MN Fishing License

B-man wrote:

Don’t forget Bear Applications are available today too

wow..really……already.

thanks bud!!!!!!!!!

B-man wrote:

Don’t forget Bear Applications are available today too

Bman…..where are you seeing this???
i just went to the DNR site and it still has the old 2024 stuff up and said info for 2025 would be available in April?????/

I had a calendar reminder for March 1st from something I read last fall on the DNR site, but I’m not seeing it yet either….

Nevermind

I wish that Minnesota would get into the 20th century. Why they can’t have a Go Wild card like Wisconsin that holds every license you could ever want to buy. The only thing that you have to print is your Great Lakes license because they have to read it with binoculars so they don’t have to board your boat. You renew it online and you are good to go and its just a card like a credit card.

OK rant over !!

I’d suggest to anyone getting a license just buy a 3 year license. Luckily mine is on the same cadence as my boat so I know I have to renew them at the same time. Annual licenses are a headache.

My rant is because I have a lifetime license and have to mess with it every year which is BS.

James Almquist wrote:

My rant is because I have a lifetime license and have to mess with it every year which is BS.

I didn’t know that…what do you have to do every year? Seems like it defeats the purpose of a lifetime license?

I am not sure why my license could not just say Lifetime and pickup a new one when it is worn. Leave it to the state to mess up something so that is so easy to fix.

James Almquist wrote:

I am not sure why my license could not just say Lifetime and pickup a new one when it is worn. Leave it to the state to mess up something so that is so easy to fix.

That is messed up.

Matt Moen wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>James Almquist wrote:</div>
My rant is because I have a lifetime license and have to mess with it every year which is BS.

I didn’t know that…what do you have to do every year? Seems like it defeats the purpose of a lifetime license?

For my Grandkids 1st B-day I got him the lifetime and yes it kinda pi$$ed me off that he needs to go get a license every year.
Which brings the question – If you don’t pick up a license and you get checked, do you still get a ticket even though you paid for a lifetime?

^^^^ I’d assume it would be just a warning, but who the heck knows??

I’d also assume it can be done online to get a screen shot?

Grandpa got the Boys a lifetime when they were little, they won’t need it for awhile yet, but it’s seriously the best gift they’ve ever gotten!

If you got a kid a lifetime at say 12 years old. How old would they be when it pays for itself. How may years till you break even ?

Bearcat89 wrote:

If you got a kid a lifetime at say 12 years old. How old would they be when it pays for itself. How may years till you break even ?

.

About 27 years at current prices. Annual license if purchased for 4-15 yo is $710. Annual license is $26. This is for the sports license. The fishing license only is about a 18 year payback.

It’s worth it if you buy young.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

For my Grandkids 1st B-day I got him the lifetime and yes it kinda pi$$ed me off that he needs to go get a license every year.
Which brings the question – If you don’t pick up a license and you get checked, do you still get a ticket even though you paid for a lifetime?

One would think you would not if they wanted to check with your drivers license or use your DNR number off a old license but who knows….

Bearcat89 wrote:

If you got a kid a lifetime at say 12 years old. How old would they be when it pays for itself. How may years till you break even ?

That’s a huge guess, but it’s safe to say it will definitely pay off at some point.

Not once in my life have I ever seen the price of something go down in the long run.

Guys are losing their fricken minds in Wisconsin right now because a lot of licenses are jumping $20. I all but guarantee you Minnesota will follow suit within a year or two.

I wish Wisconsin had lifetime deer tags available. I spend $400 a year to hunt there with gun/bow (soon to be $440). I hopefully have at least 30 good years of hunting left in me….that’s going to add up, especially with future price jumps.

Over $20? WTH
As they hop in their $100K boat.

Eelpoutguy wrote:

Over $20? WTH
As they hop in their $100K boat.

Yeah it’s pretty comical on the Wisconsin Rut Report FB page.

I wonder how many of the guys that are threatening to boycott (aka poach) spend $10,000 a year on trail cameras/subscriptions, new guns/bows, food plots, leases, etc etc.

Because their tag jumped to $42….the first increase in 20 years.

All they say is to charge non-residents more…well, they have been increasing non-residents in the last 20 years…and it’s going up again.

I’m a former 25-year Wisconsin resident, own and pay taxes on land there, and live 2 miles from the WI border.

Am I thrilled I have to pay even more as a non-resident and the rates are increasing again? No. But I’m not whining and crying over it either.

My son was gifted one from a good buddy of mine when he was 4 or 5. But I never looked in to them much, his is the sportsman and will be awesome for him. 16 is coming fast. I just never did the long run on math.

