By Doug Leier
If you haven’t picked up your new fishing or combination license yet, consider this your friendly reminder. The old one expired at the end of March, and the new license year begins April 1. If you’re like most, it’s on your to-do list … just not necessarily at the top. You meant to take care of it earlier, but “one of these days” has a way of sneaking up on all of us.
This year, like the last couple, I renewed mine using the North Dakota Game and Fish app. And I’ll say it right up front; it’s like most things in life. It’ll probably be even quicker the second time or third time around. Familiarity helps and the app remembers a lot of what you’ve already done.
The app, by the way, is about more than just buying a license. There are some genuinely handy tools built into it, including sunrise and sunset times, along with wind information. And if you allow location services, it updates automatically based on where you are. For anglers and anyone who spends time outdoors, that information is just as useful. For hunters, legal shooting hours are critical, and the app removes all the guesswork. Want to report a tagged fish? Looking for contact information to report an observation to your local game warden? It’s in there.
If you’re old like me you may remember using the North Dakota OUTDOORS calendar or the hunting rules guide for checking sunrise and sunset times based on Bismarck, then adjusting a minute for every 12 miles east or west. I’ve still got one of those calendars hanging in my office.
You can absolutely still do it that way if you want, though the younger generation will probably verify your math in about two seconds with their phone.
Once you open the app, head to “Buy and Apply.” Because I’ve purchased licenses online before, much of my information is already saved. If you’ve switched phones or haven’t logged in for a while, you might need to re-enter some details. That can be a little frustrating, but it’s also part of keeping personal information secure, and occasionally technology just wants to double-check who you are.
Every year, when I type in my name and date of birth, I’m reminded there are two Doug Leier’s in the system. We’ve had our share of crossed wires over the years, but the electronic system uses multiple identifiers, which has actually reduced problems instead of creating them. And for everyone with a more common last name – Olson, Anderson, Johnson – you can be confident it works.
Back in “Buy and Apply,” you can select who you’re purchasing licenses for. My dad and my daughter are saved there, which cuts down on re-entering information. After a quick proof-of-residency check and confirming contact details, I was looking at the license options, including the combination license many folks still call the “sportsmen” license.
From there it was a familiar sequence: answering a few questions for Harvest Information Program certification, deciding whether to subscribe to North Dakota OUTDOORS magazine, and having the option to donate to the Private Land Open To Sportsmen program. A short fishing survey, a trapping question, acknowledgment of electronic posting – and next thing you know it’s time to check out.
As usual, it took me longer to find my wallet than it did to enter my credit card number. I even mistyped one digit, but the system flagged it immediately and showed me exactly where to fix it.
With the card processed, the license activated, and an email confirmation landed in my inbox. I saved the license on my phone and printed copies for my wallet and the glove box. Extra copies aren’t a bad idea. If you’re checked in the field, it’s your responsibility to produce a license, and
the faster that happens – digitally or on paper – the quicker everyone gets back to what they were doing. Cell service isn’t guaranteed everywhere, and nobody wants to wait on a spinning signal icon.
All told, the whole process took less than 10 minutes. If I can do it, so can you. And if the app isn’t your thing, there are still plenty of license vendors across the state. No matter how you choose to do it, make sure you’re licensed and ready because the season waits for no one.
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