Bob Sampson: State system hurts small shops
Cost, inconvenience of computers a turn-off
By BOB SAMPSON
Norwich Bulletin
A couple of weeks ago, this column discussed online licensing and how easy it is to accomplish from your home computer. There’s more to the story than simply sitting at a key board.
The general consensus among the shops I frequently talk to for fishing and hunting information was that the DEP’s designated machines were too expensive. Many were not buying them. The state expected all of Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns along with their normal compliment of local vendors to make the $1,800-plus purchase.
So far, 154 town clerk offices have made the switch, most of the area’s large chain stores including Dick’s, Sports Authority, Cabela’s and K-Mart bought the machines, but due to the large initial outlay of cash, many small vendors have balked.
According to Dennis Shain of the DEP’s Information and Education department, only three shops in this readership area, Mike’s Tackle in Voluntown, Bob’s Place in Dayville, and We Two Joe’s in North Stonington have made this significant investment to date. Because there’s probably a store room somewhere stacked with licensing machines, I’d bet the state hopes that more of these small vendors make the plunge.
In the current economy it’s easy to see why a small shop owner would not want to send out that amount of cash for something that will take much longer to pay for itself than a few pounds of shiners or a couple grosses of worms.
Bottom line is, any small shop could buy a cheap computer with a printer that would allow them to provide access to the DEP’s Web site for half of what the state’s designated machines cost if they so desire.
Convenience matters
Town clerks aren’t always open (like on weekends) when many last-minute license buyers need them most. The big chain stores stay open longer but are not always convenient to get to on route to the local lake or hunting area. The bottom line is small local tackle dealers who are there sleepy eyed often on a seven-day-per-week schedule with pre-dawn opening times have been the choice of many last-minute license buyers.
The beauty of being in the state’s online system is the fact that licenses can be bought in an instant and replacements for lost or damaged licenses is a cinch.
The wise thing is to make multiple copies right off the bat so they can be stored any place they might be needed.
One beef that many of the area’s tackle and gun shop owners have always had with both the old fill-in-the-form-by-hand verses the new online type-and-click computer system is that they had to come up with outlays of cash for license blanks in the past and the state’s vending machines (that are not much different from a lotto machine) now. The up-front outlay of cash simply became too great for many small businesses that had previously been license vendors.
One question that arises every year from our senior outdoors men is about the need for senior citizens over 65 who have lifetime licenses: “Do I have to renew my online license every year?”
The answer according to Shain, is no.
Benefits of age
Once in the new computerized system, everyone is assigned a unique Conservation ID number that’s listed at the top of each license. That number does not change from year-to-year as long as that person continually renews. If you loose or destroy the old license, simply go online and print a new one.
Outdoors men over 65 will keep their unique conservation number for their lifetimes. However, that Conservation ID number is what they must use in order to order log in, order and pay for special permits such as pheasant, deer or turkey hunting tags (which are not free for those over 65 like their fishing/hunting licenses).
Right now, it’s easier than ever to purchase a new license no matter what method is used — one of the DEP’s license-vending computers at an authorized vendor or any place with a personal computer.
The key is logging in that first time and being assigned a unique, personal Conservation ID number from which all other purchases are based. It’s easy and fast. Any special permits that may be ordered at home or from a vendor will be sent by the state prior to appropriate seasons, so don’t expect them all to arrive at the same time.
As the system evolves the state is looking towards the day when all licenses and tags can be printed from a private computer with no need for them to package and mail anything after the point of purchase by any license buyer here in Connecticut or anywhere in the world.
Bob Sampson Jr. writes an outdoors column that appears each Thursday. Reach him at sports@norwichbulletin.com and go to www.bobsampson.com to listen to his podcast.
Cost, inconvenience of computers a turn-off
By BOB SAMPSON
Norwich Bulletin
A couple of weeks ago, this column discussed online licensing and how easy it is to accomplish from your home computer. There’s more to the story than simply sitting at a key board.
