youth who applied in 2004 will have preference. Hunters must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or an adult authorized by the parent. All youth hunters must possess a valid Firearms Safety Certificate.

Now, if you're a bird hunter, you can apply for one of 100 permits for the 2005 Minnesota prairie chicken season or for one for the fall turkey hunt but, you must do so by July 29.

The five-day prairie chicken season, which will begin on Oct. 22, is open to Minnesota residents only. Prairie chicken licenses cost $20. The hunt will be held in seven prairie chicken quota areas in west-central Minnesota between Crookston in the north and Breckenridge in the south.

Applications for this year's fall turkey hunt are also being accepted across Minnesota. Fall turkey hunters may apply for one of 4,410 permits to hunt in one of 24 permit areas from Oct. 12-16 or Oct. 19-23.

The license costs $18 for residents and $73 for nonresidents. A $5 stamp validation is also required for turkey hunters 18 years of age or older.

Full details for each of the seasons and hunts listed above are available from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.

Johnson, who works with the Minnesota Office of Tourism in St. Paul, can be reached at (651) 297-3488 or via e-mail at curt.johnson@state.mn.us