AB 187

Under current law, if the number of applicants for wild turkey hunting tags for

a given wild turkey hunting zone or a given wild turkey hunting season time period

exceeds the number of available wild turkey hunting tags allocated by the

Department of Natural Resources (DNR) for that zone or time period, DNR must

issue wild turkey hunting licenses and tags for that zone or time period according to

a cumulative preference system. Under this system, DNR issues a limited number

of licenses and tags to applicants according to their placement in any of several

preference categories based on landowner status, resident status, and the number

of seasons for which the applicant applied for but was not issued a license.

Under current law, DNR may issue wild turkey hunting licenses and tags to

certain members of the U.S. armed forces without requiring that the licenses and

tags be issued pursuant to the cumulative preference system. Under this bill, DNR

must issue wild turkey hunting licenses and tags to disabled veterans and to

recipients of the purple heart medal without using the cumulative preference

system.