State pushes digital license

RITZVILLE – In many rural areas of Eastern Washington, cellphone service is limited and even non-existent.

Nonetheless, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife is planning to encourage all hunters and fishermen to have a digital license.

Beginning July 8, the state said it will print hunting and fishing licenses on paper. Instead, the agency plans said it will ask sportsmen to carry a digital license on smartphones. The licenses will be available through the agency webpage or through a digital application.

“Following in the footsteps of fish and wildlife agencies across the country, this shift provides hunters and anglers more convenient, modern licensing and reporting options,” Director Kelly Susewind said.

Sportsmen who prefer paper licenses and catch record cards will have the option to request a printed license, but not on waterproof paper.

Susewind said digital licensing is easier for hunters and fishermen to buy and carry. He said it also offers an “improved experience for customers with the bonus of enhanced data quality for fish and wildlife managers.”

He did not comment on whether game wardens will use the digital system to locate hunters and fishermen in areas cell signals are available. He also did not comment on whether digital signatures will be used to write citations.

Agency officials instead said the change is due to a decrease in demand for paper licensing nationwide.

“Durable paper has become harder and more expensive to source,” agency licensing division manager Jennine Griffo said.

Those not jumping to the digital license will be able to request licenses and catch cards on standard 8.5-inch by 11-inch copy paper. Sportsmen will also be able to download and print their licenses at cards at home.

While the agency gears up for a change to digital licenses, it is also rolling out new digital catch cards for fishermen April. 1.

The digital reporting system will be available for salmon, steelhead and sturgeon in Eastern Washignton.

“By opting to report catch electronically, anglers can forget the days of having to mail in physical copies or paying for additional cards if theirs becomes lost or damaged,” Susewind said.

According to the agency, sportsmen using digital licenses and catch cards won’t need cell service, as the system will save documents offline and automatically upload them when a sportsman connects their phone to any digital network.