Military spouse - Hunting and fishing resident?

Hey all,

My wife is thinking about joining the Air Force for medical lab sciences. I am a hunter and fisher in NM currently and am worried about relocations.

My concern is that each state we travel to I will be considered a non-resident and have a lower success rate of tagging out as well as spend a bunch more money than a resident. I have searched a bit but can only find regulations for military. Are military spouses (on orders) able to apply for resident hunting and fishing licenses?

I bet it depends on state but just wanted to see if any of you have experience with this!

Thanks.

 

No experience but suspect you are correct about state specific.

Hopefully being military related creates immediate residency status for you. That may create other issues too though. Like having to change your registrations, plates and D/Ls as part of that process.

 

Yeah that is what I do not want to have to do! I might contact certain state game and fish and ask their regs because it would suck not to be able to get residence tags!

Found out Minnesota military non residence spouses can get residence license.. but I do doubt we will ever be moving there

 

I cant speak for all states, but here in Colorado...

Residency while stationed in Colorado - Active duty military personnel stationed in Colorado and their family members can qualify to purchase hunting and fishing licenses at the Colorado resident rates. Personnel and their dependents qualify for residency if they are on active duty in Colorado under permanent orders. Military personnel must show proof by showing active duty military orders when purchasing resident licenses. Active duty does not include reserve status or National Guard.

http://cpw.state.co.us/aboutus/Pages/MilitaryBenefits.aspx

 

In all of the states I've lived in military and spouses are eligible for resident or resident equivalent hunting licenses. Some states, like Alaska, still have physical residency requirements meaning some opportunities are only available to people having resided in the state for at least one year. You don't need to change your driver's license, vehicle registration, etc when military, that can remain with whatever state you joined in or whatever state you feel like changing them to down the line.

 

Hell yeah this is what I wanted to know! Thanks for the info. I'm glad this is a thing. We don't plan on changing our residency from NM, then I can also apply for NM hunts as well

 

The only med group personnel that seem to move every six months are my PCM's...in just four years at Tyndall I think I've had 4 or 5. I doubt multiple PCS's will be an issue for you; you could stay at one base for your whole 20 if you so choose. A co-worker was here for 11 years before he got picked up for Korea and I'm pretty sure his follow-on is back here.

 

Typically military is the only people than can have dual residency. There home state and their current state of residence. Im not certain on the spouse but should be the same. I know for gun purchases the form you fill out has a clause for active military. Many gun dealers dont know about it or accept it. but keep a copy of your orders and that proves your military residence in the state of your duty station. Gun dealers that didnt acknowledge this I didnt buy guns from.