Bad way to start the season

[Steve Foss]

Yep. I think most of us have had similar experiences. I was fishing my home lake without my license (it was in the cabin), and the C.O. just said to photocopy it and mail that to him within a month and all would be OK.

I've also known C.O.s who, if they're on a stakeout to catch a poacher and can't make the bust, won't bust the guy they're after for a headlight out, or some other infraction that has nothing to do with the poaching. They see it as a sleazy way to get a guy who's committing more serious crimes, and won't do it.

On the other hand, I once knew a C.O. who hassled a mentally challenged youth who was fishing at a resort north of Bemidji. Kid had turned 16 a couple days before, and the C.O. was ticketing the kid for no license. Kid didn't even understand what was going on. And I've seen other C.O.s who were too in love with their power and their guns.

As a writer who frequently covers outdoor stories and has talked to a few dozen C.O.s in N.D. and Minn., I can tell you (well, you already know this, I'm sure) that so much of how the law is interpreted depends on the luck of the draw on which C.O. you get. Same deal with which cop responds to the 911 call.

We are in their hands, and they're not always comfortable hands.

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"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]

[Guest]

Alrighty,....... Lets try this again.

Muskeye, No one is complaining about paying the money. What I and others are questioning is how revalent it is to have a separate fee(house license). Just pay it all at once and get it over with.

Vikingtom,
MN deer license- $53.00
MN archery license- $27.00
MN Res Idividual sports-$28.00
MN turkey license- $18.00
filing fee- $ 3.00
MN pheasant stamp- $ 5.00
MN migratory stamp- $ 5.00
MN waterfowl stamp- $ 5.00
MN early goose permit- $ 5.00

Grand total $149.00

And then add the $12 license that I'll buy
For $161.00
Did I make my contribution to the state?

Now that I think about it,....Why do we have the stamps? One more unnecessary fee. I don't understand why. Yeah,...Ok,....some people my only hunt grouse and not pheassnts for example, so why not have a grouse license and a pheasant license? Who do I write to?

[cwmn]

Who do you write too? Try youre elected official, maybe the govenor or the head of the DNR. If you don't like the way things are then work to change them.
ALl that money you pay? I think youre getting a great deal. All I do is fish I don't hunt, so I get a fantastic deal. My licenses cost me about $40 a year, a family of 4 can't go to a movie for that much, and the amount of enjoyment that my family and I get from that small investment is priceless.
The real problem is that the legaslator raises fees for hunting or fishing to pay for other things not related to hunting or fishing, the DNR should have full control over license fees and how regulations are formed and enforced.

IF YOURE GOING FISHING MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOURE LICENSES. HOW HARD CAN IT BE
I was on Phalen 2 years ago on a Saturday night, two CO's came out and started checking people I watched as they spent 45 minutes writing tickets for too maney lines, no license, and littering. When a CO got to me I thanked him for enforcing the laws and he commented on how many people go fishing without licenses and with total disreard for the laws.
That is what angers me, not the money I pay to fish but the people out there who are stealing our resources from us.

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Have a good one!
CWMN

[Guest]

I believe we have a few misinterpretations here. I was upset because I try to pay close attention to the laws and make sure I abide by them, but just this one time I forgot, and I paid for it. Noones trying to cheat the laws, everyone here agrees that the law breakers should be fined. But a warning would have been sufficient.

All that talk is off track. Myself and many other sportsmen(sportspeople) understand that it costs money for our state to keep our natural resources up and running. However, I don't find it necessary to enforce "uncessary fees" (house licenses) in order to generate more money into the system. "Call a spade a spade". Does the state think that they're fooling us or something? Probably not, But if this is accurate, just include it in the license fee, instead creating useless fees to charge.
I said it in my original post, I have $160 in licenses in my wallet. if thats not enough of contribution to the state.....well.......I guess they'll come find me on the lake and ticket me like they already did this year.

[Guest]

Thats unfortunate that you got fined for no shelter licens those kinds of honest mistakes happen. But as for the pheasent stamps, these stamps are giving money back to the state and it helps keep a talley on how many pheasent hunters there is out there so they can change the limit if they feel it is nessasary. Believe it or not this $5 stamp keeps some hunters from not even going because they figure they're only going to hunt them this one time so in all honesty it's helping us fellow pheasent hunters out.

good fishing

[only-eyes]

BIGGUNS1, sorry you had to take one for the team. its not fair, but think about how many excuses a CO hears in a day. talk to your local officer its crazy some of the stuff people come up with. i understand the fact that having a hundred plus dollars in licenses should represent to the DNR that you are a sportman who pays the fees and obviously made a mistake. it would be nice if it was like that, but to many excuses from to many people(not you) create a system where a CO can't just go by a judgement of character call anymore and issue a warning. it sucks, but its that 10% of idiots out there that ruin it for the rest of us and that leaves no room for an honest guy like youself to make a mistake. i agree the shelter fee is rediculous, i have 3 houses to license a year, plus well over $150 in other MN licenses, not to mention out of state licenses, its hard to keep track of them all. i have never heard of not needing a shelter license on a house left overnight on a lake, where did you guys see that in the regulations? GOOD LUCK!

[Guest]

Here's an interesting twist-Just opened a new checking account and wanted to print my drivers license # on my checks. The banker said don't do it-because of identity theft concerns. When they get your D.L. #, it's a head start on wrecking your life.
So the state wants us to put this info in 2" letters for anyone to see.
I know you have the option to put name and address on the house instead, just throwing this out as something to think about.

