Overview
MassWildlife offers discounted fishing/ hunting/ trapping licenses to residents aged 65-69 and free licenses to those residents aged 70 and older. The intent is that by minimizing financial barriers to outdoor recreation, older adults can easily take advantage of the opportunity to explore the outdoors doing the things they love.
Objective
Older adults, especially those on a fixed income, can enjoy outdoor activities (fishing, trapping and hunting) at a reduced price.
Accomplishments
In FY 2024, MassWildlife issued more than 16,700 discounted freshwater fishing, trapping, and hunting licenses to Massachusetts residents ages 65-69. License fees for these residents were reduced to half the standard resident rate: $45 for freshwater fishing licenses and $40 for both trapping and hunting licenses. Also, more than 33,000 free licenses were issued to residents age 70 and older.
Reflection
While online licensing is more convenient for some constituents, feedback from our older adult community indicates that navigating the licensing website can be challenging. The implementation of the single sign-so (SSO) over the past year has contributed to a higher number of older adults requiring assistance.
MassWildlife, in collaboration with the Department of Fish and Game, Division of Marine Fisheries and the online licensing vendor, continues to work to make the MassFishHunt online licensing system easier for older adults to use.
ReiMAgine Aging 2030 Goal Alignment
- Goal 1: Economic Security & Opportunity
- Goal 2: People and Communities