AUGUSTA – A total of 15,600 hunters were awarded turkey permits in a random drawing this week at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife headquarters. There were 24,040 applications.
A list of those who were awarded permits is available on the department’s web site at www.mefishwildlife.com. Hunters may also call the IFW Information Center at 287-8000 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. during weekdays.
Letters to all successful applicants will be mailed and those hunters will have until Friday, March 12 to pay for the permit ($13 residents, $43 non residents). The permits are for bearded turkeys only.
This year, for the first time, youths at least 10 years old and under 16 who possess a junior hunting license and a valid spring Wild Turkey Permit may hunt turkeys on May 1, 2004, the Saturday preceding the opening day of Season A. Junior hunters must be accompanied in the field by a parent, guardian or a qualified adult.
Archers took advantage of Maine’s second-ever fall archery turkey season this past fall by bagging 246 birds. The turkey kill for Maine’s fall season, which ran Oct. 20-31, surpassed 2002’s inaugural mark of 151. Brunswick accounted for the greatest number, 8. Other top turkey towns were Jefferson (6), Saco, Waldoboro and Whitefield (5).
Send questions/comments to the editors.
