Journal of a Minnesota Angler

I love getting things in the mail. I’m not talking about pieces of paper asking for money, snail spam, or those coupons circulars you could wrap a small child in. I’m talking about something that puts a smile on your face. Even if it’s something I bought on line that I was expecting, the momentary sting of ca-ching leaving my checking account is replaced by the childlike wonder of Christmas morning. Today was such a day. (Ok, so it actually arrived in yesterday’s mail, but we forgot to pick it up.)

Today I received my Minnesota Lifetime Angling License. I expected to just get a laminated card with my name on it. But I got so much more.

The lifetime license is shown to a license agent each year to get an annual license that I carry with me when I’m fishing. As mentioned above, I expected this to simply be a laminated paper card. Instead, it was a plastic card not unlike a gift card. Nice that the state didn’t skimp. I’m going to need to put it in a safe place and remember to pull it out once a year. I don’t know how well that will work since I always forget my blood donor card whenever I go give blood, even though I always make an appointment ahead of time.

Next, they included a Lifetime License certificate with a paper cover. It’s a little cheesy, yet kinda cool.

But the coolest item in the envelope was a Lifetime License medallion. I almost missed it because I didn’t see it in the 9×12 padded envelope. I would have tossed it out with the envelope if I didn’t read the letter attached. The medallion came in a maroon pouch to protect it. It’s very cool. I’m not sure what I’m going to do with it. It would be a bit geeky to carry it around with me all the time, but I also don’t want it to just sit in a drawer.

As mentioned above, my lifetime card doesn’t replace my actual license. I still need to get an annual license “for federal aid and accounting needs.” It just won’t have the ca-ching sting as I’m standing there waiting for it to be issued. I’ve calculated that it won’t really be free for 22 years. Until then, it’s really only as “free” as the food in your fridge. That’s assuming the annual license fee doesn’t go up. My buddy remembers 20 years ago when fishing license fees were nearly half of what they were today. So if the trend continues, I should gain my benefit much earlier. Even so, I intend to still be fishing in 2032. Hopefully, far past that.

Here in Minnesota, the lifetime license fee is put into the Lifetime Fish and Wildlife Trust Fund. According to Minnesota statute, every year I renew my license, the fee I would normally pay is transfered from that fund to the general Game and Fish Fund. In other states, the lifetime funds are used for fish and wildlife management. I’m not sure why Minnesota’s isn’t. Perhaps the general Game and Fish Fund does a good enough job.

Minnesota also has a lifetime hunting license and a sportsman license that covers multiple sportsman activities.

I’m happy to now be considered an angler for life. If you are as passionate about fishing as I am, or if hunting is your thing, I would recommend you look into the lifetime licenses in your state.