AUGUSTA – A grand total of 20,300 hunters were awarded turkey permits in a random chance drawing this morning at the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IFW) headquarters in Augusta. There were over 23,000 hunters who applied for the 20,300 permits.

A list of those who were awarded permits is available on the department’s web site at www.mefishwildlife.com. Letters to all successful applicants in the permit drawing will be mailed by the end of next week and successful applicants will have until Friday, March 11 to pay for the permit which can be paid online or by mail. A turkey permit costs $13.00 for residents and $43.00 for nonresidents. Unsuccessful applicants will not be notified. The permit is for bearded turkeys only.

Hunters interested in applying for a moose permit can also apply online for their moose permit at www.mefishwildlife.com.

Once again this year, youths 10 years of age or older and under 16 years of age who possess a junior hunting license and a valid spring Wild Turkey Permit may hunt wild turkey on April 30, 2005, 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.