It has been rare for me to have my plans set and wait for the permits to be available. Typically, I get them much later. This year I was ready ... oh, well.

For the popular entry points, such as Mudro (fka #23), are they sometimes gone the first day, within a week, two weeks?

I understand that it will depend on the time of year, day of week, etc,

I don't know. Its my first time so I got here early to make sure.

Varies a lot but some entries that have only 1 or two available per day (or less) it's pretty easy to have a specific day already filled. Especially if it's a weekend in the summer.

That said, for most it takes a while.

For popular entry points, from probably early May to late June, they probably go pretty quick, within a week. Some for a specific day might be gone by the end of the first day. If you don't want to miss it, book it ASAP. You can always cancel, you lose a $6 registration fee. Big whoop. I grabbed a few permits (will have to get them again it sounds like) because I wasn't sure which EP and which day I'd be taking. Better safe than sorry. Again I'll be cancelling the ones I don't need, ideally within a month or so, so that's another thing. If you miss out on the date you really wanted, book your next best date, and keep an eye on permits, I would say DAILY. It is possible that someone will cancel their permit and it'll be available again. Of course this means you have to change plans with an outfitter but that shouldn't be an issue. If you have to fly or request vacation time super far in advance, then you might be "stuck" with your second option. That's why I'd say do it ASAP if you know the dates...

Last year I was 30 min late and pulled the last permit for ep14 for a July entry date. The popular eps can go really fast.

Sorry......... double post

The popular entry points.... especially on the Ely side can go pretty fast. I usually don't secure my permit until a week to a month before my trip, but I've enjoyed watching the permit site to see which EPs fill up fast.

Off the top of my head some of the ones that seem to go fast are Mudro, Little Gabbro, Moose River, Little Indian Sioux North.

Schweady has posted some threads other years shortly after permits opened up with info on what EPs booked fast. Maybe search to see if you can find those old threads.

The time I went to Mudro I went before fishing opener so I was able to get a permit a week before I went. But, from the Th leading up to fishing opener to Labor Day that year there were only a couple of days that had an available permit.

The time I went to Little Gabbro I booked my permit in March for an Aug trip.

For booking late like I always do now..... I have found it much easier to find an entry point in the Sawbill area or Gunflint Trail area.

ducks: "Schweady has posted some threads other years shortly after permits opened up with info on what EPs booked fast. Maybe search to see if you can find those old threads."

Thanks ducks, and thanks Schweady.

3Ball: "

ducks: "Schweady has posted some threads other years shortly after permits opened up with info on what EPs booked fast. Maybe search to see if you can find those old threads."

Thanks ducks, and thanks Schweady."

Yeah, I was looking at spending this week setting up a way to get info out on 2019's permit demand, but, so far, I think I can safely report:
"29-1/2 hours in... zero successful permits reserved." :-(

One silver lining that I did notice while engaged in the whole fiasco that was yesterday's reservation site launch... the new design seemed to have incorporated one of my main suggestions for improvement: a grid that showed multiple days across the top of the screen (was it 2 weeks? I thought it could conceivably show a whole month...) and multiple EP names down the left side of the screen (was it all of them at once?). That gives the user faced with their first choice already filled a better way of more quickly deciding on a change of EP and/or a change of entry date. And, it also makes compiling data for my Permit Demand Research a bit quicker and easier. :-) I hope that they are able to keep that design change when it comes back online.

schweady: "

3Ball: "

ducks: "Schweady has posted some threads other years shortly after permits opened up with info on what EPs booked fast. Maybe search to see if you can find those old threads."

Thanks ducks, and thanks Schweady."

Yeah, I was looking at spending this week setting up a way to get info out on 2019's permit demand, but, so far, I think I can safely report:
"29-1/2 hours in... zero successful permits reserved." :-(


One silver lining that I did notice while engaged in the whole fiasco that was yesterday's reservation site launch... the new design seemed to have incorporated one of my main suggestions for improvement: a grid that showed multiple days across the top of the screen (was it 2 weeks? I thought it could conceivably show a whole month...) and multiple EP names down the left side of the screen (was it all of them at once?). That gives the user faced with their first choice already filled a better way of more quickly deciding on a change of EP and/or a change of entry date. And, it also makes compiling data for my Permit Demand Research a bit quicker and easier. :-) I hope that they are able to keep that design change when it comes back online.
"

If only they would have kept the EP numbers too...