It came in the mail yesterday! My son is now set for a lifetime of small game hunting and fishing Minnesota waters. I got it in before he turned 4 years old, so a mere $357 for a lifetime license, cant beat that. 
He could care less now at 3 years old, nor could the wife. 
I’m guessing his excitement will match mine the first time he goes to get his license tho.
I was just thinking about this the other day as we just welcomed a little baby girl in to our family a few weeks ago. Might have to put away a little money and get one for her in a few years! Hopefully she will be daddy’s new fishing/hunting partner down the road!!!
So what does that work out to be…if he buys a license every year from the time he’s 16 to 60 that would be 44 years so $8.11 a year sounds pretty good. What do they charge now?
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What do they charge now?
$29.5o for ind. sport.
Sounds like there is increasing support for a proposal to increase license fees in the coming years, from $18 today to $23 in 2011 and $27 in 2015 just for fishing, sportsman would obviously be more.
I thought of doing the same for my daughter – But then I thought what if she does not continue to hunt or fish after turning 16? what if she moves to another state? Lot’s of variables here. if they stay in Minnesota and keep hunting and fishing it will end up being a great deal. If they only get a year or two out of it those will be expensive license. Kind of like gambling or playing the stock market. You either win or loose. Only time will tell
My son will be getting one for his 1st birthday in a few months. With the current license at $29.50, and the lifetime costing $357….it will pay for itself in about 12 years (or by the time he’s 28, assuming he would have to buy a license from 16-27).
In reading the fine print, even if he ends up moving out of state…the license is still good:
“A resident Lifetime License remains valid even if the license holder moves out of Minnesota and becomes a nonresident. However, once you become a nonresident you are only eligible for the specific Lifetime License you had purchased as a resident. You are not eligible for any other resident licenses or resident opportunities. Resident licensee’s that move out of state must contact the MN DNR to update their address and customer record.”
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I thought of doing the same for my daughter – But then I thought what if she does not continue to hunt or fish after turning 16? what if she moves to another state? Lot’s of variables here. if they stay in Minnesota and keep hunting and fishing it will end up being a great deal. If they only get a year or two out of it those will be expensive license. Kind of like gambling or playing the stock market. You either win or loose. Only time will tell
Then again, if they move out of state but still come and visit the old man now and then they don’t need the buy a non-resident license. I am thinking of getting my son a lifetime license as well.
i wish somebody had bought me a lifetime sportsmans lisence even though its the cheapest part of hunting and fishing
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In reading the fine print, even if he ends up moving out of state…the license is still good:
“A resident Lifetime License remains valid even if the license holder moves out of Minnesota and becomes a nonresident. However, once you become a nonresident you are only eligible for the specific Lifetime License you had purchased as a resident. You are not eligible for any other resident licenses or resident opportunities. Resident licensee’s that move out of state must contact the MN DNR to update their address and customer record.”
Thats cool. I thought this was discussed here before and it was determined that the license would be invalid if they moved out of state.
I have had the lifetime fishing license since they offered it. I was in college and going to school in WI, but I was still eligible because I was still technically a MN resident. And if I moved, it didn’t matter. So, that was great.
I have a young son- 9 months old- and will buy him a lifetime license later on…In looking at the numbers I don’t think it pays to buy him the lifetime license until he is older. As for the hunting ones, I don’t think it pays until he is of age to hunt.
The reason for me is it is not a big price difference from the 3 and under age group vs. the 4-15 age group. Might as well wait until the kids are a little older and get into the license buying age. There is only a $130 difference from the 3 and under vs the 4 to age 15 age group. 12 years of saving my money? And for fishing, no license needed until 16, so buy the license just before he turns 16 and pay $300 instead of $227 for ages 3 and under.
Just my thoughts, but I’m going to wait and get them when he needs the licenses.
Here is a link at the DNR website with all the lifetime license info..
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/licenses/lifetime/residents/index.html
Way to go A.J. I would be proud of that one and frame it. It might be a bit of expense up front but the values he will learn from fishing will pay unlimited rewards 
It’s a lot like the feeling when your child says “Daddy” for the first time.. Or oiling a baseball glove with him… or the first ride without training wheels..I’d celebrate.
P.S. Because he is 3, you can show him all these little emoticons on IDO as support for your official announcement of his new license
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I have had the lifetime fishing license since they offered it. I was in college and going to school in WI, but I was still eligible because I was still technically a MN resident. And if I moved, it didn’t matter. So, that was great.
I have a young son- 9 months old- and will buy him a lifetime license later on…In looking at the numbers I don’t think it pays to buy him the lifetime license until he is older. As for the hunting ones, I don’t think it pays until he is of age to hunt.
The reason for me is it is not a big price difference from the 3 and under age group vs. the 4-15 age group. Might as well wait until the kids are a little older and get into the license buying age. There is only a $130 difference from the 3 and under vs the 4 to age 15 age group. 12 years of saving my money? And for fishing, no license needed until 16, so buy the license just before he turns 16 and pay $300 instead of $227 for ages 3 and under.
Just my thoughts, but I’m going to wait and get them when he needs the licenses.Here is a link at the DNR website with all the lifetime license info..
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/licenses/lifetime/residents/index.html
Um… It does pay. $130. And I dont care what you think. 
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I have a young son- 9 months old- and will buy him a lifetime license later on…In looking at the numbers I don’t think it pays to buy him the lifetime license until he is older. As for the hunting ones, I don’t think it pays until he is of age to hunt.
Unless they end up changing the prices of licenses in the next 5-10 years. Maybe that lifetime that is now $357 will be $500 in 10 years…..
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Um… It does pay. $130. And I dont care what you think.
Well good for you 
you have your theory i’ll have mine…idiot….
but hey…don’t get me wrong…i hope everyone gets their kids lifetime licenses…be great for the future of the outdoors……so, congrats on that!!
I don’t have any idea what MN did with their lifetime licenses, but in NE the license is good for life. Even if you move out of state. I got a lifetime hunt/fish when I was 20. At the price for the combo at that time, it was going to take just over 20 years to recover (it will be 15 years tomorrow.) The prices have gone up, plus the state has added the Aquatic Stamp (that I do not have to purchase). So I think I am close to or have already recovered my cost.
I got the Lifetime Habitat Stamp (hunting) the first year they came out. Time flies and I don’t recall how long ago that was, but I will recover that cost shortly too.
My 3 boys will each be receiving the lifetime hunt/fish combo and also the habitat stamp when the turn 16.
JD
I am not 100% sure, but I think with lifetime you don’t have to pay to get duplicate if you loose one. Does anybody know for sure? I can’t really tell from the DNR website.
Ilost my lic. once it costa ton to have get duplicate, as they nick you for item at $2 a pop. I just got my lifetime sportsman and getting my wife a lifetime angling pretty soon. I will still have to do the stamps and deer license though each year. But worth it. I wish I had done it when it came out…
yep that is correct, they are free.
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