Regular firearms to muzzleloader license

[chevyracin8k]

My father in law told me last night that if you don't use your regular firearms license, you can transfer the license to a muzzloader license without being charged? I was always under the assumption that I have to buy a muzzleloader license seperate even if I don't use my regular firearms license.

[Wanderer]

I'm HIGHLY skeptical that can be done. In fact I'll say no chance of that happening after the firearms season has started.

Heck, they charge you $3 to edit your original license if you made a mistake on your antlerless area application (daughter did this) or need a duplicate if you lose your copy.

The DNR isn't into charity for license sales!

[Boar]

nope its a different season entirely, different season, different lisence. Plus it would be way to much lost revenue.

[leechlake]

I think the FIL is trying to run you out of the family

Yep you need to get a new muzzy license. Remember to get it before the season starts or you have to wait a few days for it to be valid. Can't use scope on it etc.

[Wanderer]

Here's one more for ya.

The last two days of the B season overlap with the first two days of ML season. For those who hunt the B season with scoped MLs and have a ML license, it's best to leave the ML license in the truck.

This was a tip from a C/O I talked to.

[ANYFISH2]

You know, I was told this also.

My understanding is that you could switch from a firearms license to a muzzy license for free but the switch had to happen BEFORE the firearms season opened.

I will do some more digging.

[ANYFISH2]

On page 17 of the hunting regulations (page19 of online regs):

Regular firearms license may be changed to a muzzleloader or archery license prior to the opening of the firearms season.

There is a "new" bullet next to it on the page.

[Jameson]

...you could switch from a firearms license to a muzzy license for free but the switch had to happen BEFORE the firearms season opened....

this

[laker1]

Separate license, Separate fees,absolutely positive on this. The switch may be true but you can only hunt on one and only before a season arrived.

[chevyracin8k]

On page 17 of the hunting regulations (page19 of online regs):

Regular firearms license may be changed to a muzzleloader or archery license prior to the opening of the firearms season.

There is a "new" bullet next to it on the page.

He must have talked to someone that didn't read it correctly. Thanks guy.. I've been muzzy hunting for several years now and I never would think the DNR would do something like that. Way too much money to be lost if they did. Just wanted to make sure. Thanks again, good luck

[FISHINGURU]

It's like that in Wisc though if I remember correctly.

[Bear55]

Way too much money to be lost if they did. Just wanted to make sure. Thanks again, good luck

Ya its kind of a scam, why sell one deer license when you can sell 3 of them. I think others states sell you a tag and you can pick whatever weapon or season you want to hunt, really that is the way it should be. You don't buy a fishing license and then buy an ice fishing license (but of course they have to nail you for perm house license). Bear license is a bear license. Kind of sick of getting nickeled and dimed (and stamped) to death. Especially when the management is sub-par.

[Eagle217]

I could not agree with you more Bear55. Their management practices are asinine. I would love to see that govt agency gutted from top to bottom and restructured. They might actually earn some public respect by doing so....

[laker1]

I think the different license is perfect as it is at present. You want to complain go to Montana and pay close to $600 to shoot one deer now for non resident.

Hunting license are cheap. Look at all the $1000 of dollars people get for their outdoor sports that they don't even need. We are very lucky to have all the public land etc.

Hunters been grumbling since the caveman. Wonder what his problem was?

[smsmith]

Their management practices are asinine. I would love to see that govt agency gutted from top to bottom and restructured. They might actually earn some public respect by doing so....

Yup, heartily seconded.....

The gooberment apologists and employees will chime in on why that's a "bad idea"...but what else would a guy expect from those who are fearful of losing their place on the (public employee, great benefits, only remaining pension in the U.S.)gravy train.

[laker1]

If some of those retired Wildlife managers didn't care why do most of them volunteer after retiring working weekly for many on wildlife projects.

The state gives 3-4% matching fund on their salary to pensions. They retire the state charges them 7-10% income tax on those same funds when withdrawn. State isn't losing any money.

There is a lot of pensions or 401K accounts that contribute much more than state employees get. This is all irrelevant.

Like I said earlier this forum is kind of run its coarse. It was productive and many blogs by many individuals were constructive and very cordial.

What do many of the recent comments have to do with bettering the wildlife populations and habitat which I never hear mentioned.

Getting to be more barroom talk.

I apoligize(sp) for even commenting it has nothing to do with deer management.

[PurpleFloyd]

Hunters been grumbling since the caveman. Wonder what his problem was?

They killed off the dinosaurs then blamed the government for not stopping them sooner.

Kinda funny to see an outdoors forum filled with supposedly conservative,small government types calling for a government agency to fix things and save us from ourselves.

[Bear55]

I think the different license is perfect as it is at present. You want to complain go to Montana and pay close to $600 to shoot one deer now for non resident.

Hunting license are cheap. Look at all the $1000 of dollars people get for their outdoor sports that they don't even need. We are very lucky to have all the public land etc.

Hunters been grumbling since the caveman. Wonder what his problem was?

Just more of the same, pricing out the average hunters for more $$$. I don't mind chipping in but it gets old when they structure everything around money instead of resource management.

[Wanderer]

Ya its kind of a scam, why sell one deer license when you can sell 3 of them. I think others states sell you a tag and you can pick whatever weapon or season you want to hunt, really that is the way it should be. You don't buy a fishing license and then buy an ice fishing license (but of course they have to nail you for perm house license). Bear license is a bear license. Kind of sick of getting nickeled and dimed (and stamped) to death. Especially when the management is sub-par.

