Landowner Appreciation Program tag application period

This rulemaking proposal would move the application period for the Landowner Appreciation Program (LAP) controlled hunt tags to an earlier time in the year to allow an earlier drawing for these tags. This would allow the Department additional processing time to conduct the drawing and to provide landowners with adequate notification of draw results prior to the opening of the earliest hunts that begin in August.

Applications from landowners for LAP controlled hunt tags are currently accepted from June 15 through July 15. The July 15 closing date (and mail-in postmark date) for applications has made it difficult for the Department to conduct the drawing and provide notification to successful applicants prior to the start of hunts that open in early August. Moving the application period to an earlier time in the year (for example, May 1- June 5 concurrent with other big game controlled hunt applications, or May 15 – June 15), would provide additional processing time and help ensure that the Department can provide timely draw result notification to landowners.