‪Looking for a Christmas gift that keeps on giving?

If so, you might want to consider giving the outdoorsman in your life a multi-year or lifetime Ohio hunting or fishing licence. Beginning last week, hunters and anglers are now able to buy multi-year licenses in Ohio. Ohio resident license buyers can choose from 3-year, 5-year, 10-year and lifetime hunting or fishing licenses.‬

All single-year and multiyear licenses can be purchased online at wildohio.gov and at hundreds of participating agents throughout the state if an Ohio driver license or state identification is associated with the customer’s account.‬

Those interested in purchasing a lifetime license may apply online or at any of the ODNR Division of Wildlife’s five district offices or headquarters in Columbus. Locations of ODNR Division of Wildlife offices can be found at wildohio.gov. Lifetime licenses cannot be purchased at license agent locations at this time.‬

Prices for multi-year and lifetime licenses are as follows: Youth 3-year hunting – $28.60; Youth 5-year hunting – $47.58; Youth 10-year hunting – $95.16; Youth lifetime hunting or fishing – $430.56; Adult 3-year hunting or fishing – $54.08‬; ‪Adult 5-year hunting or fishing – $90.22; Adult 10-year hunting or fishing – $180.44; Adult lifetime hunting or fishing – $468; Senior 3-year hunting or fishing – $28.60; Senior 5-year hunting or fishing – $47.58; Senior lifetime hunting or fishing – $84.24.‬

Youth multi-year and lifetime licenses are available to any Ohio resident 17 years old and younger at the time of purchase. Senior multiyear and lifetime licenses are available for Ohio residents age 66 and older born on or after Jan. 1, 1938.‬

All money generated from the sale of multiyear and lifetime licenses will be deposited into the Wildlife Fund, where it will be used to protect and enhance Ohio’s wildlife populations.‬

A hard-plastic card will be provided to lifetime license buyers, and these cards will be available for purchase at an additional cost of $4 to customers who purchase a multiyear license. Cards will be mailed to the customer’s address in seven to 14 days from the purchase date.‬

Beginning Jan. 1, 2019, a Lake Erie permit ($11) will be required for all nonresidents to fish Ohio waters of Lake Erie from Jan. 1-April 30 each year. Money generated by this permit will be used for specified purposes related to the protection and improvements of Lake Erie, such as combating invasive species, securing public access and providing for fish management projects in Lake Erie.‬

In other changes, apprentice hunters who have not yet completed hunter education will no longer be limited to purchasing only three apprentice hunting or apprentice fur taker permits. Apprentice hunters can continue to purchase an apprentice license each year until they successfully complete hunter education.‬

• Changes to bag and size limits for fish in certain bodies of water were among the regulations approved by the Ohio Wildlife Council at its last meeting.‬

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Several changes were approved for black bass (largemouth, smallmouth, and spotted bass) in the Lake Erie sport fishing district. Currently, the season for black bass in the Lake Erie sport fishing district is closed from May 1 through the last Saturday in June. ‬

New rules changes will remove this closure to provide a year-round open season for black bass, providing anglers more opportunities. Additional rule changes will establish a daily bag limit of one black bass with an 18-inch minimum size limit from May 1 through the fourth Saturday in June to continue to protect the fishery. Outside of this period, the existing black bass regulations of a five-fish daily limit with a 14-inch minimum size limit will still apply.‬

Multiple changes were also approved to crappie size and bag limits at certain site-specific waters. The 30-fish daily bag limit and the 9-inch minimum size limit for crappie will be removed at the following lakes and reservoirs: Acton, Clendening, Hargus, Highlandtown, Knox, Madison, Nimisila, Rush Creek, and Springfield lakes; C.J. Brown, Clear Fork, Griggs, and West Branch reservoirs. Removal of these regulations is expected to improve the crappie fisheries at these locations as well as provide anglers more opportunities to harvest fish from these areas.‬

Additional proposed rule changes include allowing camping at K.H. Butler Wildlife Area in Gallia County; increasing the annual fee for watercraft docking permits at ODNR Division of Wildlife owned docks; and changes to ginseng harvest requirements.‬

A complete list of proposed and approved rules changes can be found at wildohio.gov. Until next time, Good Hunting and Good Fishing!‬