MN fishing license date change

[coffee]

Who knows the reason for the State of Minnesota reverting back to Feb. 28th as the expiration date for annual fishing licenses?

[Mike89]

that date was alway on the licence, I think it's better to just keep it that way. and that's why I think they did it.

[dan z]

I think it should be openner to openner. Or Jan 1 to Dec 31.

[Great Outdoors]

Who knows the reason for the State of Minnesota reverting back to Feb. 28th as the expiration date for annual fishing licenses?

If you take into consideration how much interest they were losing on millions of dollars in license fees in two months, I think you have your answer!

[efgh]

If in a year or two they, the DNR, move the license date back to jan. 1st you will have your answer. Instead of a 12 month period you will have another 10 mo. period. Extra revenue with no increase of license fees.

[PierBridge]

that date was alway on the licence, I think it's better to just keep it that way. and that's why I think they did it.

Correct its always been this way and no its not going to be jan 1st in the middle of icefishing season ever so get over that one..lol

Its not that difficult guys...

[Alagnak]

Buy a fishing license for the year- it should be good for A YEAR- from the date of purchase. There are way too many seasons and species 'openers' not to mention some fish that never close throughout the year to satisfy everyone for it to coincide with their 'opener'. It's nothing but a rip off for everyone who travels or buys their license mid season otherwise. And, I'm sure the DNR loves them for it.

[PierBridge]

The DNR is not going to throw money down the drain so you're idea while good for the consumer would be bad for the DNR.

Your license will continue to expire on the same date it has for decades.....sorry guys lol

[DTro]

It should be exactly as Alagnak said

There is no "opener" in my world

[candiru]

Buy a fishing license for the year- it should be good for A YEAR- from the date of purchase. There are way too many seasons and species 'openers' not to mention some fish that never close throughout the year to satisfy everyone for it to coincide with their 'opener'. It's nothing but a rip off for everyone who travels or buys their license mid season otherwise. And, I'm sure the DNR loves them for it.

It is really not that much money. With no set date you would have even more people forgetting to get their new license.

[Getanet]

Your license will continue to expire on the same date it has for decades.....sorry guys lol

I don't think so. Unless one of us is missing something, this year your license expired on Feb. 28, 2014 and you needed a new one starting March 1. In past years your fishing license was valid later than that. Can't remember if it was late March or early April.

[BRULEDRIFTER]

Prior to about 2 or 3 years ago, licenses all expired at the end of Feb. Then the DNR change it to "simplify" the regs and possibly to accommodate the late-ice fishermen. Now they switched it back to Feb 28. Here's hoping they just stick with it from now on.

I agree with the others that believe it should be good for 1 year from the purchase date.

[bobbymalone]

I think they changed it to the end of april so you didn't have to get a new license while people were still fishing the hardwater season.

The license said in big bold letters "Licenses expire on Feb 28 (unless otherwise noted)" and then just below, otherwise noted, it says something along the lines of "MN resident angling license (expires April 30). It didn't seem complicated to me, but every year there were multiple posts here with people confused about it... So I think they changed it back to avoid that confusion, which has just created more confusion. Couple more years and people will forget about this mix up and just go back to "the way it always was"

+3 for there is no opener.

[amateurfishing]

not only would people forget to get new license, but the argument of it lasting 365 days from purchase makes no sense. If you fish only once but the same time calendar year wise, you will still need a new license. For example, if you only fish a certain holiday weekend (or whatever), that generally falls about the same time every year so you would still need an updated license even for those once a year out of staters or who ever. I do appreciate that it does not expire over a holiday time frame (new years eve & day) specially when some may be drinking and forgetful. But I do think it should be same time every year with an allotted grace period of some kind (like 30 days) especially if you are on a trip in middle of nowhere where finding a licensing agent may be difficult

[kfk]

It's not a perfect world guys. The system works as it's set up and I hope the DNR leaves it the way it is. So some of you fish where there is no closed season? So what? Dose that make any difference at all? Come on.

Have any of you thought of the problems involved that was purchased halfway in one season and expired halfway into the next?

A license bought in one fishing season and running into the next season would cost the DNR a considerable sum to get into place and after that be an accounting headache. Don't you want the DNR spending time and money on something more important? I know I do,

[bobbymalone]

So some of you fish where there is no closed season?

More like some us aren't tied up with walleye fever and fish for trash fish. Doesn't matter to me when the license expires, because I rarely go more than a few days with an expired license anyway.

I do think the set expiration date for all licenses probably helps people remember when to get their licenses renewed... I doubt anybody, including myself, would remember that my license expired on September 4th if that's the year mark when from when I bought it. But I've had 15 people remind me to renew my license and I've reminded 15 more myself at the end of Feb. Those that buy a full license on September 4th do get screwed though. I think you can get more than year out of license at some point though, like if I bought one on January 1st 2014 its' good through Feb 28, 2015. I'm not 100% sure though.

[Rick G]

In a perfect world it would be one year from date of purchase. No opener for me either, I fish for something 52 weeks a year But I'm ok with leaving it at Feb 28.

[bturck]

i contacted the DNR on this two weeks ago. the past two years anew license had to be purchased on May 1st. this year the law reverted back to march 1st. this is changed by legislative action. they did not have an answer for the reasoning, however the DNR cannot change this on their own; not to say they don;t jave significant input. i agree lets pick a date and stick with. their have to be more pressing issues for our lawmakers than changing the license date every couple of years

[Alagnak]

In this day and age forgetting is really a talk excuse no matter what date. Hmm let's see- calendar reminder on your phone, work, or home calendar which most of us have synched. Or just an email or text reminder from DNR in which many states already do.

[efishsport]

I was told they wanted it to coincide with the small game license.

[Portlis]

Buy a fishing license for the year- it should be good for A YEAR- from the date of purchase. There are way too many seasons and species 'openers' not to mention some fish that never close throughout the year to satisfy everyone for it to coincide with their 'opener'. It's nothing but a rip off for everyone who travels or buys their license mid season otherwise. And, I'm sure the DNR loves them for it.

I completely agree with this 100%. For someone like me with a lifetime license, it doesn't matter. But I have friends that occasionally come fishing with me a couple of times a year, and they've literally declined to come with me sometimes during the winter months because they know their money is being "wasted" on a 1 or 2 month license.

It wouldn't be difficult to implement a 1 year license actually lasting a year, and it's not like DNR officers would have a difficult time with it either, since the dates would still be printed right on the license.

I've thought for a LONG time that their current system was archaic and stupid.

[bobbymalone]

they've literally declined to come with me sometimes during the winter months because they know their money is being "wasted" on a 1 or 2 month license.

Well they would have wasted their money on it if they bought March 1st since they apparently didn't need it until December. And if they bought it December and it would be good for year, they'll probably waste their money since they apparently don't need it from March through December.

There's always 12 bucks for a three day license.

[harvey lee]

To me, it does not matter when it expires as I have to purchase one no matter what.

For the fee that is charged for an annual fishing license and as much as I fish, great deal for the amount spent.

[analyzer]

MN State Park stickers are good for 1 year from month purchased. I agree, I think it would be simple, and fair to do the same with fishing licenses.

[Great Outdoors]

Buying a new one that's good from March 1st until February 28 the next year is is pretty simple, so I can't understand why some even question this.

If a person can't remember to buy one on the date the DNR sets, how will they ever remember the date THEY bought the license on the year before??

Sheeeeeeeeeesh!!