Representative David Dill
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is now accepting applications for the state’s first regulated wolf hunting and trapping season. The application period closes on Sept. 6. Last session, state Rep. David Dill (DFL-Crane Lake) authored legislation to establish a wolf hunting and trapping season and licensing process.
“A total of 6,000 licenses will be available for a targeted harvest of 400 wolves,” said Dill. “Of the total, 3,600 are offered for the early season and 2,400 are for later in the season. The early season coincides with firearms deer hunting and the late season, after the firearms deer season, is for those with a specific interest in wolf hunting and trapping.”
Wolf hunting licenses cost $30 for residents and $250 for nonresidents. Nonresidents are limited to 5 percent of total hunting licenses.
Wolf trapping licenses cost $30 and are limited to residents only. A lottery will be held to select license recipients. Proof of a current or previous hunting license will be required to apply for a wolf license. The application fee is $4.
“We are all well aware of the predatory problems caused by the overpopulation of wolves in northern Minnesota,” said Dill. “I believe the new wolf hunting and trapping season will cut back significantly on the number of deer, livestock, guard animals, and domestic pets being killed by wolves. I’d like to encourage all hunters and trappers to apply for their wolf hunting license today.”
The early hunting season will be open only in the northern portions of Minnesota where rifles are allowed for deer hunting. It will start on Saturday, Nov. 3, the opening day of firearms deer hunting. It will close either at the end of the respective firearms seasons in the two northern deer zones (Nov. 18 in Series 100 deer permit areas or Nov. 11 in Series 200 deer permit areas) or when a registered target harvest by zone is reached.
The late hunting and trapping season will begin
Saturday, Nov. 24 and close
Jan. 31, 2013 or when a registered total target harvest by zone or total harvest of 400 in both seasons combined is reached, whichever comes sooner.
The wolf hunting and trapping season was authorized in law by the 2012 Minnesota Legislature.
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