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       Got your permits?
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Date/Time: 03/28/2024 03:32AM
Got your permits?

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Previous Messages:
Author Message Text
thegildedgopher 02/01/2022 06:56AM
pitster: "Got one day use motor for Basswood for opener week. Time to order a few Shadzilla Jr's from Waterwolf, they are 10 weeks lead time right now.



I stuck around and watched all ~1310 permits chewed up in about 9 minutes. 9.



"



Yep. By my calculations about the best you can possibly do is 7 in a year spread over 2-3 different weeks. By the time you get 7 added to your cart with your cooperators selected, check all the boxes (yes/no to commercial guide and Canada), and complete the transaction, you’d be at about 9 minutes.


Personally I think that’s more than plenty but you do have to be ready at 9.
pitster 02/01/2022 06:30AM
Got one day use motor for Basswood for opener week. Time to order a few Shadzilla Jr's from Waterwolf, they are 10 weeks lead time right now.


I stuck around and watched all ~1310 permits chewed up in about 9 minutes. 9.


GopherAdventure 01/31/2022 10:26PM
Got a fishing opener permit for Lake One and a June trip to Little Gabbro. No problems, but I’m thinking I may need to lock down my September solo trip permit much earlier this year. I usually wait until some time in August to book it, but not this year.


Tony
pastorjsackett 01/31/2022 06:51AM
Was hovering over the keyboard at 9. Mudro to Crooked, June 3. Can't wait.


I'll be on sabbatical this summer, so we may go on anothe trip IF there is a single permit left up there!


Bulldogge62 01/30/2022 10:33PM
Going out Big Sag, I waited until evening and grabbed the date I wanted after supper. Only need one trip as is gonna be from End of May to middle of August
MidwestFirecraft 01/30/2022 01:55PM
KarlaWithaK: "Woo-Hoo! After our 2021 trip was cancelled because of the fires, I was able to "re"-book EP#16 for our mid-September dates!!! Can't wait for my 1st trip to the BWCA!!!"


Beautiful entry point, one of my favorites. Enjoy your first trip!
Bearpath9 01/30/2022 12:24PM
15 Aug going in at Wood Lake EP26.
HowardSprague 01/30/2022 11:32AM
Got #47 Lizz for Aug 7 as I wanted. Looked later, and there was a total of 2 permits open for that EP between July 20 and Aug 27th!
Duckman 01/29/2022 04:08PM
Got mine. I needed to update address and payment method, and kept missing boxes that had to be checked. Got pretty dang close to that 15 minute timer!
Kendis 01/28/2022 05:17PM
EP 25 Moose Lake on May 7 plus campsite reservation at Fall Lake Campground the previous night.
EP 25 Moose Lake on July 17.
EP 16 Moose/Portage River North on September 10.


Congrats to everyone who was able to reserve their permits successfully.
wanderingfromkansas 01/28/2022 02:24PM
I was logged in before 9am and had my confirmation email by 9:05. I was so pleased at how smoothly it worked this year. I always enjoy "Permit Day", but it was 2019, I believe, that put a damper on everyone's spirits.
LetsGoFishing 01/28/2022 12:13PM
I just booked my permit for June 5th out of Saganaga for 7 days. We (my 12 yo daughter and i) are going to spend a few days in the Hanson/Cherry area before working our way to Ogish for a couple days then out Seagull. Maybe we will finally get our first BWCA lakers.
woodsandwater 01/28/2022 09:43AM
Got my second permit for my buddy and I on Lake One going in on a Sunday in July. No problems.
boonie 01/28/2022 06:59AM
Karl: "Got in right away and snagged my EP 14 LISN for June. Can’t wait after a year off.



Did anyone else get 2 confirmation numbers? Strangely I have 2 reservation numbers, with the same name (mine), same entry & exit dates, and the first 10 digits are the same but one ends in -1 and the other in -2. Logged into Rec.gov and it shows them separate also & strangely the cost is split evenly between the 2…
"



No I did not. That's odd; I'd check into it just to make sure.
JD 01/27/2022 11:31PM
Thank goodness, everything went smoothly for me. Logged into Recreation.gov the night before, made sure I was still logged in before 9am. Squeezed in my permits during a morning meeting :) Two new entry points for me, if you forget the time I did Lake One in Boy Scouts many many many years ago, and have mostly forgotten.


1. Lake One - 9 day trip with 3 friends at the beginning of June, staying on Insula > Adams > Lil Sag > SAK. Should be a pretty epic trip with good smallie and laker fishing.


2. Saganaga - 8 day trip with my girlfriend in mid-Sept, staying on NAK > SAK > Ester, though we might get adventurous and throw Kekekabic into the mix if weather looks favorable and we're feeling up to it.


