Veterans with disabilities now receive discounted hunting, combination licenses

SALT LAKE CITY — Veterans with disabilities are now eligible for discounted hunting and combination licenses and will also experience an easier application process.

Veterans with disabilities were previously eligible for discounted fishing licenses, and as of July 1, the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources is now expanding that to include hunting and combination licenses.

“We are appreciative of the sacrifices that members of our country’s armed forces make and wanted to show our gratitude,” DWR assistant director Mike Canning said. “We’d like to thank the Utah Legislature for making this opportunity possible, and we hope that by simplifying the application process and offering a discount that our veterans can more easily enjoy Utah’s wildlife and beautiful outdoors.”

The discount will be offered to any veteran who is a Utah resident and has a qualifying service-connected disability of at least 20%. The new discounted hunting license is $25.50, instead of the $34 full price, and the new discounted combination license is $28.50, instead of the $38 full price. The discounted fishing licenses are still $12. All the licenses are good for 365 days from the day they are purchased.

“In 2018, DWR issued 636 fishing licenses to veterans with disabilities,” DWR wildlife licensing coordinator Phil Gray said. “There are a lot of veterans in Utah who would qualify for and enjoy the combination license, and we are excited to offer them that opportunity.”

The process will also be much simpler for individuals who qualify to apply for the discounted licenses. Previously, veterans had to take their qualifying paperwork to a division office and submit the application there. Now, they can simply submit a photo or scanned PDF of their disability letter and submit it on the DWR website. Once they are approved for the discount, they can buy their license online or from any authorized license agent.

The paperwork also only has to be filled out once, and the veteran will then qualify for the discounted license each year.