DNR posts some ugly shutdown numbers

The Department of Natural Resources appears to have lost about 100,000 fishing-license sales during the recent government shutdown, and receipts of more than $2 million, according to agency figures.

The exact sales loss can't be determined because an inordinately high number of anglers purchased licenses in the days just preceding the shutdown, fearing licenses might not otherwise be available.

Sales since the shutdown ended are also somewhat higher than during the same period last year.

Still, numbers compiled by the DNR are telling:

Between July 1 and 22 a year ago, the DNR sold 114,924 licenses. During the same period this year, it issued only 13,170.

Unavailable during the shutdown, fishing licenses began selling again July 20, the day the shutdown ended.

Total state license sales this year lag by about 94,000 compared to last year. Sales through Monday totaled 1,218,509, compared to 1,312,756 in 2010.

Figures from the DNR indicate that more than 20,000 non-resident licenses that would have been sold during the shutdown went unsold. Though it's possible some nonresidents purchased licenses in advance of the shutdown, fearing they might not otherwise be able to fish during their July vacations, the nonresident sales decline seems to confirm the belief of resort owners who cater to out-of-state guests that the shutdown cost them money.

It's possible, the resort owners say, that some nonresidents came to Minnesota during the shutdown who otherwise would have fished, but didn't because they couldn't purchase licenses. It's also possible some fished without licenses. And some are known to have canceled reservations in Minnesota and vacationed elsewhere.

Sales since the shutdown ended, through Monday, total 16,550 resident licenses and 11,862 nonresident licenses, compared to 14,428 and 9,408 in 2010.