Got both my boys lifetime fish/small game licenses for their 1st birthdays. Agree with others, prices will only increase so if you can do it young, it’s bound to pay for itself. Unless like my oldest boy he keeps saying he doesn’t want to go out fishing with me. Dagger in the heart but he’s only 6 so there’s time to get him “hooked”.

And as for the needed to renew the lifetime yearly, can’t you do it online for free?

B-man wrote:

All they say is to charge non-residents more…well, they have been increasing non-residents in the last 20 years…and it’s going up again.

I’m a former 25-year Wisconsin resident, own and pay taxes on land there, and live 2 miles from the WI border.

Am I thrilled I have to pay even more as a non-resident and the rates are increasing again? No. But I’m not whining and crying over it either.

At least Wisconsin has what I consider a reasonable charge for nonresident youth deer license. I am surprised that this has not tripled or more in price.

AK Guy wrote:

MN DNR needs to have an electronic signature for fishing licenses. Seems silly that you can get it online but it’s not valid unless you print it out and sign it.

It’s not an electronic signature if it requires you to print it. Either you read it wrong or the DNR is just plain stupid. Electronic would mean a click through type thing maybe a scribble on the screen and acknowledging the date.

Btw. My son plans to go fishing tomorrow and I said he needs a new license. He text me and asked if he needed both walleye stamps!??? I said no he shouldn’t need either but wtf are they for?

I’m not complaining about the fee increase.
The state hasn’t raised most licenses in 20 years is the problem. That is why it seems excessive to many sportsman. Also the DNR in every state runs on the backs of fisherman, hunters, and trappers. Hikers, bikers, bird watchers, kayakers, etc. all use what the sportsman pay for with no fees other than a State Park sticker IF they are in a State Park.
The state should add a dollar a year and no one would complain. JMO

AK Guy wrote:

MN DNR needs to have an electronic signature for fishing licenses. Seems silly that you can get it online but it’s not valid unless you print it out and sign it. I’ve purchased licenses in other states and was allowed an electronic signature. It’s much more efficient and convenient and no paper was involved.

Btw, I printed my license, signed it, and then took a photo of it to keep it on my phone.

You don’t need to sign an electronically purchased license. Just need a screenshot of it. They changed that a year or 2 ago. I’ve been checked on one and it was no issue.

FinickyFish wrote:

<div class=”d4p-bbt-quote-title”>AK Guy wrote:</div>
MN DNR needs to have an electronic signature for fishing licenses. Seems silly that you can get it online but it’s not valid unless you print it out and sign it. I’ve purchased licenses in other states and was allowed an electronic signature. It’s much more efficient and convenient and no paper was involved.

Btw, I printed my license, signed it, and then took a photo of it to keep it on my phone.

You don’t need to sign an electronically purchased license. Just need a screenshot of it. They changed that a year or 2 ago. I’ve been checked on one and it was no issue.

So why did I get this when I went online to buy my license? It clearly says it’s not valid unless I sign it.

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^^^^ That’s if you’re printing it

If you download the pdf and/or screenshot it you’re good in MN (w/some exceptions for some border waters)

Exactly. It’s like a negative loophole. If you print it you need to sign. If you don’t print it you don’t need to sign. Also, i don’t think JC Outdoors clearly spells that out. Too buzzed to pull up the legalize/statute right now but I’ve researched it before.

I have had a lifetime license for over twenty years. One of the reasons you have to renew every year is if you need a pheasant or duck stamp, Walk-in-Acess, HIP certified, etc. these extra charges are on your new yearly license.

Slinger,
Thanks that makes sense.

FinickyFish wrote:

Exactly. It’s like a negative loophole. If you print it you need to sign. If you don’t print it you don’t need to sign. Also, i don’t think JC Outdoors clearly spells that out. Too buzzed to pull up the legalize/statute right now but I’ve researched it before.

LOL is that a thing?

It is for me when it comes to interpreing legalize . The Hunting regs don’t call it out and make it seem like you need to print and sign but here is the MN statute 97A.405 LICENSE REQUIREMENTS.

(3) the proper paper license identification number or stamp validation, if the license has been sold to the person by electronic means; or

(4) electronic or other evidence satisfactory to the commissioner that the person has the proper paperless license.

I interpret this that you could even just have the id # if you bought it electronically and don’t even need a photo copy. However if you do buy a paper license, you need to sign it then take a photo. Again, I’ve never had a problem with a screenshot of my unsigned version, but it just takes that one grumpy CO to maybe make it an issue.

I did t know a 3 year license was an option? This is for a MN fishing license?