Portable House License ?

[Sybar]

Did they change the Law on having a License for portable houses over the last few years? I was going to run over to FF and pick up a license and a friend of mine said you don't need to have one anymore...as long as you are within site of the port. your ok...is this true?

[bloc004]

need DNR #, Name and Address, or Driver license # on you portable in MN

[Ryan_V]

the new rule is if the house stays on the lake UNATTENDED, OVERNIGHT, then you need to purchase a shelter lic. if you take your house with you when you leave, you don't need one. I have 3 fish houses, and the only one that has a lic is the perm on mille lacs. my portable and my wheel house don't get licensed any longer.

[TruthWalleyes]

Ryan_V is 100% correct on this.

[mrfish1991]

- A person may not take fish from a dark house or fish house that is left unattended on

the ice overnight unless the house is licensed and has a license tag attached to the

exterior in a readily visible location. The commissioner must issue a tag with a dark

house or fish house license, marked with a number to correspond with the license

and the years of issue. A dark house or fishing house is not required of a resident on

boundary waters where the adjacent state does not charge a fee for the same activity.

-All shelters (including dark houses, fish houses and portable shelters) placed on the

ice of Minnesota waters must have either the complete name and address, driver’s

license number, or the nine-digit Minnesota DNR number on the license of

the owner plainly and legibly displayed on the outside in letters, and figures at least

two inches in height.

this is straight from the dnr's site...hope it helps

[Sybar]

sweet that will save a few bucks!

[timjones]

The DNR regulation stating "left unattended on the ice overnight" is a little vague. The exact regulation from the State Statutes is as follows;

97C.355 SHELTERS ON ICE; DARK HOUSES AND FISH HOUSES.

Subd. 2.License required.

A person may not leave a dark house or fish house unattended on the ice at any time between midnight and one hour before sunrise unless the house is licensed and has a license tag attached to the exterior in a readily visible location, except as provided in this subdivision. The commissioner must issue a tag with a dark house or fish house license, marked with a number to correspond with the license and the year of issue. A dark house or fish house license is not required of a resident on boundary waters where the adjacent state does not charge a fee for the same activity.

So if you leave your house unattended from 10:00PM to 11:00PM you still don't need a license. You only need a license if you leave it unattended anytime between midnight and one hour before sunrise.

[Finlander]

Where does it say you need to put your name, #, etc. if you don't leave it on the ice unattended overnight?

[bloc004]

-All shelters (including dark houses, fish houses and portable shelters) placed on the

ice of Minnesota waters must have either the complete name and address, driver’s

license number, or the nine-digit Minnesota DNR number on the license of

the owner plainly and legibly displayed on the outside in letters, and figures at least

two inches in height.

[RiverFish]

Does anyone know the reason why the DNR makes you put your license #, Fishing license #, etc on your portable if you are not leaving it unattended? They are not making money on this(license), except fines. Your not leaving it unattended.

I don't understand the reasoning behind this law.

[Bigslugger]

My thought on why you have to have it is if someone wants to turn you in for littering, poaching, etc. etc...

That way it will be a heck of a lot easier to get those knuckle heads in trouble!

[RylFlsh85]

It will also save the time of the dnr officer and you if it is on there, that way they can check out who you are and if you are legal without really depending on asking you for all the information.

[RiverFish]

Some possibilities but still does not make sense to me.

I don't think it would save any time. The DNR officer is still going to check your license and see what your fishing with and how many you have.

Could be easier to turn in poachers, litters etc.. but there must be another reason...

Just trying to think this law through!?!?!?

[Bigslugger]

Call up your Regional office if you need to know the correct answer

P.S. If you need a nice sign for your portable I would highly advise to go to Office Max and have them make a sign to your specs which is designed for the slot on your portable

I had them make a 12" x 15" sign with lamination with my name, address, and DNR # all typed in 2" letters for around $5

[WildCountry]

i live and fish in MN and i have nothing on my portable and ive been stopped multiple times by different Game Wardens and they have never said a thing

[mrfish1991]

ya you may have never had something said to you...but its better to be safe than sorry

[WildCountry]

7 times this year and no tickets, i must just be real lucky

[Phred52]

WildCountry, I haven't been checked that many times in 42 years of fishing in Minnesota!! I'd wonder WHY you've been checked that often. No shack ID could just be another checkmark on the ticket when they do find something 'wrong'. Phred52

[croixflats]

Does anyone know the reason why the DNR makes you put your license #, Fishing license #, etc on your portable if you are not leaving it unattended? They are not making money on this(license), except fines. Your not leaving it unattended.

I don't understand the reasoning behind this law.

Big Brother is watching. Want to make sure your not a terrorist or if you have any unpaid parking tickets.

[timjones]

If the MNDNR # on your fishing license does not match the MNDNR # or other info on the house, the CO will want to know who it belongs to and what you are doing in it.

[Maverick]

It's really a simple anwer. Since you can leave your house unattended for nearly 18 hours a day it is only reasonable that it can be identified if need be. Really, this is much ado about nothing. We griped that we had to have a license for a portable, the DNR listened and agreed. The very simple and easy tradeoff was that we needed to have some identification on it. Really seems pretty reasonable.

[Sybar]

So what you all are saying is...there is no need for a license...but you have to have some type of ID posted on it...?

[Bigslugger]

Shelters

The following regulations apply to fish houses, dark houses, and

portable shelters used on all Minnesota waters, unless otherwise noted

elsewhere in this booklet.

• All shelters, which include dark houses, fish houses, and portable

shelters, placed on the ice of Minnesota waters must have either the

(

1)complete name and address, (2)driver’s license number, or (3)the

nine-digit Minnesota DNR number on the license of the owner plainly

and legibly displayed on the outside in letters, and figures at least 2

inches in height. Dark houses, fish houses, and portable shelters placed

on the ice for shelter while fishing do not need new

a license unless

the house will be left unattended overnight.

This was directly pasted from the DNR 2008 Fishing Regulations Book Page 55

[Maverick]

So what you all are saying is...there is no need for a license...but you have to have some type of ID posted on it...?

Amen, My Brother.

[Dead-C-Force]

I would think someone could make a fortune five bucks at a time to offer fish house signs on some white, plastic corragated foam core backing. Light, waterproof, cheap. I just use my DNR number, but it's stuck on a scrap of cardboard- I will check with Office Max about something custom, great tip. I'd rather be giving the 5$ to a bait shop or individual instead of a big box store...