Why does MN fishing license expire on Feb28th?

Would’nt it be more practicle to be Jan 1st – Dec 31st. What do you guys think?

The season typically ends at the end of Feb for game fish. I agree with you on Jan 1 – Dec 31. I also would like the shelter license to have the same dates. I think it’s silly to have to buy another shelter license if you want to go ice fishing in March! Changing the date would line fishing licenses up with Boat Registration too. (By the way, have you guys checked your boat stickers lately??)

Jon J.

I guess it’s one of those things that the DNR isn’t going to make everyone happy with.
That’s the way it was…back in the 70’s, not sure when the changed it. But being young, just married, with a money sucking baby and Christmas, I never had the money to get a new license around the first of the year. I always thought that it should run the season…so I was happy when they changed it.
Now on the other hand, I’m still scratching my head about why I need a fish house license for my one man portable sled? Ok somebody needs the money…fine, I’ll pay it. Now tell me why I need to put my driver’s license number on it? If the DNR wants to know who owns it…just come and ask…I’m in it.

PS My daughter is 23 now…not quite as money sucking…but at least she goes fishing with me…once in a while!

I agree with you Brian. Why the license on the portable fishhouse? Like you say, I am always in it. As far as the daughter goes, mine has found another man to fish with, her husband. They have two younguns’ now also, so now she has lots of company when fishing……

I had heard (don’t know how valid) that it almost passed (no license) .The legistlator (?) left the room thinking it was a done deal. When he came back it hadn’t passed because some of the other voting officals though that all the resort owners would start taking there houses off the lake each night…thus making them portable and exempt from paying for a license. Again this was a bait shop conversation.

But if anyone knows please share…

How hard do politicians work? You have to wonder…………that if there was any validity to this, that they have no idea what a pain that would be for a resort owner to do……….not to mention the expense of doing that would be higher than the permanent shack fee!

A “portable” should simply be put to a legal definition………and it shouldn’t be that hard. “Anything void of hard walls, collapsible, able to be pulled by the human foot, and structurally weighing less than …………..???………….80lbs?…………..100lbs?.”

That way it doesn’t matter if someone wanted to yank it off the lake every night or not.

Fishing licences going to the same month the fishing season ends seems to make sense to me. With the amount of fishing we all do, it does not matter at all. just one more thing to not have to do around the Holiday season of late Dec. Jack.

Wisconsin has a license option called a Patron’s license. This license lets you hunt and fish virtually all wildlife. It covers all stamps and tags except for federal waterfowl. It also lets you into state parks free of charge and gets you a subscription to a magazine. The cost last year was $110. It was a great deal for someone like me.

Gator Hunter

Wisconsin and michigan licenses expire March 31st but what else would you expect from a state that harbors the VIKINGS. thanks for letting me vent…..

You would normally think it would expire on Dec. 31st. But our state fish the walleye in our lakes season ends in Feb. so I guess it only makes sense. After all, think of buying a fishing licence in Jan. and then have the walleye season on lakes close the next month. That would upset alot of people. With that in consideration I like the licence being good until Feb. Better for my blood pressure if you know what I mean. Thanks, Bill