And, though it'll be a self-issued permit, I'm hoping to FINALLY do the Sioux-Hustler trail the first week of October with some friends.
Karl 01/27/2022 10:56PM
Got in right away and snagged my EP 14 LISN for June. Can’t wait after a year off.


Did anyone else get 2 confirmation numbers? Strangely I have 2 reservation numbers, with the same name (mine), same entry & exit dates, and the first 10 digits are the same but one ends in -1 and the other in -2. Logged into Rec.gov and it shows them separate also & strangely the cost is split evenly between the 2…
ducks 01/27/2022 06:57PM
After looking over recreation.gov today it’s not nearly as bad as I thought it was from reading the different threads. There are a lot of options out there still.
It seems the busy EPs that have reduced daily permits this year, especially the ones that have smaller quotas like Clearwater and Mudro went extra fast.
flytyer 01/27/2022 04:22PM
We got our permit, EP 23, Mudro, in September.
UPBoy 01/27/2022 01:01PM
My permits went smoothly this year. Missed a permit out of LIS so just moved it one day. Easy to do when you are retired and can play around with your schedule.


I have been on the Reservation.gov site every year at 9 AM the last Wednesday in January for many years now and this year it went very quickly. We are lucky there was not a big website crash and reset like what happened a few years back. That would have been a disaster.


UPBoy



thegildedgopher 01/27/2022 08:54AM
Ole496: "I got skunked again. (Overnight motor - Fall Lake in May)



When we had the lottery I got one every year. I've been going in for years and years.



Since the new system went into place - I haven't been able to get one.



I was logged in w/light speed internet, bookmarked page, I'm very familiar with the website and I was refreshing my page every few seconds. When the link went live, I was on the permit page, made a quick selection for the permit type and on my date in seconds. It was showing 14 available. I clicked to book it - no go. It showed me an error - no permits available. I kept trying and trying until they were all gone.



Does anyone know how many people fight for the overnight motor permits each year?? Just curious. "



Apparently OM are a lot more in-demand than DM. I pulled 2 Prairie Portage for June and 2 for September in the first 5-6 minutes.

Z4K: "I've only ever pulled one motor permit, for Prairie two years ago (first year of FCFS) and did it within 10 minutes of the servers opening. I was a little late yesterday (~1015am) but after booking one OP I thought I'd take a peek at the OMs for both ends of Basswood and they were all gone already. Hard to believe these all get used, even harder to imagine running an outfitting business without pulling extra permits."

Outfitters can't pull "extra" permits. You can't book a permit without a trip leader associated with that permit, and that can't be changed once booked. Fishing guides aren't allowed to book permits either, or so I was told by a reputable guide.
Z4K 01/27/2022 07:25AM
I've only ever pulled one motor permit, for Prairie two years ago (first year of FCFS) and did it within 10 minutes of the servers opening. I was a little late yesterday (~1015am) but after booking one OP I thought I'd take a peek at the OMs for both ends of Basswood and they were all gone already. Hard to believe these all get used, even harder to imagine running an outfitting business without pulling extra permits.
KarlaWithaK 01/26/2022 11:18PM
Woo-Hoo! After our 2021 trip was cancelled because of the fires, I was able to "re"-book EP#16 for our mid-September dates!!! Can't wait for my 1st trip to the BWCA!!!
Ole496 01/26/2022 08:14PM
I got skunked again. (Overnight motor - Fall Lake in May)


When we had the lottery I got one every year. I've been going in for years and years.


Since the new system went into place - I haven't been able to get one.


I was logged in w/light speed internet, bookmarked page, I'm very familiar with the website and I was refreshing my page every few seconds. When the link went live, I was on the permit page, made a quick selection for the permit type and on my date in seconds. It was showing 14 available. I clicked to book it - no go. It showed me an error - no permits available. I kept trying and trying until they were all gone.


Does anyone know how many people fight for the overnight motor permits each year?? Just curious.







HayRiverDrifter 01/26/2022 07:21PM
Booked two permits with no issues: EP33 Sept 7th, EP37 June 4th


Still hoping the the mad rush is due to the last couple of years of people wanting to escape the madness. I have only once booked this early in the past, but jumped in today to make sure I get my permits. I suspect a high percentage of regulars got on today also. It will be interesting how things play out over the next few months.
schweady 01/26/2022 07:11PM
ducks: "Schweady....... are you going to do your number crunching on what percentage of permits are taken like I think you've done before?
"

I could be tempted, but probably only if I can leisurely look back into the past on recreation.gov, as was the case in 2020. The pressure of timing my data collection on specific dates each month proved to be a bit too much at times.
ducks 01/26/2022 05:26PM
wow... craziness...


