Friday is deadline to enter Minnesota’s bear hunt lottery

Hunters who want a chance to harvest a bear during the 2023 hunting season have until the end of the day Friday to enter Minnesota’s license lottery.

In order to apply for the lottery, hunters must pay a $5 fee, however, additional fees will be added if applying online or over the phone. Applications can also be done through license agents. CLICK HERE to apply online or call 1-888-665-4236.

According to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources, 4,035 licenses will be available for the upcoming season. There will be one adult bear tag per licensed hunter in quota areas, and one adult bear in no-quota areas.

The state’s bear hunting season begins Friday, Sept. 1 and ends on Sunday, Oct. 15.

Hunters who win a license will be notified on Thursday, June 1. They will then have until Tuesday, Aug. 1 to buy the license awarded by the lottery.

Any licenses that remain unpurchased will be available over the counter starting at noon on Friday, Aug. 4.

However, the agency says an unlimited number of bear hunting licenses will be available for the no-quota area, which includes east-central and far northwestern Minnesota. Those licenses can be bought over the counter.