DNR Activities During State of Emergency

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  • Abuck

    Ultimate Member
    This is the law and exact language matters, heavily.

    Yes, and the law at the present time states “Grace period extended to all Maryland license holders”.

    As of right now, there seems to be no contradiction to that in regards to sporting licenses. The law also states the public must be notified if that changes. Yet DNR still lists that information on their own page. So contrary to opinion, the law does seem clear.

    This situation was created by governors, and government. Their rules, so I will use them, until they change.
     

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,064
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    Ok, on the DNR website

    Governor Hogan has issued an executive order related to licenses, permits, registrations, and other authorizations that may be expiring or up for renewal during the state of emergency. The executive order immediately grants a grace period of 30 days after the date of termination of the state of emergency. This includes items normally processed at our Maryland Department of Natural Resources Licensing Service Centers.

    Our online COMPASS portal provides 24/7 self service access to our entire product catalog of recreational licenses, permits, and stamps; off-road vehicle registrations; magazine subscriptions; and donation options in support of your favorite Maryland Department of Natural Resources programs.

    Their own language seems to imply that things you have to go to their service centers for, are extended and you can get the other stuff on Compass. It sounds pretty clear to me you you are going to need a current hunting or fishing license
     

    Abuck

    Ultimate Member
    Ok, on the DNR website



    Their own language seems to imply that things you have to go to their service centers for, are extended and you can get the other stuff on Compass. It sounds pretty clear to me you you are going to need a current hunting or fishing license

    “This includes items normally processed at our Maryland Department of Natural Resources Licensing Service Centers.”

    “Includes” would be the key legal issue. I see no exception anywhere.

    I have no doubt DNR is working on an exception to this EO to avoid loss of revenue. But until then, according to calls to the governors office, and DNR NR police to verify the enforcement side of this, sporting licenses are included, until 30 days past the state of emergency, as long as they were still valid at the time the EO was enacted.
     

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,064
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    If that is true, they should state it clearly on their website, because it sounds to me to be the opposite.

    Maybe if it is included they are being ambiguous on purpose to not lose revenue.
     

    Slackdaddy

    My pronouns: Iva/Bigun
    Jan 1, 2019
    5,850
    You scared me for a second,, I thought a DNR resource officer was going to be correct. But nope, they are still batting "ZERO"

    I have never ever had an interaction with a DNR personel and they were correct.

    "Governor Hogan has issued an executive order related to licenses, permits, registrations, and other authorizations that may be expiring or up for renewal during the state of emergency. The executive order immediately grants a grace period of 30 days after the date of termination of the state of emergency. This includes items processed at our Maryland Department of Natural Resources Licensing Service Centers"



    Called DNR, who put me through to what sounded like a natural resource police officer, and he stated that hunting licenses don't count, and looked up the language for what was what. He stated that since Compass can be used, the waiver from the executive order doesn't apply. Didn't hurt to ask!
     

    Slackdaddy

    My pronouns: Iva/Bigun
    Jan 1, 2019
    5,850
    Is it that much trouble to let me open my business???
    Is it that much trouble to NOT tell my tenants that they can live in my house rent free through Dec?????

    If its that much trouble why not just go onto compass and buy the license? .
     

    Abuck

    Ultimate Member
    If that is true, they should state it clearly on their website, because it sounds to me to be the opposite.

    Maybe if it is included they are being ambiguous on purpose to not lose revenue.

    “Grace period extended to all Maryland license holders“

    “This includes items processed at our Maryland Department of Natural Resources Licensing Service Centers”

    “With that in mind, we are asking our customers to take advantage of this grace period.”

    I’m not seeing the ambiguity that you do. It’s stated pretty clearly. Confusion on here led me to seek independent verification. They mention Compass as an option, but no where does it mention in any way that nullifies the EO.

    Emails and calls 2 weeks ago were not returned. But now I have confirmation from several relevant agencies. Governors office said these licenses are “absolutely included” when I mentioned not getting answers previously. DNR NRP are also aware.

    The “trouble” for me is that if I don’t have to spend $175 (or 200 including muzzleloader), while being out of work several months, and then possibly getting a new job with very limited time off, so not being able to get use of the license, makes zero sense. The first weeks of archery may be my only time in the field. This is a .gov mess, so if I can use a .gov solution I will.