On this post I initially agreed but then thought about the differences between MN habitat and hunter population with other states I've been to. We put a lot of pressure on our deer and keep going until we're told to stop. I see the license structure as one way to manage that pressure.

Nobody says we all have to hunt all three seasons and in the past we didn't even have that option. I'm sure you remember the days when firearms licenses were way more restrictive for options than they are now. Options were zone 1, 2, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, OR muzzle loader. It might cost another $31 to hunt ML after the fire arms season but now anyone with $31 left over after buying their new easy to load, clean, and shoot accurately, smoke pole CAN keep going until their permissable limit is reached.

Seems like the hunter still has the advantage compared to years ago.

I do get the fact that MN hunters are paying $93 to hunt from September through December now but that's up about $20 from the former All Season license so many flocked to when that became available. Should the DNR go back to the OR muzzle loader option?

[eyeguy 54]

I thinks it's crazy that when management tags are available that if I don't fill it with my bow, I have to buy a firearms licence to fill it with a gun. Management tags should just be management tags ok to use in any season. So if I shoot a buck or doe with my bow I have to spend another 30 bucks on a tag I cant use. grrrr lol

[Wanderer]

Sarcasm noted!

You don't really have to spend that extra $30 tho if you just keep hunting with your bow. You're paying $30 for the convenience of using a firearm to fill that management tag.

[laker1]

Sarcasm noted!

You don't really have to spend that extra $30 tho if you just keep hunting with your bow. You're paying $30 for the convenience of using a firearm to fill that management tag.

Agree

[frogtosser]

Eyeguy, what area are you hunting that you can use a management tag?

[Bear55]

We put a lot of pressure on our deer and keep going until we're told to stop. I see the license structure as one way to manage that pressure.

But there isn't any management of the pressure, it just kind of a free for all and anyone can hunt all that time. Not that there is anything wrong with that but I don't think its about pressure.

[fsnrod]

I think the different license is perfect as it is at present. You want to complain go to Montana and pay close to $600 to shoot one deer now for non resident.

Hunting license are cheap. Look at all the $1000 of dollars people get for their outdoor sports that they don't even need. We are very lucky to have all the public land etc.

Hunters been grumbling since the caveman. Wonder what his problem was?

The woman overcooking his venison.

[eyeguy 54]

Eyeguy, what area are you hunting that you can use a management tag?

talking about when available...

mainly a bow hunter.

If I tag a buck with an arrow I then have to buy the rifle tag to use my management tag that I already have. I cant use the rifle tag if I already used my regular bow tag. 30 bucks wasted. I know I can just use my bow but when gun season rolls around it's fun to hunt with a few friends if invited and I just think i should be able to use that management tag with whatever weapon I choose. Call me cheap.... I can take it. lol

[mntatonka]

If I tag a buck with an arrow I then have to buy the rifle tag to use my management tag that I already have. I cant use the rifle tag if I already used my regular bow tag. 30 bucks wasted. I know I can just use my bow but when gun season rolls around it's fun to hunt with a few friends if invited and I just think i should be able to use that management tag with whatever weapon I choose. Call me cheap.... I can take it. lol

[InTheNorthwoods]

Ya its kind of a scam, why sell one deer license when you can sell 3 of them. I think others states sell you a tag and you can pick whatever weapon or season you want to hunt, really that is the way it should be. You don't buy a fishing license and then buy an ice fishing license (but of course they have to nail you for perm house license). Bear license is a bear license. Kind of sick of getting nickeled and dimed (and stamped) to death. Especially when the management is sub-par.

One thing to remember is that you are not paying for the tag, you are paying for the license, i.e. the privilege to hunt during that particular season. Your tag is not valid if you have already filled your tag during another season, but your license is still valid to hunt within a party that has open tags.

I don't think this is really any different than buying a fishing license and having to buy a trout stamp or sturgeon tag. When it comes to bear hunting, we are talking about limited draws in most cases, which is a limiting factor on the number of tags available and the number of hunters afield - i.e., there is only one season they have to manage.

In summary, I agree that it would be nice if there was a cheaper option to hunt all of the season's one would like to (its a personal benefit for those of us that like to be out there as much as possible - i.e. pay for one tag, and cheaper license fee for each season), but I don't think doing that is best for management practices - which is a whole different argument I won't get in to.

[Jameson]

...I cant use the rifle tag if I already used my regular bow tag....

Yes you can. You might not be able to in the area you are hunting do to limits, but anyone can hunt the public land in the metro and possibly use all their tags.

Our main tags are either/or tags, so if you shoot a buck with your bow early in the year it makes your rifle and muzzle main tags be antlerless-only tags, but they can still be used. It wasn't always that we could use multiple main tags, maybe ten years ago it changed.

[Bear55]

One thing to remember is that you are not paying for the tag, you are paying for the license, i.e. the privilege to hunt during that particular season. Your tag is not valid if you have already filled your tag during another season, but your license is still valid to hunt within a party that has open tags.

No reason a single deer tag couldn't work the same way. Say I fill my tag archery season, then party hunt rifle season on the same tag. It would be no different if I shot a rifle buck opening day and party hunted the next day.

Stamps are the same kind of problem, I buy a fishing license yet I have to get a stamp or special permit to do this or that. If it is a special type of fish with a limited number you could apply before season and it could be printed on your one and only license.

It should be about managing public resources, not raising as much $$$ as they can. Sure it's really not all that expensive now but 40-50 years about non-res tags weren't either, now try hunting out of state without spending hundred or thousands of $$.