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   Turkey hunters began purchasing their licenses for the spring 2025 season starting Saturday, March 1. Licenses may be purchased online (mndnr.gov/buyalicense), by telephone at 888-665-4236 or in person wherever hunting and fishing licenses are sold. Hunters can hunt statewide and buy licenses for any time period (A-F) over the counter.

   Hunters will be asked which permit area they plan to hunt, so hunters are advised to know that information when they buy their license. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will use this information for research purposes to help inform management of the state’s turkey population. Importantly, hunters who identify their permit area when purchasing their license will not be restricted to hunting in only that area.

   Season dates and hunt rules can be found on the Minnesota DNR’s turkey hunting webpage (mndnr.gov/hunting/turkey). Permits for firearms hunters 18 and older to hunt the popular Carlos Avery or Whitewater wildlife management areas in the A season were distributed already by lottery. The lottery application deadline was Feb. 21 and results are available on the turkey hunting webpage (mndnr.gov/hunting/turkey) of the DNR website. While a license is required for all seasons, hunters do not need a permit to hunt Carlos Avery or Whitewater WMAs during the B, C, D, E or F seasons. In addition, this year a permit will no longer be required for firearms hunters during any season to hunt Mille Lacs WMA, but a license is still required.

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