LOTTERY HUNTS

SPECIAL SEASON LOTTERY HUNTS

Preference System for Deer and Turkey Lotteries
The Department of Wildlife and Fisheries initially conducted lottery hunts only for deer. Most applicants were drawn for a hunt because of the large number of Wildlife Management Areas with lottery deer hunts and the size of the quotas established. Turkey lotteries were initiated several years ago. Unlike the deer hunts, the quota size for a turkey lottery is generally small and a greater proportion of applicants was not drawn for the lotteries. In addition, as the number of turkey lotteries increased, deer lotteries decreased. This has resulted in the need to develop a "preference" or "weighting system" to provide unsuccessful applicants from the previous year and new applicants with a better chance of being drawn for a lottery hunt.

In the past, each applicant or group applicant had an equal chance of being selected by a random computer selection process. Beginning in the 2001-2002 lottery hunts for deer and turkey, applications are weighted or given preference based on the prior selection history of the applicant. The selections will continue to be randomly drawn by computers; however, the following preference system will be used to provide new and prior year's unsuccessful applicants with better chances of being selected for a hunt.

Preference System Based On Prior Year's Outcome

1--Successful or Group Applicant
2--New Applicant
3--Last Year's Unsuccessful Applicant
4--2 Prior Years' Unsuccessful Applicant
5--3 Prior Years' Unsuccessful Applicant
6--4 Prior Years' Unsuccessful Applicant

In essence, this preference process results in a last year's successful applicant or any group applicants having 1 number assigned to their application; a new applicant has 2 numbers assigned; last year's unsuccessful applicant would get 3 numbers assigned and so forth. Prior lottery data are only available for last year so the 1st three factors will be applicable to the 2002-03 lotteries.

LOTTERY APPLICATION FORMS

Check back for future Lottery Application Forms.
 

2008 General Turkey Lottery Hunt Application
2008 Youth Turkey Lottery Hunt Application