Troopers say Eagle River hunter used a $5 license he did not qualify for

Alaska Wildlife Troopers cited a duck hunter at Jim Lake in Palmer for making a false statement on a hunting license application, saying he claimed eligibility for a 2026 Resident Low-Income license and did not qualify. Troopers from the Palmer Post contacted the Eagle River man, 47, at about 1:10 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26, per dispatch AK26096072.

Troopers describe that false statement as "inadvertent." Under AS 16.05.420(b), a knowing false statement is a class A misdemeanor; one made without any culpable mental state is a violation fined up to $300, and that lesser tier covers only statements about identity or residency, not income. The dispatch cites no statute, does not say which tier applies, and contains no account from the man himself.

Bail was set at $320, with an optional appearance in Palmer District Court. The dispatch notes that charges are accusations and that defendants are presumed innocent.

The $5 license covers sport fishing, hunting and trapping, which otherwise costs $85; a hunting license alone is $45. Holders also skip the state duck stamp, though a federal stamp and Harvest Information Program enrollment still apply. Fish and Game requires household income at or below the federal poverty guideline, which for 2026 runs from $19,950 for one person to $69,650 for eight, and counts every household member's permanent fund dividend toward it.