Fishing and hunting licenses make great Christmas gifts

The perfect Christmas gift for the angler or hunter on your list may await you at the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office, fishing and hunting license agent location, or on the Internet.

2005 Utah fishing, small game and combination licenses; two-pole and setline permits; and cougar pursuit permits are now available on the DWR's Web site (wildlife.utah.gov) and may be purchased by those who have a major credit card. The person buying the license can have the license mailed to them (so they wrap it and give it as a gift) or they can have it mailed directly to the person they're buying it for. It may take up to five days for the license to arrive in the mail.

The same items may also be purchased at Division of Wildlife Resources offices and from hunting and fishing license agents across the state. Most of the licenses that are available from the DWR may be purchased from license agents except cougar pursuit, two-pole and setline permits (about half of the license agents are connected to the DWR's Agent On-line system and are able to sell these permits).

In addition to providing that special hunter or angler the perfect Christmas gift, those who buy a license can also receive the satisfaction of knowing they're providing funding to manage Utah's wildlife.

Utah resident costs for 2005 are as follows:

"Purchasing a license for someone is easy," says Suzette Fowlks, information specialist with the DWR. "If you're visiting a DWR office or our Web site, all you'll need to provide is the person's personal information — name, height, weight, eye color, hair color, date of birth, address and phone number."

Those who purchase a small game or combination license from a license agent or the DWR's Web site also must supply verification (known in Utah as a "blue card") that the person they're purchasing the license for has completed a DWR-approved hunter education course. The course is required for everyone born after Dec. 31, 1965 who wishes to hunt in Utah.

"License agents are not able to verify completion of a hunter education course via computer, the way we can at a DWR office," Fowlks said.

Fowlks said it's also helpful to provide the person's Social Security and driver license numbers, but these aren't required.

Buyers are reminded that the combination license does not include a deer or elk permit and does not allow someone to hunt deer or elk. Hunters may apply for 2005 general deer permits in January. General elk permits will be available, over-the-counter, in June.

The two-pole permit allows an angler, who must also possess a fishing license, to use two fishing poles while fishing at Lake Powell; Flaming Gorge, Newton, Hyrum, Willard Bay, Pineview, Starvation, Yuba, D.M.A.D, and Gunlock reservoirs; Utah Lake; Pelican Lake; Gunnison Bend; the Malad River; the Little Bear River below Valley View Highway (SR-30); and the Bear River, from the Idaho state line downstream, including Cutler Reservoir and the outlet canals.

The setline permit allows an angler, who must also possess a fishing license, to use one setline containing not more than 15 hooks while fishing at Utah Lake; in the Bear River proper downstream from the Idaho state line, including Cutler Reservoir and the outlet canals; the Little Bear River below Valley View Highway (SR-30); and the Malad River.

Resident licenses may be purchased with credit cards, cash, checks or money orders.

DWR offices are open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Mondays through Fridays with the exception of the Salt Lake City office, which is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Those with questions may call their nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the DWR's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.

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