Minnesota moose season application deadline is Friday, June 16

The application deadline for the 2006 Minnesota moose hunt is Friday, June 16. Applications may be made from any of the 1,800 statewide electronic license vendors across the state and from the DNR License Center at 500 Lafayette Road in St. Paul.

This year, a total of 279 permits are available in 30 zones in the northeastern part of the state. There is no hunting season in northwestern Minnesota. The season dates are Sept. 30 through Oct. 15, 2006.

Moose hunters must apply in parties from two to four individuals. An application fee of $3 per individual must be included with the application. Only Minnesota residents, at least 16 years of age, are eligible for the moose hunt.

Permits are issued through a random drawing, except that applicants who have been unsuccessful at least 10 times since 1985 will be placed in a separate drawing for up to 20 percent of the available licenses. A person who is still unsuccessful in this separate selection will also be included in the regular drawing. Because the moose hunt became a once-in-a-lifetime hunt in 1991, hunters who received permits for moose hunts for the 1991 hunt and later are not eligible to apply for the 2006 drawing.

The bag limit is one moose of any age or either sex per party. The license fee is $310 per party. There will be mandatory orientation sessions required for all hunters chosen for moose licenses.

In 2005, 3,060 parties applied for the 284 available state permits. State licensed hunters killed 136 bulls and 27 cows, for a party success rate of 57 percent.