WDFW launches online sales for licenses, tags

N. S. NOKKENTVED, THE OLYMPIAN

Originally published July 6, 2001

OLYMPIA -- In a few minutes on a computer, a hunter, angler or other license seeker can buy that license, hunting tag or access parking decal.

Earlier this year, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife instituted computerized hunting and fishing license sales. The department has added the promised Internet sales component. In addition, the site also can be used for special hunt permit applications and for hunter harvest reports.

License buyers using the Internet site will get an authorization number that can be used immediately.

But it takes at least five weekdays for a catch record card or hunt tag to arrive in the mail. Fish that require a catch record card include salmon, sturgeon, steelhead, Dungeness crab and halibut.

The Internet sales site, which allows credit card purchases at any time of day, is one of several means of purchasing fishing and hunting licenses under the state's new Washington Interactive Licensing Database system.

The WILD system also offers license sales at WDFW offices and some 500 retail license dealers statewide, and toll-free telephone license sales at: 1-877-WILD-4-WA.

Like the Internet, telephone sales require five days for mail delivery of actual license documents.

The sales site originally was to go on-line when the WILD system began operation March 1, but its implementation was delayed to ensure the site was functioning properly.

The Olympian Copyright 2001

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