Schweady....... are you going to do your number crunching on what percentage of permits are taken like I think you've done before?


I didn't book anything.....
The earliest I've ever booked is March and that was only 2 or 3 times for my 20 plus trips. For the rest of my trips I've booked 3 weeks or less before the trip. That may not be doable this year.


I may have to do a pre fishing opener or Oct. solo this year which isn't actually bad because those are my 2 favorite times to go.


RedLakePaddler 01/26/2022 04:41PM
I got two permits this morning. One for Lake One in the middle of May and one for Moose lake in the beginning of August. Also have a trip planned in July with a member from here.


Carl
HighnDry 01/26/2022 04:40PM
I logged on a couple minutes late, but landed these:


June 7 LIS North
June 21 Stewart
July 7 Cross Bay


I'll probably head into Quetico in May and late July/early August. At least that's the plan.
CoachBigD 01/26/2022 04:37PM
I was on at 9:02 and south kawishiwi, north kawishiwi and farm were all gone for memorial weekend. Just two Lake One left and I snagged one. Shakedown solo in the triangle.


Mudro was gone for labor day weekend so picked up kawishiwi lake instead. Going to head up Boze to check out that are and maybe head as far north as Makes.


Two solos to bookend the season.
egknuti 01/26/2022 04:00PM
I got on right at 9:00 and booked my LIS permit for June 17th. Checked back to see if there were any permits around that time and there were none! I've never seen them gone this early before.
A1t2o 01/26/2022 03:50PM
Wasn't planning on booking a trip just yet, but when I saw that there was only 1 permit left for Clearwater in June, July or August, I figured I better take it before it was too late.


I'm going to Clearwater mid June now.
unshavenman 01/26/2022 03:39PM
In and out at 9:05 a.m. with a July 24th EP14 permit to loop around through Little Loon and come back down and out through Shell. It will be a lovely week.
Speckled 01/26/2022 02:47PM
Checked my login at 8:00, stayed logged in and at 9:00 reserved my permits. No issues.
woodsandwater 01/26/2022 02:45PM
Woohoo! Got our permit for Seagull Lake June 19th! The process was easy and no problems.
Voyager 01/26/2022 02:04PM
MidwestFirecraft. Thanks for straightening me out. Looks like I better get back online and see what's available for my later trip.
bottomtothetap 01/26/2022 01:36PM
Was a bit surprised (but not completely) that by 9:30 AM, Lake One-#30 for Friday the 5th of August was already completely gone. Saturday the 6th for that entry was still available so I took one. Just for fun, I checked back and by noon Aug. the 6th was
all gone at that entry as well. Been going to the BWCA most every year since the 80's and can't remember this much demand before.
boonie 01/26/2022 01:21PM
I got mine first thing this morning same as I usually do, no problem.
papalambeau 01/26/2022 01:11PM
Got permit for Saturday, June 4th. Can't wait!
Loony_canoe 01/26/2022 12:56PM
First time I have ever applied on quota opening day.


I usually debate the when and where for weeks. But, I've had cabin fever this winter and my plans were in place for once.
I can't believe how fast the permits were being taken. Looked like a popular concert venue. I logged in early out of excitement and am glad I did. As soon as I refreshed at 9am, I jumped on the preferred entry and date. I feel super lucky I got my selected day and entry point, one less worry. I selected the ranger headquarters in Cook for pick up, since I want to venture into a PMA, I have always used an outfitter, so this will be a change.


What really surprised me was by the time I finished the associated paperwork and payment, all of the permits for dates on and surrounding my entry were taken. I cant believe how much luck was involved this year in getting a permit this year.
sns 01/26/2022 12:52PM
Ranger station was a bit amazed that I was already reserved and asking for a PMA permit at 9:02 this morning.


But I could not get the one I wanted last year at the same time, so....early bird...Worm!
andym 01/26/2022 12:50PM
yogi59weedr, I saw that same behavior of counting to 3 with one error on logging in last night when I tested things. It was very bizarre. It also sent me a "magic link" via email to login without a password and that worked. I then updated my password last night. This morning, I was still logged in. But it was really bad that it was working so poorly on any error.


And I completely agree on the motor permits. It is ridiculous to have all of those permits be a computer race.

