2005 shelter regs....Just talked to DNR

[hovermn]

Hey all,

I just got off the phone with the DNR regarding shelter licenses. I wanted to know if I'd have to buy a shelter license for my hovercraft which I plan on using for late ice fishing. The woman I talked to said that unless it has 3 sides and a roof, it's not considered a shelter and that I'm just fine without the license.

Then, I asked her about using a car while fishing. She said that because the car is already licensed for the road that I wouldn't need a license for that, either. I told her that I had friends close to the DNR (you guys ;-) that have said that a license IS needed if you're fishing out of your car/truck. Her response was that because you're not fishing out of a hole in the bottom of the car, you're fine.

Huh, that goes against everything I've read here. Is she right about this? When she answered me the first time about the car, there was no hesitation. It was just "no, you don't." I've only fished from a car once when I was younger and at college, so I'm not too concerned about it, but it would be nice to have an official answer. Or, maybe I just got one?

[Deitz Dittrich]

I would think she would know.. i have heard the same thing.. if you were fishing out of a hole in the floor boards of the truck you would... but not untill then.

[Jeremy airjer W]

I heard the same. If the hole is outside of the vehicle (jigging in a whole outside the vehicle while sitting in the front seat or watching tip-ups), then you don't. If your fishing through the floorboards then you do (which I don't agree with because the vehicle is already licensed Through the state).

Does anyone know if you have to license a portable if a person was using it to stay warm while watching tip ups that are all located outside the shelter? Do we have any volunteers to test this theory?

[bigbucks]

Go ahead & try it, but I'll bet you get fined, if they see you.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I was sitting in my truck watching my tip-ups and got fined for no shelter license. This was a couple of years back. Maybe things have changed since then.

The really ironic thing is my portable was in the back of my truck, and it had a shelter license on it.

[Jim43]

Quote:

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I was sitting in my truck watching my tip-ups and got fined for no shelter license. This was a couple of years back. Maybe things have changed since then.

The really ironic thing is my portable was in the back of my truck, and it had a shelter license on it.

---

Yeah, its pretty tough to argue with a DNR warden in the field.

2 sets of standards seem to be common when it comes

to enforcement. Just wish they would communicate more with

the field so they could all have there facts straight.

Just how many wardens out there are still applying outdated

rules.

I have only been checked by a warden 2 times in 38 years of

fishing. No proeblems at all at that time.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I agree.

I've been checked about a dozen times fishing. 11 times no problem, sat and chatted with the CO for quite a while. I always THOUGHT I was legal.

Who's to know. If I ever watch tip-ups from a pick up again, I'll drop the 12.50 on a tag. Trust me, it's tons cheaper than the fine.

[Phred52]

hovermn, This could be a delicate subject. I was told "It's all in how the individual CO interprets the law". If he sees it as an infraction of the statute, he can/will issue a citation. After that, it's up to the judge or jury to decide, guilty or not. Just hope, At the time you're "checked", his undies haven't "ridden up" and altered his mood.

[hovermn]

Yeah, I've noticed that in several areas. A few years ago, a friend of mine lauched his hover on the power boat access, then flew across the lake and found an opening to fly up to have lunch. It turned out that the opening was a canoe access. Well, it doesn't say that from the water. lol

30 minutes later, a Parks and Rec. Officer showed up and told us about the non-motorized access which until then, we didn't know about. The guy could have gone 1 of 2 ways. He could have asked us to back down the landing and find somewhere else to land, or be a real Pain in our...well you know. Yup, you guessed it. He demanded that my friend go get his trailer and load up right there instead of flying 5' down the shore to the water to take off. The Officer was a fairly young guy, probably just got his license and was out to prove himself. Anyway, the whole situation was pretty rotten.

[castindad]

JUST WONDERING IF ANY ONE HEARD OF A MEETING ABOUT THE WALLEYE BASS CONTROVERSY ON GREEN LAKE I HEARD 18 AT LEGION?

[LocalGuide]

castindad, why dont you post that under Willmar/Spicer Forum. Its kind of off topic in these threads and you probably wont get a lot of replys. So to help you out, post a topic there and I'm sure you'll get a fair amount of responses.

[vikingmeatwad]

Quote:

---

I heard the same. If the hole is outside of the vehicle (jigging in a whole outside the vehicle while sitting in the front seat or watching tip-ups), then you don't. If your fishing through the floorboards then you do (which I don't agree with because the vehicle is already licensed Through the state).

Does anyone know if you have to license a portable if a person was using it to stay warm while watching tip ups that are all located outside the shelter? Do we have any volunteers to test this theory?