The general consensus among the shops I frequently talk to for fishing and hunting information was that the DEP’s designated machines were too expensive. Many were not buying them. The state expected all of Connecticut’s 169 cities and towns along with their normal compliment of local vendors to make the $1,800-plus purchase.
So far, 154 town clerk offices have made the switch, most of the area’s large chain stores including Dick’s, Sports Authority, Cabela’s and K-Mart bought the machines, but due to the large initial outlay of cash, many small vendors have balked.
According to Dennis Shain of the DEP’s Information and Education department, only three shops in this readership area, Mike’s Tackle in Voluntown, Bob’s Place in Dayville, and We Two Joe’s in North Stonington have made this significant investment to date. Because there’s probably a store room somewhere stacked with licensing machines, I’d bet the state hopes that more of these small vendors make the plunge.
In the current economy it’s easy to see why a small shop owner would not want to send out that amount of cash for something that will take much longer to pay for itself than a few pounds of shiners or a couple grosses of worms.
Bottom line is, any small shop could buy a cheap computer with a printer that would allow them to provide access to the DEP’s Web site for half of what the state’s designated machines cost if they so desire.
Convenience matters
Town clerks aren’t always open (like on weekends) when many last-minute license buyers need them most. The big chain stores stay open longer but are not always convenient to get to on route to the local lake or hunting area. The bottom line is small local tackle dealers who are there sleepy eyed often on a seven-day-per-week schedule with pre-dawn opening times have been the choice of many last-minute license buyers.
The beauty of being in the state’s online system is the fact that licenses can be bought in an instant and replacements for lost or damaged licenses is a cinch.
The wise thing is to make multiple copies right off the bat so they can be stored any place they might be needed.
One beef that many of the area’s tackle and gun shop owners have always had with both the old fill-in-the-form-by-hand verses the new online type-and-click computer system is that they had to come up with outlays of cash for license blanks in the past and the state’s vending machines (that are not much different from a lotto machine) now. The up-front outlay of cash simply became too great for many small businesses that had previously been license vendors.
One question that arises every year from our senior outdoors men is about the need for senior citizens over 65 who have lifetime licenses: “Do I have to renew my online license every year?”
The answer according to Shain, is no.
Benefits of age
Once in the new computerized system, everyone is assigned a unique Conservation ID number that’s listed at the top of each license. That number does not change from year-to-year as long as that person continually renews. If you loose or destroy the old license, simply go online and print a new one.
Outdoors men over 65 will keep their unique conservation number for their lifetimes. However, that Conservation ID number is what they must use in order to order log in, order and pay for special permits such as pheasant, deer or turkey hunting tags (which are not free for those over 65 like their fishing/hunting licenses).
Right now, it’s easier than ever to purchase a new license no matter what method is used — one of the DEP’s license-vending computers at an authorized vendor or any place with a personal computer.
The key is logging in that first time and being assigned a unique, personal Conservation ID number from which all other purchases are based. It’s easy and fast. Any special permits that may be ordered at home or from a vendor will be sent by the state prior to appropriate seasons, so don’t expect them all to arrive at the same time.
As the system evolves the state is looking towards the day when all licenses and tags can be printed from a private computer with no need for them to package and mail anything after the point of purchase by any license buyer here in Connecticut or anywhere in the world.
Bob Sampson Jr. writes an outdoors column that appears each Thursday. Reach him at sports@norwichbulletin.com and go to www.bobsampson.com to listen to his podcast.
Just a note, Walmart is NOT selling licences this year.
I got mine at the mentioned Bobs bait.
Here is another side note. How many of you guys would spend the extra cash to purchase a licence that would allow you to fish multiple states? like a $100 for a "New England" licence?
Ok that's a question, not a note!
I got mine at the mentioned Bobs bait.
Here is another side note. How many of you guys would spend the extra cash to purchase a licence that would allow you to fish multiple states? like a $100 for a "New England" licence?
Ok that's a question, not a note!