Hunting Licenses

...went on sale this morning. I just bought mine sitting right here.

Be legal y'all.
Be safe.

on my list of things to do today!

Will get it done this morning or at lunch.

Done.

Started last year purchasing online. Very quick and easy.

It just took me a couple minutes

Agreed, I did online this year. Last year Academy and Cabela's were both having problems with their systems. Not doing that again... 2 hours and a bunch of stuff I didn't need later.

Done online. Do not forget your HIP certification and this year I added the free Sandhill Crane permit. Might blast some of them this year!

i bought mine today also. Wanted to buy a duck stamp but it says the expiration date is 09/28/2017.So to avoid buying something that i dont want i will just go to the post office like usual when duck season gets close

If everyone was legal there would be no need for a GW. lol

I found out last year that most of the post offices no longer carry the federal duck stamp. I went to several that carried them and they were all out, and I didn't feel like driving the extra lengths to chance at getting one. I ended up buying it on line and they shipped me the duck stamp.

If I'm not mistaken that is a temporary stamp so you're legal till the real stamp comes

I thought that might be the case and almost pulled the trigger. But I know that I can walk in and get it at the post office. (KISS) method is my best bet

Got my Super Combo today at Academy, took about 5 minutes. No more rail or gaulienues question.

Oh yeah...best part??


$32

When you buy online they charge a little extra right? I have to also purchase a lease license, is the charge per license or complete transaction?

Jon the complete transaction was $5. I bought wife's fishing and my supercombo for $103... $68 for mine and $30 for hers plus the $5 fee. I'll pay that to never stand in line at Academy or Walmart ever again.

Don't Forget the HIP! It's Free and so is the Sandhill Permit.

That's what I was wondering, if I could get mine, my wife and the lease license for one $5 transaction fee. Thanks Bobby.

Online, together with the sandhill permit

I have never understood the extra fee to do it online. Makes no sense. Just another way for them to get a few extra dollars out of you, knowing no one wants to go to the store I guess.

costs money to process a credit card transaction; there's also a price for convenience

I suppose the system set up to do it online cost something. I have no problem paying the $5.

All cards charge 3% to the vendor or merchant.
It adds up.

I'm like many others, I stood around at Walmart one year waiting for someone to show up that actually knew how to print a license.
No one did.

Never again.

Cost the store to process a credit card too. And the convenience fee is all it is, because they know you will pay it. But in reality it is cheaper to have it all done online.

Exactly. I get this for sure - I will always bypass dealing with any employee when I can. I am just saying the online charge is BS. Just another way to get some extra coin.

Plus you are also paying for the shipping, plus those lines are crazy at the stores. Plus when you get it in the mail I feel like it's Christmas in August.

I got mine today. I just went to the TP&W office. I walked right in and right back out with my new license in probably 5 minutes. They had 3 windows open and only one person to wait on. On top of that you don't have to worry about them getting it right the first time.

My only complaint is they were out of Dove tags. Guess I will have to go to Academy for those.

It's simple. The bank charges my credit card processing 1.9% to 2.9%. The reward cards are always closer to 3% CC processing fee, which everyone has these days. Then someone has to put your product into an envelope to ship it, or a big fancy machine does it (expensive). Then there's a shipping charge, whether it be $0.47 or whatever the cost, it's still a cost.

There still is a 3% processing fee, labor to package it, and cost to ship it. These costs are not there if you walk up into a store to buy your license. This is the same with my business. It costs less if you buy ammo in person. I would think that would make sense.

Card fee and employee fee is still same as in store, shipping I get, sure. Most places offer free shipping or roll it into the price to get more outside customers. Most things are going to online and less overhead with an actual store, and aren't beating their customer base down with "convenience fees."

Selling the license in a store is an incentive to draw in customers. Not many people walk into Academy to buy a license and don't walk out with something else.

Agree with that for sure. Biggest 2 draws for in store purchase is immediate satisfaction of receiving the product instantly, and buying other stuff you don't need.

Don't forget the cost of the development and maintenance of the online web system is substantial. And you know how that works, they aren't absorbing it... passed on to the customer.

Well...if TPWD makes a few extra cents off me, I'm OK with that. They do a remarkably excellent job of maintaining Texas wildlife resources.

Got my Super Combo ordered, HIP certification, Federal Stamp and Sandhill permit but couldn't find the teal tags. Are they included in the super combo?

No you have to mail in a letter that is notarized and sent via certified mail.

Just pulled mine out of the Mailbox. Ordered Tuesday and here on Friday. I doubt I ever buy it any other way but online.

You don't have to wait at the store if you don't put off going till the last minute. I have been in and out quick enough. If I were still in the employed world where my time was limited, the online purchase would be great.

There is a nice lady that works at the Academy in Mesquite. We went in last year to get our license (me and my 3 sons who are all adult age now). She remarked how she has watched us over the years coming in to her store and getting are stuff. Over 15 years now.

So I guess its a tradition now to get our license and shells at Mesquite Academy .

Carters Country has plenty of dove tags (and teal tags too). I got mine this week!

Happened to be by a TP&W office so I pulled in. Out the door in less than 5 min.

Online is very convenient...worth my $5 extra to make sure exactly everything I need is on there the first time. Plus it costs a lot of money to pay for a system like that to be setup correctly and securely.

That's a third party right? It's not a tpwd address. I bet none of that $5 goes to tpwd.

Just got back from academy, no line, in and out. Not sure why everyone rushes to get it day 1. Any of you guys campout night before?

Got it

I get everything from academy. went last night with one of my sons and got everything...including shells.

Got mine last night at a Wally World. Aren't you supposed to be asked how many dove (and some other birds which I don't hunt) you shot the previous year?

I know the dove tags have a white wing on them. Are they just for white wings or do you need them for mourning also?

Yes. It should say "HIP Certified" on your license.

"No person shall hunt migratory game birds in this state unless that person is certified in the Harvest Information Program (HIP) in Texas. When you purchase a hunting license, indicate to the license clerk that you intend to hunt migratory game birds and need to be HIP certified by answering a few simple questions."

https://tpwd.texas.gov/regulations/outdo...d-certification

That's what I thought.....I got the Super Combo as I said, It's HIP certitified, but he never asked me anything....

On the HIP Certification, if the retailer doesn't ask you have to tell them.
If your license doesn't say HIP Certified and the GW checks you while hunting migratory birds it's a big ticket; even if it's 'not your fault'. Go back to where you got your license and demand that they redo it, if they won't call TPWD on them.

Some retailers just make up numbers without asking just to speed it up.

I think if you have the State Migratory bird stamp it covers everything in Texas.


I went to Academy here in Greenville on Saturday and got to be the teaching moment again this year. Manager was training a new girl on licenses and I was the first Lifetime License they had so far.
$28.50 for a Fed Duck Stamp and out the door.

Do you think TPWD takes the HIP information seriously?

Maybe $150.00 serious if they don't see it on your license.

In-store or On-line; Don't forget to sign your license! Another part they take seriously!

Don't forget the gas money and risk you take driving....Worth it to me to do it with a beer in my hand. prolly can't do that at Academy.