Fortunately for me, I was able to get the permits I wanted around 11:30AM CST. But it helps to paddle later in the season from EPs that tend to have permits available. We usually don't plan our trips until March or so. The permit reductions did push us into doing things earlier.
pkrien 01/26/2022 12:46PM
Got in right at 9 AM, was completely done by 9:05!
AirPrex 01/26/2022 12:38PM
tbro16: "Got May 25th to Mudro right at 900. Went back in immediately after and couldnt believe all that was left. Like 7-8 permits available over the first 6 weeks of the fishing season. Just checked again now and all are full from May 12 to June 24th. Wild!
"



Also got in right at 9 and successfully got our Mudro for May 26th and was surprised to see when going back in at 9:03 that almost all permits through June were already gone. Maybe I'll see ya out there. We're headed up the Horse river looping around all of the bays of Crooked and coming back on the Gun lake side.
MikeinMpls 01/26/2022 12:36PM
Got Lizz Lake, May 22, at 9:02 and Little Gabbro, July 11, at 9:06. Smooth as silk which has not been my experiences in the past.


Mike
tbro16 01/26/2022 12:29PM
SummerSkin: "EP #19 secured for the day I wanted the moment the system opened.



Out of curiosity I went back and looked and almost all permits for my EP were gone for the 10 days surrounding my date.



The Mudro EPs have a total quota of seven per day. For the 10 days I looked at, there was exactly one left about 15 minutes after the system had opened.



Crazy."



Got May 25th to Mudro right at 900. Went back in immediately after and couldnt believe all that was left. Like 7-8 permits available over the first 6 weeks of the fishing season. Just checked again now and all are full from May 12 to June 24th. Wild!
pilot 01/26/2022 12:12PM
After scrambling to get what was left last year, there was no way I was missing this morning. Had our conformation number an receipt by 9:06am.
All is well. Got the dates we wanted and am pumped to hit the water.
Congrats to everyone who got their dates early.
MasterBaiter 01/26/2022 12:04PM
Got Mudro EP 23 for May 14th
and Moose river north for June 3rd


So stoked!
heavycanoe 01/26/2022 11:53AM
One of the most exciting times of the year! - permits in hand and now the obsessing over a plan can begin.
PeaceFrog 01/26/2022 11:44AM
Tried to get EP16 but ended up with EP19 Stuart - new spot so looking forward to that. Need to adjust my trip planning a bit. Enter on 13th of June
MidwestFirecraft 01/26/2022 11:30AM
Voyager: "I thought that the new rule states, it was only allowable to book 1 permit per day in the same name , or else they would cancel all but 1 of your permits, unless you're a non-profit."


For the same time period. You can book multiple permits in the same name, but for different dates.
yogi59weedr 01/26/2022 11:29AM
Zulu, ya that was a tough pill to swollow just because my computer skills...I'm gonna try out a few lakes south of Ely.
Dumbell
Cresent
Silver island.
So all is not lost..
I was a fan of the new system after the lottery. Not so much now.
I can see how the current system might be good after the initial rush to get the motor permits.
I think those permits that go in the first hour should go in a lottery.
Pilgrimpaddler 01/26/2022 11:22AM
It went smooth as silk for me this morning. Got the one permit (Sawbill) I was after on the day I wanted, but I was logged in and on the permitting page as soon as it opened. Fortune favors the prepared!
Voyager 01/26/2022 10:55AM
I thought that the new rule states, it was only allowable to book 1 permit per day in the same name , or else they would cancel all but 1 of your permits, unless you're a non-profit.
burgydancer 01/26/2022 10:48AM
Got on right at 9 am. Got Mudro for June 16 and Lake One for Sept. 9. Mudro gone by 9:13 am. Wow, were these going fast. I have never seen anything like this. Tried to arrange permit pick up at Kawishiwi Lodge for Lake One. We have credit there from a cancelled trip. (Any guesses why?) Couldn't find it so went with ranger station in Ely.
Zulu 01/26/2022 10:35AM
yogi59weedr: "I got screwed...
All set to go and got locked out for 30 minutes due to 3 failed log in attempts.
I ONLY LOGGED IN ONCE.. Very frustrating... I know I'm not good on a computer. But that should not be a factor in me not being able to apply for a permit.
Day motor for Prarie in June were gone in 9 minutes.



GO BACK TO LOTTERY FOR MOTOR PERMITS.."

I’m sorry to hear that Yogi. I know you have been frustrated before trying to get permits. I thought about creating an alternate sign on with Rec.gov because that happened to me once but not at a critical time.
As far as a Lottery The National Park Service is piloting a new Lottery System for popular campsites that sell out in seconds. You can search for “Yosemite North Pines Campground Lottery”. It’s not like the old lottery but you win a chance to try to get a permit with a reduced number of people.
I thought I heard the USFS was going to address Motorized Permit numbers next year so it may not get easier.