    My contacts with NRP officers out in the field have been very good, both professional, and friendly. I’d like to keep it that way. I’ve dealt with several through the decades.

    All that said, I am not a lawyer, do as you wish.

    @Slackdaddy, don’t even get me started about tenants.
     

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,064
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    Is it that much trouble to let me open my business???
    Is it that much trouble to NOT tell my tenants that they can live in my house rent free through Dec?????

    I think all this crap is wrong, but you're talking abut apples when we are discussion Oranges. This entire response to this virus is wrong on so many levels. Freedom dies in the good intention of the ignorant.

    I have only been raising these points because I am thinking people are going to get fined and you even quoted Esectu's post about a DNR guy saying they are not included. Then someone else says They are. I am going to default to the confusion the DNR officers have in this situation as they will be the ones giving out paying papers. so I can prevent myself from the $500+ fine papers and the day in court to try and argue my point. Even if you are correct, it does not mean a DNR officer might not clearly understand the ruling and you won't have to argue with a judge about it several months from now.

    Abuck, I see you're an over the line guy and have to pay the higher fees. You know how police like to fine out of staters, right? I drive slower on 81 in PA and I do in Maryland. ;)
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    I think all this crap is wrong, but you're talking abut apples when we are discussion Oranges. This entire response to this virus is wrong on so many levels. Freedom dies in the good intention of the ignorant.

    I have only been raising these points because I am thinking people are going to get fined and you even quoted Esectu's post about a DNR guy saying they are not included. Then someone else says They are. I am going to default to the confusion the DNR officers have in this situation as they will be the ones giving out paying papers. so I can prevent myself from the $500+ fine papers and the day in court to try and argue my point. Even if you are correct, it does not mean a DNR officer might not clearly understand the ruling and you won't have to argue with a judge about it several months from now.

    Abuck, I see you're an over the line guy and have to pay the higher fees. You know how police like to fine out of staters, right? I drive slower on 81 in PA and I do in Maryland. ;)

    My solution this year should have been buy nothing and stand on my property flipping off the NRP officers as they drive-by by only hunting on my property.

    But I am probably going to try to hunt on public land a little. Have a buddy who's never been hunting that I am trying to take this year. My fishing license also expired(s?) in a couple of days. I figured just aligning them. Then also I don't need to keep an ear out for when the order expires. Or as you mentioned, dealing with the pain in the ass of an NRP officer who didn't get the memo or similar. I forget what it is, but license and stamps for it all was like $80. I have better uses for the money. But if I needed to buy them before the end of the season anyway, all I lose is the use of that money for a few months and I am fortunately not paycheck to paycheck. So the utility cost of having it a little longer is almost nothing.

    Versus probably at least a 50% chance of an NRP officer checking my license while hunting or maybe a 15% chance while fishing (that's based on through the end of the calendar year as it seems like every other hunting season I run in to an NRP officer who wants to check my license and fishing it seems to be about every 3 years I have an NRP officer check my fishing license).

    Don't know what the odds are of one of them giving me a hard time, but sometimes being right isn't enough to avoid ass pain. Different people's calculus on that though is different than mine.
     

    remrug

    Ultimate Member
    Mar 13, 2009
    1,762
    manchester md
    Is the DNR actively checking for fishing licenses this year? I only went fishing a few times ,but saw no DNR officers except one time at the ramp.He sat in his car and watched me as I pulled my kayak out and loaded my car to leave.I was almost finished and he pulled away.Because I had visible fishing gear and a cooler I thought he would check me out but....nope.
     

    Archeryrob

    Undecided on a great many things
    Mar 7, 2013
    3,064
    Washington Co. - Fairplay
    My solution this year should have been buy nothing and stand on my property flipping off the NRP officers as they drive-by by only hunting on my property.

    That's perfectly legal, except I would advise avoiding the flipping off thing. They are literally State Police with just a different directive.

    Remrug, I've spent a lot of time interacting with DNR and I think most times it all in how you carry yourself. Police can read body language of people, and know who might be doing something wrong and who is normally not. I had retired officer Schultz check us at ramp hunting one late morning. Showed him the ducks and geese we shot. Talked about the hunt and conditions for about 5 minutes and he left without checking licenses, guns or the boat. No one acted like we had anything to hide and he just left. I am sure he knew we were legal and it was a waste of his time to bother and he would look for people that needed it.
     

    lazarus

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 23, 2015
    13,678
    That's perfectly legal, except I would advise avoiding the flipping off thing. They are literally State Police with just a different directive.

