Ask a conservation officer

[Lee Borgersen]

         .....   Ask a conservation officer:

             Only ice shelters left overnight need licenses

  Dec 23, 2015    







 

 











Q: I just received a new portable ice house. Do I still have to put my name and address on it, and do I need a license for it?
 



 




A: There have been a few changes in recent years to reduce the requirements for ice anglers to label their ice houses. The only shelters that need to be licensed are those that are left unattended or unoccupied overnight. If they are left overnight, they need to display their shelter license, the owner’s information (name and address, driver’s license number or DNR number), and at least two square inches of reflective material on each side of the house for safety. If an angler is using or within 200 feet of a portable shelter, he or she does not need a license for it, and does not need to have information displayed on the outside. See pages 57-60 of the 2015 Fishing Regulations book for further information.


Matthew S. Miller is a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources conservation officer