Maybe a day use motor will open up by a cancellation.
SummerSkin 01/26/2022 10:31AM
EP #19 secured for the day I wanted the moment the system opened.


Out of curiosity I went back and looked and almost all permits for my EP were gone for the 10 days surrounding my date.


The Mudro EPs have a total quota of seven per day. For the 10 days I looked at, there was exactly one left about 15 minutes after the system had opened.


Crazy.
SummerSkin 01/26/2022 10:31AM
(double post, board is acting up)
MidwestFirecraft 01/26/2022 10:20AM
yogi59weedr: "I got screwed...
All set to go and got locked out for 30 minutes due to 3 failed log in attempts.
I ONLY LOGGED IN ONCE.. Very frustrating... I know I'm not good on a computer. But that should not be a factor in me not being able to apply for a permit.
Day motor for Prarie in June were gone in 9 minutes. ."



I'm sorry to hear that, very tough situation when it happens to you. I'm no computer wizard either, very thankful when it goes smoothly.
noodle 01/26/2022 10:16AM
Things went fast.


1) Lake One with the family leading up to Memorial Day.
2) Lake One in mid-June for a long solo, looping from there up through Insula, Thomas, Kek, and coming back out either at Moose or Snowbank, TBD.
3) Moose River North in late August for a ~7 day counterclockwise loop around the Weeny Lake PMA, hoping to cross paths with some friends up there.
4) Lake One again with the family leading up to Labor Day to wrap up the summer; the Kawishiwi river and Gabbro permits were all snagged by the time I got to this one. We'll just head west from the EP.
martian 01/26/2022 10:15AM
Got it!! Done by 9:10 and got first choice #14 June 12th to 19th. So stoked!!!
yogi59weedr 01/26/2022 10:13AM
I got screwed...
All set to go and got locked out for 30 minutes due to 3 failed log in attempts.
I ONLY LOGGED IN ONCE.. Very frustrating... I know I'm not good on a computer. But that should not be a factor in me not being able to apply for a permit.
Day motor for Prarie in June were gone in 9 minutes.


GO BACK TO LOTTERY FOR MOTOR PERMITS..
yogi59weedr 01/26/2022 10:13AM
I got screwed...
All set to go and got locked out for 30 minutes due to 3 failed log in attempts.
I ONLY LOGGED IN ONCE.. Very frustrating... I know I'm not good on a computer. But that should not be a factor in me not being able to apply for a permit.
Day motor for Prarie in June were gone in 9 minutes.


GO BACK TO LOTTERY FOR MOTOR PERMITS..
CoffeeInTheWoods 01/26/2022 10:08AM
Needed to book 4. First 3 went smoothly.


Aug 15 - Lizz
June 27 - Snowbank
July 25 - Bower Trout


In there somewhere, I tried for May 26 - either LIS North or Moose R. North. No deal. Looks like I'll be entering Crab/Cummings instead. Always wanted to explore that area.
CoffeeInTheWoods 01/26/2022 10:08AM
Needed to book 4. First 3 went smoothly.


Aug 15 - Lizz
June 27 - Snowbank
July 25 - Bower Trout


In there somewhere, I tried for May 26 - either LIS North or Moose R. North. No deal. Looks like I'll be entering Crab/Cummings instead. Always wanted to explore that area.
IrishPaddler13 01/26/2022 10:04AM
Luckily, got my permit for #14 @ 9:05.


Our date was completely booked by 9:08.


Yikes!
walleyejunky 01/26/2022 10:00AM
I confess....our outfitter booked our permits but I had email notification by 10am that we were successful. I honestly wasn't planning for that especially for a busy entry permit with very few permits on a daily basis - EP 22 Mudro Restricted.


Grateful!!!
walleyejunky 01/26/2022 10:00AM
I confess....our outfitter booked our permits but I had email notification by 10am that we were successful. I honestly wasn't planning for that especially for a busy entry permit with very few permits on a daily basis - EP 22 Mudro Restricted.


Grateful!!!
IndyCanoe 01/26/2022 09:42AM
Smooth process for me this morning too both permits booked and paid for by 9:10


Heading to the Gunflint side for a Clearwater trip first week in June


Then last week in August we are going to attempt to enter at Lake One. 3rd time is a charm and this will be the year we break the curse! First attempt was planned in 2020 for fishing opener when they still had BWCA closed for covid. Second attempt was last year when BWCA was closed for the forest fires
schweady 01/26/2022 09:17AM
After a very smooth process, it is 9:17 am and I have three permits in hand:
Mid-July Little Gabbro Lake for my wife and me
End of July-early Aug Mudro Lake for our church men's group
Mid-September Lizz and Swamp Lakes for my wife and me