    Remrug, I've spent a lot of time interacting with DNR and I think most times it all in how you carry yourself. Police can read body language of people, and know who might be doing something wrong and who is normally not. I had retired officer Schultz check us at ramp hunting one late morning. Showed him the ducks and geese we shot. Talked about the hunt and conditions for about 5 minutes and he left without checking licenses, guns or the boat. No one acted like we had anything to hide and he just left. I am sure he knew we were legal and it was a waste of his time to bother and he would look for people that needed it.

    True. But on the last I doubt I’d ever flip one off. Besides the grief it could cause me, all the NRP officers I’ve ever interacted with have been nice. Only time one gave me a little grief was when through a literal coincidence one rounded a turn on a logging road as I started my car and started to pull away. He pulled me over and did a pretty thorough look through the window check to make sure I didn’t have a gun sitting with me shooting from the road and asked if he could check the trunk. Popped it, looked in for about 3 seconds. Didn’t bother to check my cased rifle. Closed it and then did a quick license check and suggested some areas to try hunting around there as I mentioned I wasn’t familiar with the area as I was from the western shore.

    I think only one time hunting has an NRP officer not checked my license. Though every time I’ve run in to one, they’ve been checking everyone’s license.
     

    Ecestu

    Ultimate Member
    Dec 11, 2016
    1,451
    To complete this circle jerk, I called the Myrtle Grove reservation line last week. I spoke to a supervisor that got back to me after he asked his leadership. Apparently, there are federal laws pertaining to game that the state's governor can't supercede, such as duck and bird stamps, and dealing with the reporting of large game. Plus, according to them, you have to have a current license to get issued a southern area permit to make a reservation. The place I like to go that's right around the corner from my house is reservation only. Damnit. They got me.

    But I'd like to think I fought a decent fight for the cause! And **** the naysayers here. The Governor of this shit state put me in this predicament.
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    To complete this circle jerk, I called the Myrtle Grove reservation line last week. I spoke to a supervisor that got back to me after he asked his leadership. Apparently, there are federal laws pertaining to game that the state's governor can't supercede, such as duck and bird stamps, and dealing with the reporting of large game. Plus, according to them, you have to have a current license to get issued a southern area permit to make a reservation. The place I like to go that's right around the corner from my house is reservation only. Damnit. They got me.

    But I'd like to think I fought a decent fight for the cause! And **** the naysayers here. The Governor of this shit state put me in this predicament.

    Tags were mentioned a while back in this thread.
    Also outside of fed regs regarding waterfowl, always make sure you only ever have one resident license issued to you per year.
    Having two resident licenses from different states wont get you anywhere you need to be.
     

    Reptile

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 29, 2014
    7,282
    Columbia MD
    Anyone tried creating a DNR COMPASS account recently? I have one and can access it with no problems. I tried to set one up for my wife today and the form locks up and shows an error after the second page.
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    Anyone tried creating a DNR COMPASS account recently? I have one and can access it with no problems. I tried to set one up for my wife today and the form locks up and shows an error after the second page.

    I created one some time ago for a gratis license and have never been able to get it to work correctly again.
    Could be me though so I just go to the gas station to get a license.
     

    Reptile

    Ultimate Member
    Sep 29, 2014
    7,282
    Columbia MD
    I created one some time ago for a gratis license and have never been able to get it to work correctly again.
    Could be me though so I just go to the gas station to get a license.

    I had no problem today getting into my account and printing a license, but could not create a new account.
     

    Doco Overboard

    Ultimate Member
    I had no problem today getting into my account and printing a license, but could not create a new account.

    What I did was create an account in my name but only used it for the gratis license for my daughter quite a few years ago.
    I may have printed a duplicate license one time for myself I seem to recall.

    When I selected the stamps and hip/fur-bearer for this year then added them to the cart during checkout it was still in her name so I didn't complete the transaction.

    There's probably a way to correct it when I'm in Compass I just don't know how to do it.

    Maybe someone knows how and could give instructions. I couldn't figure it out and gave up.
     

    FoxSlayer

    Banned
    BANNED!!!
    Sep 8, 2020
    54
    You shouldn’t need a license to hunt on private land.

    Just more liberty and treasure taken from you by the state.
     

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