Upper Mississippi CA Online Blind Drawing

Applicants register for the drawing by entering their conservation ID number, an email address, and phone number. They can then apply for blinds by choosing any combination of these three options:

• Enter an ordered list of up to 30 preferred blind sites
  • In reallocation drawing years, there may be a limited number of blind sites available.
• Select any blind site available in one specific pool (Pools 24, 25, or 26)
• Select any blind site available in any of the three pools (Pools 24, 25, and 26)

See the process timeline below for dates that the application is open.

After the random drawing is performed, successful applicants will be notified via email. See the process timeline below for the date of the drawing.

NOTE: Successful applicants may only be assigned to one blind site.

How does the drawing work?

1. The system will randomly draw a name from the list of applicants.
2. The system will first check to see if the applicant entered a list of preferred blind sites.  If so, the system will check to see if any of the preferred blind sites are still available and will move down the applicant’s list in preferred order until an available preferred blind site is assigned.
3. If none of the applicant’s preferred blind site choices are available, and the applicant also chose the option of a random blind site in a specific pool (or the applicant only applied for a random blind site in a specific pool), the system will then check for available blind sites in the specific pool selected and assign the first available blind site.
4. If there are no longer available blind sites in the specific pool selected, and the applicant also chose the option of a random blind site in any pool (or the applicant only applied for a random blind site in any pool), the system will then check for available blind sites in any of the pools and assign the first available blind site.
5. Once all the blind sites have been assigned, the draw will be completed.

Successful applicants may choose up to 3 hunters (co-registrants) to occupy the blind site with them. Successful applicants are notified by email if they are drawn, and they will have 10 days to enter their selected co-registrants’ conservation ID numbers in the draw system. Instructions will be included in the email notification.

During the co-registrant process, the successful applicants must also designate which type of hunting blind they will use at their blind site. Hunters are able to select permanent blind, boat blind, or temporary blind. At any point in the process, hunters can change their blind type by contacting the Upper Mississippi Conservation Area office (contact info at bottom).

See the process timeline below for co-registrant selection dates.

NOTE: Blind-site holders and co-registrants may only be assigned to one blind site.

Successful applicants also have the option to relinquish their blind site. A reallocation drawing will be held to allocate those relinquished blind sites.

• The reallocation drawing works like the original drawing (see How does the drawing work? in number 2 above) with a list of relinquished blind sites.
• Applicants must go online and re-enter their information to participate in the reallocation drawing.
• The reallocation drawing will take place every year if there are relinquished blind sites available, and will only take place once per year.
• If there are still unassigned blind sites after the reallocation drawing, those sites will be open for hunting, but a permanent blind may not be constructed on those sites.

See the process timeline below for reallocation draw date.