Subpart 1.License application drawings.Applications for all hunts must be made according to this part and according to application instructions provided by the commissioner. Each person must apply at an electronic license system agent or the Department of Natural Resources License Center. Drawings shall be conducted by the department to determine persons who are eligible to purchase licenses for the season. The drawings are subject to the quotas established by the commissioner. Preference in the respective drawings is given to applicants based upon the number of times they have correctly applied for a license for the hunt but have been unsuccessful. A person selected by the drawings is eligible to purchase a license to hunt prairie chicken. Upon issuance of a prairie chicken license, all accumulated preference for prairie chicken hunting is lost.
Subp. 2.Participation in application drawings.A. Applicants must complete an application for the prairie chicken hunt. A person may not apply more than once as an individual or as a member of a group. Qualifying individuals may apply for the resident landowner-tenant prairie chicken drawing.B. A resident applicant must provide the applicant's individual Minnesota driver's license number of 13 characters, a 13-character firearm safety number, or an official state identification number of 13 characters issued by the Department of Public Safety.C. An applicant must choose one of the prairie chicken permit areas and one of the time periods.D. Up to four persons desiring to hunt together as a group may apply as a group. Group applications shall either be all selected or none selected. Applications by a group must all be for the same prairie chicken permit area and time period. The preference rating of applicants who apply as a group shall be based on the individual in the group with the lowest preference. Group applications must be made up of either all general or all landowner-tenant applications.E. A person who applies as a landowner or tenant but does not meet the definition as provided in this chapter is ineligible for that season's drawings.F. The application deadline is the Friday nearest August 17.Subp. 3.Landowner-tenant drawing.A. For purposes of this chapter, "landowner or tenant" means a person who is an owner or tenant of at least 40 acres of prairie or grassland within the zone being applied for. A landowner-tenant license application drawing shall be held subject to the restrictions in items B to G.B. An applicant must meet all eligibility requirements and must provide a complete and accurate description of the qualifying land.C. An applicant must be a landowner or tenant or a member of the landowner's or tenant's immediate family. Family members include those related by blood, marriage, or adoption.D. For each prairie chicken permit area and time period, no more than 20 percent of the successful participants shall be drawn from the special landowner-tenant applications.E. An individual participant in the landowner-tenant drawing may submit only one application and only for the prairie chicken permit area in which the participant's qualifying property is located.F. Landowners or tenants unsuccessful in the landowner-tenant drawing shall be included in the general drawing.G. Landowner-tenant licensees must allow public prairie chicken hunting on their land during that prairie chicken season and the commissioner shall provide descriptions of these lands to licensed prairie chicken hunters.Subp. 4.Modification of quota numbers for group applications.The quota of licenses or permits for a drawing may be increased to accommodate group members if the last applicant to be selected is a member of a group.
Subp. 5.Drawing application fee.An applicant must pay a fee as prescribed by statute at time of application at the electronic license system-point of sale (ELS-POS). Refunds of application fees shall not be made for any reason.
Subp. 6.Undersubscribed prairie chicken permit areas.In permit areas with fewer applicants than available licenses, the remaining available licenses may be first offered to unsuccessful applicants for other permit areas on a first-come, first-served basis. An eligible person must apply individually and in person at an ELS-POS agent location or individually through the ELS-Internet or ELS-Telephone system to obtain a remaining available license. Any remaining available licenses not purchased by unsuccessful applicants may then be issued as prescribed by the commissioner to any eligible person on a first-come, first-served basis. Individuals who purchase these remaining available licenses retain their accumulated preference.
Minn. R. agency 158, ch. 6237, pt. 6237.0200
Statutory Authority: MS s 97A.434; 97B.711; 97B.716