[graffitigreg]

only-eyes

Here's a post I made in 2002 after doing some question and answer research with the DNR.

graffitigreg

From my post 04/26/2002

OK… HERE ARE THE QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FROM THE DNR.

I’ve taken my original questions, the original answers, the follow-up questions, and the answers to the follow-up’s and attempted to weave them together. I think the answers are pretty clear. You only need one shelter license, your vehicle is not a shelter, and ten is ten.

THE DNR SAYS: Your recent inquiries to the Info Center were forwarded to me. I am not sure of the history involved in the inquiry, so some of what I relate to you may be repetition. Please bear in mind that as a rule I will give you the strictest interpretation; officers can and do use discretion based on a totality of circumstances that would be impossible to address here, but hopefully in keeping with the intent or spirit of the law. Another variable in the equation will be the 87 different county attorneys and their respective interpretations of law. They make the ultimate decision about cases that may or may not go to court in their jurisdictions. My comments/answers below.

QUESTION #1: I have two ice fishing houses, a permanent and a portable. Is it legal for me to buy only one shelter license and move it from house to house as long as the shelter license is on the house I am fishing from?

ANSWER #1: You can use the same license for both shelters.

QUESTION #2: Does a vacant fish house, on the lake, require a shelter license if it is not in use?

ANSWER #2: I am unsure of the context of your original question, so will give a bit of background. Fish houses and dark houses need only be licensed (except on some boundary waters) when being used for fishing. You could have a whole handful of houses/shelters, say on different lakes or different bays or reefs on the same lake, but if you only fished from one at a time; you could get by with one license. This must not be confused with marking with your ID. That is required of all houses and shelters placed on the ice, even if not occupied. Now, if a fish house is being used only to observe tip-ups from, the way Minnesota law is constructed, you would still need to have it both marked and licensed. You can have more than one fish house out at a time, so long as all are marked. (you) Only need to license the one being currently used for fishing.

QUESTION #3: Is my vacant, locked, and unlicensed house in violation?

ANSWER #3: No. You are OK as long as it is marked with ID.

QUESTION #4: If I am fishing tip-ups, and I’m on the ice sitting in my vehicle watching the lines, does my vehicle need a shelter license?

ANSWER #4: No, your vehicle does not need to be licensed as a fish house.

QUESTION# 4A: Answer #4 seems to be clear, cut, and dried. It says to me, “A vehicle is never considered a shelter” is that correct? As an example say I took my pick-up and camper ice fishing for the weekend. I ate, slept, and watched my bobbers or tip-ups through the windows - My pick-up and camper is still not a shelter and it doesn’t need a shelter license correct?

ANSWER #4A. OK, lots of gray area here. I have seen vehicles of one sort or another left on the ice with holes drilled in them and rigged to be used as fish houses, and as such requiring marking and licensing as a fish house. That is generally not going to be the case, though. The normal situation of somebody using a car or truck to warm up in while watching their tip-ups or between turns on the jiggle stick aren't generally going to be considered situations requiring a shelter license. But please remember that CO's base their decisions on the totality of circumstances, so to say a shelter license is never required on a vehicle could be misleading.

A camper trailer may be a whole different ball game, as they are far more likely to be left on the ice for extended periods of time, adapted to use as fish houses, and at the very least sat in while watching tip-ups out the window. The only difference between a normal fish house and a camper trailer is the wheels, so it is how they are used that will make the difference between needing a license or not. Safest assumption is that camper trailers will require both a license and ID markings.

QUESTION #5: New question--I'm fishing crappies. If I want to practice catch and release and take home a limit, do I have to stop after my 9th fish, do catch and release until I want to leave and then keep the 10th fish, OR--can I throw 10 into the bucket right away and practice catch and release until I go?

ANSWER #5: Minnesota law interprets 'taking' as any including any 'attempt to take’. Again, this is the strictest interpretation. So, if you intend to do catch and release, catch your 9 crappies and do catch and release until you get #10. If you continue to fish after that, an officer could, based again on the totality of what he/she observes, cite you for catching beyond your limit.

I hope this has been of some help.

Information and Education Manager
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources
Enforcement Division
Box 47, 500 Lafayette Rd.
St. Paul, MN 55155-4047

[iffwalleyes]

saugydoggy
simple solution to your problem put your name and address on the house that is another valid option. Then you don't need to put your Drivers license number on the house.

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Grip it and Rip it

IFFWalleyes
I Fish For Walleyes
[email protected]

[fishtank]

I really disagree with the portable license-

If it's really windy out, I might pull a tarp or blanket over my head while looking down the hole- would that be considered a portable since it's removing me from the outer extremeties? I don't think so- If you can walk out on the ice with it, and walk off the ice with it- it should be considered portable and not need a license.

[LOWinEYEin]

Where would I pick up a shelter License in the SE metro? I have 2 portables and switch back and fourth, do I need 2 ???
Thanks

[Steve Foss]

I can't help you on the where, but most any metro area bait store will have an ELS terminal.

But you only need one license, because you only have to display the license if you're using the house. Of course, if you want to bring company and use both portables at once, you'll need two licenses.

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"Worry less, fish more."
Steve Foss
[email protected]