State finally did something to HELP the hunter.

[Wild Bill Bucks]

Used to, when I shot my deer, I was faced with a 1 hour trip to the check station, another 30 minutes standing in line to weigh and get paperwork done, then another 1/2 hour to the processors, and 1/2 hour standing in line to get my deer in the building, then another hour back out to deer camp.

The state put our deer check in, on computer this year. Now I take my laptop, WiFi, and a small printer, to the camp, and I can check in my deer online. They take my info, and give me a confirmation number, and I can print out my own carcass tag. All in about 1 1/2 minutes.

I can now, shoot my deer, get him checked in, receive my carcass tag, and be able to skin my deer, before the carcass has time to cool off. This makes the hide 10 times easier to get off, and I can skin the deer before I take the insides out.

This year I was able to shoot my deer and have him completely ready for the freezer, and back hunting in less than 30 minutes.

Anybody else's state do this?

 

[Scout]

Here in Florida, if you're hunting on state land, you weigh your deer in at the check station and take off.

 

[rantingredneck]

NC has used a telephone check in system (1-800-IGOTONE) for years. There are still in person cooperator agent check in stations around but they've been optional (with the exception I think of bear killed on Game Lands?).

About 3-4 years ago they implemented an online system to go along with the telephone check in. It's quicker and easier than the telephone and makes checking your deer in and getting your authorization number for legal possession of the animal so much nicer.

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

Wow. I guess that's one area where NY DEC doesn't suck. We shoot the deer, put a tag on it and go about our business. We're supposed to call it in within 48 hours but I almost always forget and end up calling a week later. They don't care, as long as you report it. On the other hand, I'll bet the numbers are more accurate in your state.

I can skin the deer before I take the insides out.

I didn't know that was done with deer. Why do you do that? I've never even moved the deer from where it fell without gutting it.

 

[jmr40]

In GA the place where the deer is processed keeps the records. DNR pick them up for stats. If you process the deer yourself no one knows or cares. If hunting on WMA's you still go through the checkout process, but it is usually quick and simple.

 

[Gbro]

I sure do not see why weighing is so important. I have never hear about it here in MN.
We have 48 hour after close of season to register our kill and have a carcass tag issued. At one time merchants that register deer were suppose to do a visual check, but that isn't done anymore.
One would need to register before bringing it to a processor.
A quick stop on the way home from camp would take about the same time as purchasing a candy bar, not much to it.

Colorado has me puzzled though. I have been hunting Elk there for about 15 years and their method is to randomly call hunters for kill surveys. I have never been called??

 

[FrankenMauser]

Sounds like a giant pain in the ***!

We:
1. Harvest (Rifle, Archery, Muzzle loader, whatever...).
2. Tag and Clean.
3. Skin (whether in camp, or at home).
4. Butcher, when appropriate.

At no point, do we have to call in the kill, or wait for 'approval'. (The only real exception: Trophy tags, in trophy units, require the kill to be registered, in-person, within 24 hours, at specific offices, but the head and antlers are all that are necessary; and the offices are in fairly reasonable locations.)

The only check stations will be found on bottleneck highways (or the direction heading toward the biggest city), only for areas that are highly managed. Even when stopped at a check station... they usually just estimate the age of the animal; and make sure your tag, license, and animal all match up. It's a quick process.
If it's 'just another unit'... the state figures out the numbers after the season closes, and during the spring.


...At least they're giving you poor guys -some- option to speed the process up.

 

[rantingredneck]

Wow. I guess that's one area where NY DEC doesn't suck. We shoot the deer, put a tag on it and go about our business. We're supposed to call it in within 48 hours but I almost always forget and end up calling a week later. They don't care, as long as you report it. On the other hand, I'll bet the numbers are more accurate in your state.

Peeza, the standard for NC is 24 hours or before the animal is butchered for consumption. I usually drop mine off at the processor and then go home and log it in online. Takes about 5 mins.

 

[Scorch]

It varies widely from state to state.

When I lived in CA, any LEO could verify your tag, including CA DFG, the CHP, local deputy sheriffs you could find just about anywhere, or the game processors could do it.

When I lived in NV, checking your tag was not required, but there were often NV Dept of Wildlife checkstations in "trophy management" areas.

When I lived in ID, no check stations, just take the deer to the processor.

In OR and WA, processors and taxidermists must register your tag number.

 

[Daryl]

Anybody else's state do this?

My state (Arizona) doesn't do check-in on deer. You shoot it, tag it, and take it home.

A month or so after the hunt, they send you a short questionaire that asks if you hunted, how many days you hunted, and if you got anything.

Seems simple enough to me.

Daryl

 

[Brian Pfleuger]

A month or so after the hunt, they send you a short questionaire that asks if you hunted, how many days you hunted, and if you got anything.

They send EVERY licensed hunter a survery?! That has GOT to get expensive!

 

[kwells6]

yes, in Arkansas we can CALL IT IN! lazy? yes, very but It took me 3 minutes and i was done

 

[johnson_n]

You call it in for Missouri also. Everything is automated.

 

[eastbank]

here you get a tag with your license and after you kill a deer you stick it on the deer(filled out,time ,date and county killed in,points if a buck) and thats it to have and get it prossed if you want. there is a small card to send in to the game commission after the seson. eastbank.

 

[zoomie]

I checked my deer (Arkansas) on the web on my iphone last week. AGFC even has an iphone compatible check page. The old man landowner where I hunt gave me a lot of grief for it (these kids and their gadgets - I think I'll always be a kid to him), but it sure was convenient. Of course I guess the guys in states that don't have to check at all have the most convenient.

 

[Daryl]

They send EVERY licensed hunter a survery?! That has GOT to get expensive!

Nope; just the ones that hold big game tags. Most of the tags require being drawn in a lottery system of issue, but mt lion, bear, and archery deer are still over-the-counter.

Whatever big game tag you hold though, they'll send a questionaire. With the price they charge for tags, it would seem a small cost to mail a computer generated bulk mailer.

Daryl

 

[ilbob]

I think in IL you can call it in, or enter it on the web. They still have check stations though in CWD areas.

Or I could be wrong. Don't actually hunt.

 

[sserdlihc]

Glad we don't have that here in S.C.

 

[Hog Buster]

New system here in Louisiana. You get 6 numbered tags, 3 antlered, 3 antlerless. Shoot ‘em, tag ‘em, report number via phone or internet within 72 hours, write confirmation number on tag stub, drink beer, listen to lies about the big one that was missed.
Processors want tagged deer, LDWF may check.
Old system; Shoot deer....drink beer,tell lies.....end of story.
Not sure about Wildlife Management Areas, never hunted them, probably a PIA like everything else the state or feds control.

 

[treg]

We:
1. Harvest (Rifle, Archery, Muzzle loader, whatever...).
2. Tag and Clean.
3. Skin (whether in camp, or at home).
4. Butcher, when appropriate.

Same here in MI exept in CWD areas.

Our DNR gets (makes) harvest statistics by counting deer on cars and in pickup beds from highway overpasses.