MISSOURI TO BEGIN PERMIT SALES FEB. 1

JEFFERSON CITY - Buy early.

That's the advice the Missouri Department of Conservation offers to deer hunters who want any-deer or bonus permits for the 1997-98 deer hunting season. It's also pretty good advice for those who expect to go trout fishing and for spring turkey hunters, dove hunters and archery deer hunters.

On Feb. 1, the MDC will begin its second year of permit sales under the computer-based Point-of-Sale system. It's the first year that permit buyers will reap the full benefits of the system's convenience and the first year when deer hunters will be able to go to permit vendors and find out immediately whether they will receive any-deer permits, first bonus permits and - in a few areas - second bonus permits.

"Last year, you had to go through an application process to get a permit," said Bob Ramey, MDC fiscal services analyst. "This year it will be considerably quicker. All you have to do is give the vendor your Conservation Heritage Card if you bought one last year. The vendor will swipe the card through an electronic reader. After that, all you have to do is tell the vendor what privileges you want to buy."

Ramey said those who didn't buy Heritage Cards last year can simply give the vendor their old permit. The identifying number from the permit will serve the same purpose as a heritage card.

"If you bought a permit last year, you shouldn't fill out another application this year," said Ramey. "That would put you in the system twice, which will only confuse things."

There should be no confusion this year when it comes to buying deer hunting permits. Any-deer and bonus permits will be sold over the counter beginning Feb. 1, when all 1997-98 hunting and fishing permits go on sale. At the time of purchase, hunters must choose which deer management unit they will use these permits in. Once an any-deer or bonus permit is issued, it will not be possible to change the unit for which it was issued or get a refund.

The number of any-deer and bonus permits will be limited, as in the past. But this year, those permits will go to the hunters who buy first, instead of being allocated by random drawing.