If you haven’t purchased your new fishing license, it was due April 1. I’d encourage you to give it a try on the Game and Fish app. Last year I did it for the first time exclusively on the app. I did the same this year and it was even quicker than it was last year.
If you’re like me, the first thing to catch my eye is the local sunrise, sunset, and wind. No matter if you hunt or fish, the weather is at the front of mind because of where we live. For many hunters, legal shooting hours are key, and this feature removes the need to mentally do the math. On the ND OUTDOORS calendar, the sunrise/sunset times can also be found, but you need to adjust 1 minute for every 12 miles east or west of Bismarck depending on where you are. You can still try that to impress the younger generation, but they’ll be able to check your math with a glance at the app.
Next, tap on “buy and apply.” If you have a past online profile, that information will load, but if you bought a new phone since your last Game and Fish license purchase, you’ll need to log into your personal profile.
I once again typed in my name, date of birth and reminded myself there are two Doug Leiers and thought of all the times we’ve had mixed up information. But the electronic age has reduced the associated problems. That’s credit to the system, which uses a combination of personal identification to make sure the correct person is logging in.
Again, I tap “buy and apply” and slide down to the option for choosing who I’m buying for – my dad and daughter, which is a nice, saved option to reduce tapping information each time. I click on proof of residency and verify current contact information, and I’m into my options for licenses — the combination or “sportsmen” license, as most know it.
A series of questions to become Harvest Information Program certified follows, and an option to subscribe to North Dakota OUTDOORS magazine is the next step, followed by a question about donating to the Private Land Open To Sportsman program.
After a short fishing survey, trapping question, and acknowledgement of electronic posting, I’m already at the checkout within minutes.
I’ll be honest. It took me longer to find my wallet than it did to tap in my credit card information, even with bifocals on top of my head.
One mistake on a number and it highlighted the box I needed to go back and correct before continuing to pay. The credit card was processed, the license activated, and an email was received acknowledging my purchase.
The next choice was to save it on my phone in an easy-to-find place. I printed off a copy for my wallet and another for the glove box in my Yukon. I might photocopy one for my office desk and put one in my tackle box. Why when I just need one? I’ve been checked in the field by a game warden, and my responsibility is to produce a license. The quicker access I have — either digitally on my device or physically in my hand — the sooner the check is complete, and I can get on my way and the game warden can continue their work.
Even with expanded cell coverage, there are still plenty of places out of range, and the game warden doesn’t need to needlessly wait while trying to find it stored on the phone or in another spot.
All said and done, it took me less than 10 minutes to do the entire process. If I can do it, so can you. If not, there’s a list of license vendors (
