Just bought a 12' Beavertail Stealth2000 sneak boat to use for deer and duck hunting. If I don't use a motor on this boat (it needs an optional motor bracket to even hook one up) do I need to register it? I couldn't find the info I was looking for on the DNR website.

ETA. Found what I was looking for but now I'm not sure if my boat is technically considered a kayak so it falls in the exemption category.

From the 2018 boat regs:

Conventional canoes and Kayaks (includes inflatable canoes and kayaks) that are 13 ft. or less in length, and do not have a motor or sail.

I would say your sneak boat isn't a conventional canoe or kayak but call and ask the rocorder. Registration on it isn't that expensive. Get the form online, fill it out and go see the county recorder if they say you need to.

Yeah, I knew this boat was kind of a grey area. My wife team into the game warden at the grocery store and showed her a picture of the boat. Game warden said it needs to be registered. I'm just going to go ahead and do it so I don't have any issues if I ever run into her in the field. Plus, even though it moves through the water pretty easy with the oars I still might get the motor mount and put a trolling motor on it.

Hopefully it's not going to be a pain to get it registered. I bought it from Scheels and all I got is the sales receipt and the serial number on the hull, hopefully that will satisfy the recorder.

Shouldn't be a problem. Boats under 16' aren't titled

It still requires registration and it is under 17' that aren't titled.

I was refering to the difficulty of registration. I was trying to say that a reciept only shouldn't be a problem. I was not saying it didn't need to be registered.

Went to get it registered and ran into a snag. I didn't have the manufacturers statement of origin so the recorder couldn't register it. The place I bought it from couldn't find the paperwork so I waiting on the manufacturer to send me a duplicate. So much for getting it registered so I can legally use it this weekend.

Bill of sale should satisfy any inqiries about registration. If I were you, I'd use it but be prepared to produce a Bill of sale and detailed description of what is going on. DNR knows how difficult the registration process can be.

I plan on using it, just won't be totally legal. If it wasn't for early muzzleloader starting this weekend I wouldn't worry about seeing the game warden, she's pretty much non existent outside of the gun seasons for deer.

A wasn't specifically referring to your comment. It was more of a general statement.

Was it a dealer? They should have had all the paperwork in order for you to register boat and trailer (I'll assume there is one of those). I bought a new Alumacraft last year and everything I needed was separately packaged. I think all I had to do was fill out part of the application for registration. and pay the fees. Actually I think (no I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn last night) you have a grace after purchase where you can use the boat on your bill of sale (which is required now to register/title any boat). If you see this call the recorder and ask. Just get a name to go with the info. Good Luck.

I bought it from a Scheels which was probably my first mistake but it was on sale and the price actually wasn't too bad. I forgot all about asking for paperwork until I got home so I called up there and they couldn't find it (my guess is they lost it). There is no trailer, just the boat.

I got the duplicate "title" from the manufacturer today so I'll get it registered Monday. With that said, the paperwork lists the boat as a canoe so as long as I don't put a motor on it I don't even have to register it. The game warden in our area told my wife when she asked (I gave her heck for asking) that the boat needs to be registered so I'm going to carry the title and a copy of the IA regulation page saying canoes under 17'without a motor don't need to be registered in case she checks me.