Bear hunters: Remember to buy license, check regulations

Bear hunters who entered the lottery for bear hunting licenses should check their mail to see if they were selected for a license. The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources sent postcards to lottery winners during the first week of June.

Hunters can also check the DNR’s website (mndnr.gov/licenses/lotteries/results.html) to see if they were selected. The deadline to purchase a lottery bear license is Saturday, Aug. 1. Unsold lottery-awarded licenses will be available to any eligible person on Wednesday, Aug. 5, beginning at noon.

Hunters who wish to buy licenses online or via the new mobile app (mndnr.gov/buyalicense) will need to create their online account before buying a license. Anyone who has purchased a license online, by phone or in person in the past will need their nine-digit MNDNR number (visible on their latest license) ready to input when creating their account in the new system. A how-to video on signing in to the electronic licensing system is available on YouTube (youtu.be/s5ETbFV8fXo). People wanting to purchase an unsold license are advised to create an online account ahead of time, because the licenses sell out quickly.