Aug. 16, 2011

Unsuccessful applicants may purchase one leftover license online or from any license agent on a first-come, first-served basis for a one week period beginning Aug. 22 at 10 a.m. EST. The licenses will be sold until the quotas are met.

Beginning Aug. 29 at 10 a.m. EST, remaining fall turkey hunting licenses may be purchased by any hunter, including those that did not apply for a fall turkey license. A hunter may buy one license per day until the quotas are met.

As of Aug. 21, there are licenses available in fall turkey management units L, M, W, HA (private land) and YY (private land). The majority of the licenses are available in unit YY (45,000 licenses) for private land in southern Michigan and Beaver Island. Currently, there are over 800 leftover licenses available in Unit M.

Fall turkey season opens Sept. 15 and runs through Nov. 14. “Fall turkey season provides a great opportunity for hunters to get a bird for their Thanksgiving dinner,” said DNR upland bird biologist Al Stewart. “And because the season runs through Nov. 14, it gives archery deer hunters the chance to pursue another game animal during the archery deer season.”

Hunters have an additional opportunity to get a fall turkey license by applying for the 2012 Pure Michigan Hunt drawing. Each application is $4 and you may apply as many times as you like. Three lucky winners will receive a hunt package that includes a fall turkey, spring turkey, elk, bear, antlerless deer license and a reserved waterfowl hunt. For more information, go to www.michigan.gov/puremichiganhunt. Season dates and regulations have not yet been established for the 2012 hunting seasons.