stupid computer systems OR didn't they anticipated this...??

My oldest kid turned 16 the last week of May. I've always understood that once someone is 16, they need an adult hunting and fishing license to do those things in South Dakota. What people get is the hunting and fishing combo @ $55.00 because the state doesn't sell a stand alone fishing license unless its for a very short period, such as 1-day and 3-day license (and obviously at a higher cost than what the standard combo costs if you figured out per day usage).



So, we were in the bigger town and stopped at Wally World. I want him to man up a bit so he was going to buy his own license especially now that he has a job at a local pizza chain currently working in the dish room. After waiting a while at the Wally World counter, the lady starts working up his data. Every license sold nowadays in SD is through the central computer system. Put in all his PII info and goes to select what he wants to purchase and ERROR, ERROR, ERROR: the system won't let him get the combo because he already has a 2015 Youth hunting license (remember, there is no separate year long fishing only license, its in with the hunting license).

Now, I'm not a computer programer but I know several. I'm sure given a thought out code that as soon as the person's birth date is entered into the system and if that person has now gone from being a "youth" to an "adult" that any youth licenses for the year would become void and the person could buy the adult license. But this isn't what it appears the brain trust that set up the SD system coded into works. The only thing that the system would let him buy was a 1-day fishing license for $10 (not very cost effective).

So, now I'll have to contact state officials and find out what's up and how to resolve the problem. I'm sure he's not the only kid that had a youth hunting license (before they are 16 they can fish under their parent's license) that turns 16 the same year and needs a fishing license. Why can't bureaucrats anticipate such issues? Why do citizens have to be inconvenienced by trying to be a good citizen? Why I'm trying to figure out the logic behind governmental rules and regulations??

We'll see what happens next week but we certainly aren't going to burn his 1-day license today. Will enjoy the lakeside come this evening...

hmmm I once caught a fish this big <<<<<>>>>>>>

I would get the $10 refunded off the license purchase when you do get it at the Game and Fish office.

Possible the License covers the entire year, even after they turn 16?

So you get the full lic next year

Back when I drove truck the State of Minnesota decided they needed a new system so I had to pay for a new drivers license and the old one was still good for 2 years. I didn't get any refund or such.

What a process, get paid as many times as you can off the same revenue source.

Here is another one that is on the same topic.

A friend of mine who hasn't had a Minnesota drivers license for many years and isn't interested in a State ID card tried to get a fishing license at a place with a terminal. I was with as well as his daughter and the owner of the store with the license terminal knew all of us. We tried and called and were told that without the number on a valid Minnesota ID he couldn't get a fishing license. He could only get a license for those that didn't live in Minnesota. Without the number on a State ID he didn't live here as far as the computer software was concerned. Even with witnesses of who he was the State people we talked to said that they couldn't do anything about it. That he would have to get a Minnesota State ID or buy a license as if he was from out of state.

CD- We're all just numbers to the bureaucrats and the machines...

Update, sort of. When we bought bait this evening (before getting blown out by thunder storms), the bait folks said that S needed to get a "Junior Combo" that is good for 16-18 year olds. About half the price of a regular adult combo (that's good). But when I went on-line tonight to get him that, it says' "Your Resident Youth Small Game license prevents you from applying" (even though a small game stamp has nothing to do with fishing). Will have to talk to the state people on Monday (how we make our lives waaaaaay more complex than they need to be...).