Subdivision 1. Number of licenses to be issued. If the commissioner establishes an open season for prairie chickens, the commissioner shall also determine, by rule, the number of licenses to be issued.
Subd. 2. Eligibility. Eligibility for a prairie-chicken license shall be determined by this section and by rule adopted by the commissioner. A person is eligible for a prairie-chicken license only if the person is a resident.
Subd. 3. Application for license. An application for a prairie-chicken license must be made in a manner provided by the commissioner and accompanied by a $4 application fee. The $4 application fee is appropriated as prescribed in section 84.027, subdivision 15, paragraph (c), to pay for costs associated with conducting the prairie-chicken-license drawing. A person may not make more than one application for each season. If a person makes more than one application, the person is ineligible for a license for that season after determination by the commissioner, without a hearing.
Subd. 4. Separate selection of eligible licensees. (a) The commissioner may conduct a separate selection for up to 20 percent of the prairie-chicken licenses to be issued for any area. Only persons who are owners or tenants of at least 40 acres of prairie or grassland in the area, and their family members, are eligible applicants for prairie-chicken licenses for the separate selection. The qualifying prairie or grassland may be noncontiguous. Persons who are unsuccessful in a separate selection must be included in the selection for the remaining licenses. Persons who obtain a license in a separate selection must allow public prairie-chicken hunting on their land during that prairie-chicken season.
(b) The commissioner may by rule establish criteria for determining eligible family members under this subdivision.
History:2002 c 351 s 7; 2004 c 255 s 29; 2008 c 368 art 2 s 23; 2014 c 290 s 22