Hunting, fishing licenses will be facilitated through DNR's new electronic system starting next month
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says its new "modern and secure" licensing system will launch next month, with fishing and hunting licenses first up.
The electronic licensing system will enter its first phase on June 9. It will allow Minnesotans to buy a license via a mobile app, online or in person, and to carry that license via a physical copy, PDF or in the app.
The old licensing system will be in use until 11:59 p.m. on June 1, after which point the DNR will begin moving information from the old system to the new one. From 12 a.m. on June 2 through 11:59 p.m. on June 8, license sales will be paused and Minnesotans won't need one to fish, though all other regulations and bag limits will still be effective.
The DNR said it will "have plenty of staff on hand to help users through the transition along with user guides and how-to videos."
Kelly Straka from DNR says it'll streamline the state's enforcement and remove what could be part of a barrier of entry for some.
"We've heard over the years what people wanted, so we're hoping this new system will meet those needs of its users," Straka said. "If you want to angle, if you want to hunt, you're going to need a license to do so. That's certainly important to protect resources so we don't over-harvest anything."
For Dustin Hafner, who has owned DH Custom Rods and Tackle in Wayzata for 17 years, it's a welcome change.
"It's just always been a hassle," he said. "You're gonna take 10 minutes out of your time, the customer is most likely not going to buy anything."
The start date for phase two, which will include recreational vehicle and watercraft titling and registration, has not been announced yet.
The DNR said the outgoing system has been in use for more than 25 years.
Anglers who get licensed through the old system or the new could soon be catching fewer walleye. The DNR is proposing to change the statewide walleye bag limit from six fish to four in the interest of conservation as Minnesota's waterways evolve.