Report Nr. 3356 Michigan Turkey Hunter Opinion Survey

Turkey hunters were contacted following the 2001 spring hunting season to determine why eligible applicants did not purchase a turkey hunting license and to determine if applicants supported more liberalized sales of hunting licenses for use on private lands. The primary reason that successful applicants did not purchase a hunting license was because they lacked time to hunt. Other common reasons for not purchasing a license included: (1) the hunt selected in the lottery was during the wrong time period, (2) few turkeys existed in the hunt area, and family emergency. Most of the successful applicants indicated they would have been more likely to purchase a license if an application was not necessary, and the license was valid during all spring hunt periods on private lands. Moreover, most of the applicants that intended to hunt on private lands would have been more likely to purchase this license.