08/05/2026
Update #3 (final): The Minnesota DNR is committed to maintaining the integrity and fairness of the bear surplus sale process. Our goal is always to provide ample hunting opportunities consistent with our wildlife management objectives. We understand the disruption with bear surplus license sales has been frustrating, and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused by the system errors during the Aug. 5 bear surplus sale. We are working closely with our vendor (PayIt Outdoors) to ensure that the system performs as intended for future license purchases.
1. Hunters who were successful in purchasing a license will maintain that license.
2. We have allocated all remaining surplus licenses to hunters based on time-stamped licensing system information. Emails have been sent to all hunters who are awarded a bear surplus license; those hunters will need to follow steps on the emails they receive to complete their purchase of a bear surplus license.
3. Hunters who were not allocated a bear surplus license, but who were able to access the surplus system on Wednesday August 5 will also receive an email if the system error logs recorded their access or activity attempt(s).
Additional information is available on our frequently asked questions webpage: mndnr.gov/rlp/els.html
Update #2: Minnesota DNR is committed to maintaining the integrity of the surplus license sale process and making sure we provide bear hunting opportunities consistent with our management objectives. Since the initial surplus sale event on Aug. 5, we have reviewed our system records; those hunters who were fully successful in purchasing a license will maintain that license. We will award remaining licenses to hunters based on time-stamped licensing system information. Emails will be sent to all hunters who are awarded a bear surplus license; those hunters will need to follow steps on the emails they receive to complete their purchase of a bear surplus license.
Update #1: We are still reviewing solutions to the system error many of you experienced. We know bear baiting starts soon and our staff are doing their due diligence to ensure a proper resolution. We apologize for the inconvenience while we go through system records, which is taking some time. We appreciate your patience and will provide an update as soon as we are able.
Bear hunters trying to get a surplus license, listen up! 🔊
The system is experiencing high demand that has caused a delay in normal operations. The bear surplus sale has been paused until further notice. Information about resuming the surplus sale will be shared at a later time.
In addition to posting updated information here on this social media post, we're going to provide updates on our relevant webpages and the electronic licensing system as more information becomes available. If you want to receive notifications as we get updates, click the "…" in the upper right hand corner and turn on notifications for this post.
We're really sorry for the inconvenience and our staff are working diligently to get this system up and running properly. Believe it or not, turning it off and then on again didn’t work. As with any new technology, there's a learning curve and we're experiencing growing pains! Thank you for your patience.
Have other questions about the electronic licensing system? Check out our frequently asked questions, which includes step-by-step instructions and How-To videos: mndnr.gov/rlp/els.html
📸 USFWS
