Remember these things before permits are drawn

The 2009-2010 Alaska Department of Fish and Game Spring Drawing Permit Hunt Supplement and the application forms have been available for a couple of weeks now. The 2009-2010 Alaska Tier I/II Permit Hunt Supplement and application forms are also out. The applications must be postmarked no later than May 31 or, if you’re applying online, your forms must be completed and sent by May 31.

Do not apply online and by mail too — use only one method for submitting your application.

There are a few new hunts this year which we’ll mention in a bit, but first let’s review some of the application instructions. The big, long-term change you need to be aware of is that this will be the final spring drawing supplement. Beginning this winter, the application for all drawing hunts will be in November and December.

Now you can only make a party application for a hunt online. You should apply early and, if you apply online, the program will help you reduce the number of errors you might make in your application. If you apply by mail, make sure you read the instructions on the back of the application form to accurately fill out the necessary information. ADF&G is using scanning technology and applications may be invalidated due to illegible handwriting.

Remember to include the correct amount of money for the hunts for which you applied. There is no refund if you fail to draw a permit or if your application is invalidated because you made an error. Money will only be refunded if you send too much or the hunt you applied for is cancelled. You may pay using a credit card, check, or money order made out to the State of Alaska only. Debit cards and check cards will not be accepted. Starting with this November’s application period, credit cards will no longer be accepted through the mail. If you want to charge your application fees to your credit card, you must apply online.

If you’re beginning to get the feeling Fish and Game is trying to get you to apply online, you’re right! Applying online is quicker, cheaper, and has fewer errors than the old standby paper application forms.

The technology is there — all you have to do is use it!

Keep in mind that you may only apply once for each hunt — you cannot apply as an individual and again in a party application for the same hunt. If you do, your applications will be invalidated. Also, you may only apply for up to three different hunts per species on all individual and party applications combined. If you applied for any moose permits last winter, those hunts count toward your three hunt choices this spring. If you received a drawing permit last year, you may not apply for that same hunt this year.

There’s a bunch more items you need to be aware of when submitting an application for the drawing permits, including minimum age for youngsters and hunter education requirements. You should pick up a copy of the supplement and read all the fine print or go online to www.wildlife.alaska.gov. and download the supplement so you can familiarize yourself with the instructions and see the selection of available hunts.

Okay, enough of the rules already! What about some of those new hunts? There’s one new hunt for brown/grizzly bears in Unit 14C within the Eklutna Lake Management Area for certified bowhunters only. The season runs from September 8 through the end of May and up to 25 permits will be issued.

There are several new moose hunts in Unit 13, including Subunits A, B, C, D, and E for both residents and nonresidents. The resident limit is one bull. The nonresident limit is one bull with antlers 50-inches or larger or at least 4 brow tines on at least one antler. There are 15 new antlerless moose hunts up in Unit 20A and 17 new antlerless moose hunts in 20B. They must be doing something right up north to have that many “extra” moose running around!

The usual hunts for Kodiak brown bear are listed as are bear hunts on the Kenai Peninsula and way up north in Units 22, 23, 26 and along the Dalton Highway Corridor. Bison, caribou, and elk hunts are also listed, but none of them is a new hunt.

Remember on the bison hunts that a person who has harvested a bison since July 1, 2005 is ineligible to apply. The bag limit on bison is one every 10 regulatory years and if you draw a permit, whether you harvest a bison or not, you are ineligible to apply for another bison permit for 10 years. A nonresident who wins a bison drawing permit is ineligible to ever draw another bison permit — yup, you read that correctly — one per lifetime for nonresidents, whether they kill a bison or not.

The drawing results will be available online at www.wildlife.alaska.gov. in mid-July or you can check to see if you drew a permit in a special supplement the Frontiersman prints every year about that same time.

Good Luck!

Howard Delo is a retired fisheries biologist with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. You can leave him a message by e-mailing sports@frontiersman.com.