Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Alabama is accepting applications for spring turkey hunting. The refuge instituted a lottery system last year to fill the limited number of turkey hunting permits. To participate, interested hunters must send their name, address, telephone number and turkey hunting stamp number in a letter or 3x5 card along with a non-refundable $5 processing fee to the refuge at: Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, 1101 Casey Road, Basom, NY 14013-9730. There is no special application form. Applications will be accepted by mail or in person. No FAX, 3-mail or phone applications please. Only one application per person will be accepted. Duplicate applications will be rejected. Also, anyone who did not turn in a turkey hunting report last year will not be eligible for a permit this year.

The application must be received by April 5. Fifty applicants will be issued a special use permit allowing them to hunt on the refuge during the spring turkey season. Those selected will be notified by mail. The permit is non-transferrable and will be valid for the entire state spring turkey hunting season.

There are a few changes this year based on comments made on the post hunt survey last year. First, applicants who applied last year but were not selected will be given preference this year. The second change involves youth hunters. In the event a youth hunter is drawn in the lottery, but his/her parent or hunting guide is not, a special permit will be issued to the adult to serve as a non-hunting guide. In accordance with state law, the non-hunting guide must also be licensed. Lastly, Sunday, May 6 has been set aside as a special Youth Only hunt day. To participate, youth aged 12 to 17 must attend a special orientation day on Saturday, May 5 from 1 to 5 p.m. Space is limited to 25 youths.

Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. For information contact: Iroquois NWR, 1101 Casey Road, Basom, NY 14013 or call (716) 948-5445.