North Dakota sets outdoor license fees and hunting guide requirements

The law sets fees for outdoor licenses and permits. Fees cover residents and visitors who hunt, fish, or license motorboats, along with outdoor businesses such as fishing outfitters. The $10 resident fishing fee covers people age 65 or older, people who are totally or permanently disabled, and veterans with a qualifying 50 percent disability rating. Annual fishing outfitter licenses cost $250 for residents and $500 for nonresidents. Applicants who paid for a hunting guide or outfitter license that year pay $125 or $250, respectively. Motorboat license fees are $30, $45, or $60, depending on boat size. Motor-powered canoes pay $30 regardless of length.

Applicants for hunting guide or hunting outfitter licenses must show relevant hunting experience and knowledge of hunting laws. These rules cover people applying to work as hunting guides or hunting outfitters. Their hunting experience need not be in North Dakota. Applicants must have legally hunted during part of each of any three years in a way that builds their guiding skills. Applicants must show knowledge of state and federal hunting laws through a written or electronic exam. An earlier written retest is allowed if an outfitter employing the applicant would face undue hardship without that person. Applicants generally must wait 60 days after their previous exam before taking another written exam.

Covered hunting dog trainers and organizers of field trials must obtain permits and pay the required fees. Applicants must submit a completed application and the required fee. Permit holders must file annual reports. Professional trainers are people whose livelihood is based on paid hunting dog training. Permits cover professional training, visiting amateur trainers bringing more than four hunting dogs into North Dakota, and field trials using live wild birds. Resident professional trainers pay $20. Visiting professional or amateur trainers bringing more than four hunting dogs into the state pay $100. Each permit is issued for a specified period.