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Important Expedition Guidelines

Before booking, please review our strict capacity limits and weather guidelines to ensure a safe, comfortable experience for everyone on the ice.

Capacity & Attendance Limits: Group size is strictly limited per participant's individual needs to ensure our staff can give everyone personalized attention and maintain the highest standards of safety on the ice
Accompanying Staff Required: Adult day programs and group residential facilities must send accompanying care staff to remain with participants for the duration of the expedition.
Weather & Safety Cancellations: Expeditions are subject to ice condition and severe weather evaluations. Cancellations or rescheduling due to unsafe conditions are entirely at the discretion of Dreamcatcher captains.

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Minnesota and Wisconsin Waterways: Fishing License Guide for Dreamcatcher Participants

Dreamcatcher Ice Expeditions is proud to provide 100% free, fully adaptive guided ice fishing trips. Our mission is to eliminate physical and financial barriers to the great outdoors. Because we operate across state lines on both Wisconsin and Minnesota waters, our participants are fully protected by state licensing exemptions.

The type of state protection depends on whether the participant is a Minnesota resident or an out-of-state visitor.

1. Out-of-State / Non-Resident Participants

If an out-of-state senior or disabled individual joins a Dreamcatcher expedition on Minnesota waters, they do not need to purchase a non-resident Minnesota fishing license.

The Therapeutic Exemption: Minnesota statutory rules grant a licensing exception to non-resident disabled individuals or seniors who are actively participating in an officially documented therapeutic program run by a registered non-profit.
What to Expect: The Dreamcatcher field team maintains a laminated, state-vetted copy of our approved IRS Form 1023 program narrative inside the UTV support truck at all times. If audited by a Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) conservation officer on the ice, our team presents this packet to instantly validate the legal licensing exception for all non-resident participants on our trip.

2. Minnesota Resident Participants

Minnesota residents do not use our corporate on-ice exemption packet. Instead, the state of Minnesota provides free, permanent, or annual individual fishing licenses directly to residents who fall under our target participant demographics.

The Minnesota DNR issues these zero-fee licenses across these specific categories:

Developmentally Disabled Residents: Minnesota residents age 16 or older with a developmental disability (such as Down syndrome) qualify for a permanent angling license. This card is issued completely free of charge and remains valid for life without needing annual renewals.
Residents Receiving Disability Assistance: Minnesota residents age 16 to 89 qualify for a free annual angling license if they provide official agency documentation proving they receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI), or Worker's Compensation for total and permanent disability.
Care Facility Residents: Any resident currently living in a licensed Minnesota nursing home, boarding care home, or state institution is legally authorized to fish for free under a master facility authorization.
Super Seniors: Any Minnesota resident age 90 or older can angle completely license-free without any paperwork.

How Families Can Apply for the Free Resident License

To ensure resident participants are fully covered before hitting the ice, families, guardians, or case managers can complete a simple, one-time application with the state:

Download the Application: Access the official Minnesota DNR Developmental Disability Permanent License Application.
Medical Verification: Have the participant's licensed physician or psychologist sign and verify the medical diagnosis block on the form.
Submit to the State: Mail the completed paper form directly to the DNR License Center (500 Lafayette Rd, St. Paul, MN 55155). The state processes the paperwork and mails a permanent, zero-fee card straight to the resident's home.

1. Out-of-State / Non-Resident Participants

If an out-of-state senior or disabled individual joins a Dreamcatcher expedition on Wisconsin waters, they are fully exempt from purchasing a non-resident Wisconsin fishing license.

The Group Waiver Exemption: Under Wisconsin Statutes § 29.201, the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) explicitly allows for the waiver of fishing license requirements for groups of developmentally or physically disabled individuals participating in fishing excursions conducted by registered non-profit organizations. [1]

What to Expect: The Dreamcatcher field team handles this entirely on behalf of our guests. We file the official event waiver application with the state in advance of the trip. Our guides maintain a copy of the state-approved event waiver inside the support truck. If audited by a Wisconsin DNR conservation warden on the ice, our team presents this authorization to instantly cover everyone under the group waiver. [1, 2, 3]

2. Wisconsin Resident Participants

Wisconsin residents do not rely on a rolling corporate group waiver. Instead, the state of Wisconsin provides deeply discounted, low-fee, or specialized individual licenses directly to residents based on specific medical or veteran criteria.

The Wisconsin DNR issues these reduced-rate and specialized options across these categories:

Resident Disabled Fishing License ($7.00): Wisconsin residents who have impaired vision or are actively receiving federal disability benefits—such as Social Security Disability (SSDI) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI)—qualify for a deeply discounted annual license. [1]
Resident Disabled Veteran License ($3.00): Wisconsin resident veterans with a service-connected disability rating of 70% or greater from the VA, or those receiving VA benefits for individual unemployability, qualify for an annual veteran fishing license. [1]
Resident Disabled Veteran Recreation Card ($7.00): This upgraded annual card covers not only inland and boundary water fishing but also includes small game hunting, state park vehicle admission, and state trail passes. [1]
Active Duty Military on Leave: Any Wisconsin resident who is an active duty member of the Armed Forces and is visiting home on a brief furlough or leave can fish completely free of charge by simply carrying their military ID and official leave papers on the ice. [1]

How Families Can Apply for the Discounted Resident License

To ensure resident participants have their individual discounted cards loaded before stepping onto the ice, families or caregivers can set up their profile with the state's online portal:

Create a Go Wild Profile: Visit the official Wisconsin DNR Go Wild Portal to set up or log into the participant's state customer account. [1, 2]
Submit Disability Verification: For immediate approval, families can upload official benefit documentation (such as a recent Social Security benefit award letter or a VA disability rating decision letter) directly through the DNR's secure online Special Privileges Document Submission Portal. [1, 2]
Purchase or Print: Once the state reviews and approves the documentation (typically within two business days), the discounted $3 or $7 rate is permanently unlocked in the user's online "Go Wild" catalog for easy annual checkout. [1, 2]