More than 15,000 wild gobblers are up for grabs in the 2004 spring wild turkey hunting permit lottery.

With a population estimated in excess of 25,000 birds, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has issued a total of 15,600 spring wild turkey hunting permits.

“Maine’s turkey population is in excess of 25,000 birds, an incredible feat considering turkeys were reintroduced into Maine just over 25 years ago,” said department spokesman Mark Latti.

Excessive shooting and clearing of land in the 1800s nearly killed off wild turkeys in the state. The birds were reintroduced successfully into Maine in the late 1970s when the state received 41 turkeys from Vermont and released them in York and Eliot, Latti added.

The first modern turkey hunt was in 1986.

The 2004 turkey permit applications are available online at www.state.me.us/ifw/hunttrap/h-turkey.htm. Applications are also available from most license agents and all Maine fish and wildlife regional headquarters and offices.

Hunters who applied for a permit last year were mailed an application this past week. Hunters have until Jan. 15, 2004, to submit their turkey applications.

The 2004 permits will be issued by random drawing in mid-February, of which, 7,800 permits will be allocated to Season A and 7,800 permits will be issued in Season B.

Season A runs from May 3 through 8 and from May 24 through May 29, while Season B runs from May 10 through 15 and from May 17 through May 22.

All wild turkey hunters with a permit who have not killed or registered a turkey during Season A or Season B, can hunt the fifth week of the season, from May 31 through June 5.

Latti said 3 percent of the permits would be available to nonresident hunters.

There is one spring wild turkey hunting zone that includes all but northern Maine. To view a map of the turkey zone, visit www.state.me.us/ifw/hunttrap/springturkeymap.htm.

Any resident, nonresident or alien who is eligible to obtain a Maine hunting license, or who will be eligible to get a Maine hunting license by opening day of the spring wild turkey hunting season, may apply to hunt wild turkey in Maine.

All applications must be postmarked no later than Jan. 15, 2004, delivered in person to the department headquarters in Augusta by 5 p.m. Jan. 15, or submitted via the Internet at www.mefishwildlife.com no later than 11:59 p.m. on the same date.

tkarkos@sunjournal.com

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