Hunting license for expo tags

desperatehills · Jan 30, 2013

I know you have to have a license to apply for expo tags. Does it have to be valid the day of the drawing or just when you apply? My license expires next week. If I apply before then I know it will let me but if I draw a expo tag and my license has since expired will they let me buy it then or move to the next applicant. I am not likely to draw a tag in the regular drawing (or the expo for that matter)so I am trying to save $65.I looked in the F.A.Q. section on their website and there was no talk about licenses. Thanks

stillhunterman · Jan 30, 2013

If you draw a tag at the expo, your license HAS to be valid when you go validate the tag with the DWR. Soooo, you can apply, see if you get a tag, then go buy a new license to validate the tag. Good luck!

www.unitedwildlifecooperative.org

elkhunterUT · Jan 30, 2013

Stillhunterman,
I don't believe that is true. Your hunting license only has to be valid at the time you apply for the tags (the system checks to make sure you have a valid hunting license when you apply). This is how it is for the regular draw as well. The current application guidebook (page 12) states that as long as your license is valid on the date you submit your application, you do NOT have to purchase a new one for your actual hunt.

I drew an expo tag in 2009 and there was no validation of the tag with the DWR after the drawing. They sent me a letter with the amount I owed for the tag, I paid the amount, and they sent me the tag shortly thereafter in the mail.

Hope this helps to clear up confusion.

BillyBoB · Jan 30, 2013

So elkhunterUT, are you saying that you just need a valid hunting license to apply for the tag but you don't need a valid license to hunt? For example, if my hunting license in utah expires in June, but I apply in Feb, then I don't need to purchase another hunting license before my hunt in Oct?

Theodore Roosevelt's guidance concerning conservation...
"The movement for the conservation of wildlife, and the conservation of all our natural resources, are essentially democratic in spirit,purpose and method."

"We do not intend that our natural resources shall be exploited by the few against the interests of the majority. Our aim is to preserve our natural resources for the public as a whole, for the average man and the average woman who make up the body of the American people."

"It is in our power...to preserve game..and to give reasonable opportunities for the exercise of the skill of the hunter,whether he is or is not a man of means."

elkhunterUT · Jan 30, 2013

That is exactly correct-the hunting LICENSE only needs to be valid at the time you apply (for both the Expo draw and the regular draw). When you are hunting you obviously need the valid PERMIT/TAG for the given species you are hunting.

Refer to page 12 of the 2013 application guidebook for confirmation.

stillhunterman · Jan 30, 2013

LAST EDITED ON Jan-31-13 AT 00:24AM (MST)[p]Well, what I posted was exactly what I was told by the UDWR when I called. Not sure why it would be one way one year, then another way another year. You should call the DWR desperatehills, perhaps I misunderstood the nice lady. 1-801-538-4700

I also agree with you elkhunterUT about the regular draw/tag rules, been that way for a long time. Thanks for chiming in.

www.unitedwildlifecooperative.org

desperatehills · Jan 31, 2013

I Will call to be sure. Sounds like I am safe to apply early. If I draw a tag I don't mind spending the extra $65.

stillhunterman · Jan 31, 2013

Good luck and let us know how things work out for ya!

www.unitedwildlifecooperative.org

dack77 · Jan 31, 2013

This is from the 2012 field regulation guidebook on the dwr website.

Do you have a license?
Utah Code ??? 23-19-1, 23-19-22 and 23-20-3
You must have a current Utah hunting or
combination (hunting and fishing) license before
you can apply for any big game permits, bonus
points or preference points. Licenses are available
at wildlife.utah.gov and from license agents and
Division offices.
As long as your license was valid on the date
you submitted your application, you don't have to
purchase a new license for the actual hunt.
For example, assume that your license expires
on June 25, 2012. If you applied on February 26,
2012, you do not have to purchase a new license
for your hunt in the fall. All hunting and combination
licenses are valid for 365 days from the date
of purchase.

horsehunter · Feb 1, 2013

This is good info to know cause lasr year i was checked at a checking station/road block and they asked to see my hunting license along with my elk tag. My hunting license wasn't expiered so i had no problems just wonder what would of happened if it would have been.

Don't be afraid to live for fear of dieing.

travishunter3006 · Feb 1, 2013

Nothing would have happened. It only needs to be valid when you purchase the tag. Not during the hunt.

desertbonehunter · Feb 1, 2013

so you really only need to purchase a hunting license every two years then, is this correct?

elkhunterUT · Feb 1, 2013

Technically, yes you could get by with purchasing one hunting license every 2 years. I bought my hunting license last year in Mid-February just before I applied for the Big Game hunts, so as long as I get my application in this year before the 365 day expiration, I will have covered 2 application periods with one license.

However, I will put in for hunts later in the year like Bear and Swan, so I will have to purchase another license to put in for those hunts, so thats where the one license every 2 years plan breaks down. If you are only putting in for Big Game hunts in Utah, you should be able to get by with one license every 2 years if you time it correctly.

stillhunterman · Feb 1, 2013

>Technically, yes you could get by
>with purchasing one hunting license
>every 2 years. I
>bought my hunting license last
>year in Mid-February just before
>I applied for the Big
>Game hunts, so as long
>as I get my application
>in this year before the
>365 day expiration, I will
>have covered 2 application periods
>with one license.
>
>However, I will put in for
>hunts later in the year
>like Bear and Swan, so
>I will have to purchase
>another license to put in
>for those hunts, so thats
>where the one license every
>2 years plan breaks down.
> If you are only
>putting in for Big Game
>hunts in Utah, you should
>be able to get by
>with one license every 2
>years if you time it
>correctly.
>
>

+1

Since I do lots of fishing and some upland game hunting, I buy the combo to make sure I am good throughout the year. ;-)
www.unitedwildlifecooperative.org

travishunter3006 · Feb 2, 2013

For residents the license issue is only a matter of $30. Its somewhere in the neighborhood of $78 I believe for non-residents. I like to hunt different animal year round so I just keep my license valid through March and renew it again in March the following year.

This way I never have to worry about anything going wrong.

UGAhunter · Feb 3, 2013

You need a valid license on the day you "validate" your expo application at the expo center.

desperatehills · Feb 3, 2013

Do they sell licenses at the Expo?

elkhunterUT · Feb 4, 2013

UGAhunter,
That is not true either. As I stated in my prior posts, your license only needs to be valid at the time you apply for the tags. If you apply online prior to the show, your hunting license needs to be valid at the time you submit the application (the online app system actually checks to make sure you have a valid license on file). If you apply in person at the show, your hunting license needs to be valid on that date.

They do not check your license at the expo when you validate your application if you applied online earlier (the system already did that when you apply). They do check your ID to make sure you are who you say you are.

I am not sure, but I don't believe they sell hunting licenses at the expo - you have to buy them online or at a licensed sales agent.

stillhunterman · Feb 4, 2013

Haha, this is some funny stuff. Sooooo, I called the Expo and spoke with Rachel from MDF. She said if you apply on line, you need to have a valid license to apply. Then....when you go to validate your application in person, you ALSO need to have a valid license. Hmmmmm, this could get interesting. Anyway, she also said that you could buy a license there at the Expo if you need to.

Soooo, whatever happens, let us know!

www.unitedwildlifecooperative.org

desperatehills · Feb 4, 2013

I made my picks last weekend as well as my regular draw application. I have not been asked for my license the last two years but maybe the computer shows I have one. I have Friday and Saturday at the show so if I find out I need a new license I have time to get one. I will let you know what happened when I get home. Thanks