---

I would test it but it would not be good to miss work for court. However I still would just to make the game warden look stupid just like the fine would be.

I would rather just fish in a licensed shelter though :-)

[Walterwontfalter]

So, In my fishhouse I have to have the shelter tag attatched in full view on the front of my shelter. I also have to have my address or drivers liscense or my MNDNR# written in 3 inch letters in contrasting color. Would I have to tag and letter my truck too? I find it hard to believe that they could give me a ticket for watching my tip-up or bobber from inside my truck. Sure, it happened to one person. I've never heard of it happening to anyone else. The CO that gave that one person a ticket could have just been in a crappy mood and decided to abuse his power and take his aggression/frustration out on someone else.

[LuckBites]

"Bonus" tag for $2.50?

Is it true that once you plop down the $12.50 for 1 shelter license you can get multiple for $2.50 each. I have a couple permanents, portable & fish out of the truck. Usually the permanent owners take turns buying the tag but if you can get "bonus" tags @ a discount then I might as well get them all and just divy it up. Anyone ever buy multiple licenses @ the discount mentioned above?

Thanks

[Jeremy airjer W]

I had no Idea a guy could do that, luckbites.

[Eric Wettschreck]

Never heard of a bonus tag.

[kevfish]

I would think that any judge in this state would throw the ticket out in a heart beat. If i want to fish out of my vehicle i would do so and not feel bad that i did not buy the shelter license- if a warden thought otherwise i would tell him that he has to be kidding- i would then go to court- irf u have a conflict with work- tell the court - most courts will reschedule for you- wardens have enough to do and if they are worrying about this maybe they need a wake up call. if no one ever challenges it then he will continue to enforce something that is wrong

[Dan Thiem]

Airjer,

You keep coming up with the coolest avitars. How do you do it? Keep them coming they have been great!

[bigbucks]

That CO was being a jerk. I've been checked I'm guessing 20 or more times in my life fishing, & a couple of other times hunting & they've all been decent guys who were very reasonable. If I'd done something that they didn't think was quite right, they just advised me on what I should change. A partially peeled off number on my boat is the only thing I can think of, technically I could have gotten a citation, but it would have been completely unnecessary.

I got checked once in AZ, where we had a 24 hour license, bought at noon one day, that the licensing agent told us was good for the next 24 hours. We got checked the next morning & the CO said it was only good for the date of the license, the previous day. When we told him what the agent said, he just reiterated the law & then said, it's fine for this time, make sure you quit at noon, have a nice day. That's what any reasonable person would expect. We couldn't find anything in the regs at the time that clarified it any differently.

[Jeremy airjer W]

Dan

Thanks for the compliment.

I'm a freelance Graphic Artist on the side. I specialize in logo design but can do just about anything!

[Phred52]

I'll give you an incident where I wasn't quite sure if I should be "grateful" or pi$$ed. about 5 or 6 years ago, I had just bought a new Clam house and thought I'd shake it down on a lake just 5 miles from town. I found a spot on the lake, unloaded the house from the truck and started assembling the frame when a CO walked up. I almost had the frame all assembled and the CO said "I hope you don't plan on fishing from that house". I asked "Why?", To that, he replied "Your numbers and letters aren't 3" high." He was correct, my numbers and letters were 2 3/4" high and he could tell that by just a glance of my computer printed sheets (It was the biggest I could get it to print and still fit in the "pouch". He said if I set up the tent, He'll cite me. I packed up, drove home and saved this "learning experience" for anyone interested. What would you have done? Technically, he had me, because the Figures weren't 3" high as the law required. He could have been a DORK and just let me go ahead and then nail me with a ticket. You decide.

[Captain B.R.K]

If that DNR agent was going to cite you for having 2 3/4" vs. the required 3"- then he obiviously didn't have much to do that day.

Buying a duplicate license and then putting them on all your houses under one license......I don't know if that is legal. I would have to argue that isn't the way the system is set up and to be worked.

[Northlander]

I believe your letters or numbers only have to be 2" dont they?

[Paul Waldowski]

Steve,

Mn. Law states 3" inch. Awfully hard to find a font in that height

[river-rat4]

Did they change the reg for 2005?

2004 MN Fishing Regulations States-

"All shelters, which include dark houses, fish houses, and portable shelters, placed on the ice of Minnesota waters must have the complete name and address, driver's license number or Minnesota DNR number of the owner plainly and legibly displayed on the outside in letters, and figures at least 2 inches in height".

This is verbatim.