Still confused.

Is "game check" mandatory for the 2016-17 hunting season or not?

If so when will the DCNR officially announce it to the public with all the specifics or has it done so already? (Haven't seen a word.)

These district meetings being held to discuss this ... where is a schedule for those and information about the times, locations and whatnot?

Here. Look at this link for meeting info. Game Check

Thanks, Matt. I had not heard about it officially. I appreciate it.

I will be at the District 1 and 2 meetings. Looking forward to seeing some of you.

Maybe the link should be made a sticky so nobody can complain that they didn't know.

For a list of all the changes to season dates, structures, game check etc clicky Here

Open season on raccoon and opossum means there is no closed season. Trapping is included, meaning you can trap them outside the fur bearer season.

I requested the mods make it a sticky in the general forum. I posted it there.

That's a good idea.

Also would be good for the DCNR to make a really big, vocal and well-planned deal about this major, never-before-seen change in the state. I looked at the site's news releases to see if there is a specific announcement about it -- nothing -- and there has been no obvious other effort than this list of meetings to get the word out. There's a disconnect somewhere. If the 'complaints' on here about lack of info is an indication then A LOT of hunters are going to be caught off guard by this when deer season arrives.

I agree. If we’re going to be required to do this now, I’d also like to have more of the data available for the public to see. One thing I’d like to be able to see is the # of deer killed on each individual day instead of just a running total by county. I’m sure the guys at the DCNR are also going to plug these numbers into all kinds of GIS maps and such. I’d like to be able to see some of these end products that the data is providing us. I think the general hunter would be more accepting of it too if he or she were able to see what is being produced from the extra hassle that is being placed upon them.

I'm going to agree with Clem about a lot of folks being confused. I think the waters have been muddied because of the fact that it was voluntary for the last few years but the state was pushing it by putting a place for confirmation numbers on the license or the printable tags. Folks are going to see those again and assume it's still voluntary. I do realize that the only thing our state employees can do is put the info out there. They can't make folks read it.

It's called a massive public relations campaign. Not a "we put something on the website and had some meetings" campaign. They need to be contacting every television station, radio stations, any significant websites, and every newspaper from weekly to the shitty al.com crap printed whenever it's printed, and making sure the District office folks in each district are in contact with who they know.

I know I'm being an azzhole about this, but the Department has had a communications output problem for decades. A changing media landscape also has been an issue. But they could and should IMO do more.

I'll guarantee you there are other folks who, like me today, learned of these District meetings on this website, will learn about them after the fact, or will never hear about any of this until they get stopped by a GW or have someone at the cafe breakfast table in late summer discussing it and none of them knows for sure.

This is a PR issue that will become a hunter-GW issue if not handled better in the next 3.5 months.

From my understanding(which may be wrong) a license is not required if you hunt on your personal property, if so how do you go about doing the reporting if you don't have a license will it be the same as someone mentioned about kids and people over 65?

Any exempt hunter can call a 1800 # and receive a HELP number that acts as an unique identifier for that person. That includes those under or over license age, and those only hunting their private land.

To calm some of your fears our agency understand this will be a learning process and education opportunity. I am going to be extremely surprised if officers are asked to enforce this regulation with hard biting teeth the first year or two. Obviously, everyone will be expected to comply, but generally when big regulation changes such as this come about the officers spend more time educating those not in compliance than arresting them.

Multiple times in the past, neither the app, or phone number could process my lifetime license number. I assume they know and have corrected this.

JC if you don't have a lifetime license with at least 10 numbers then you need to call them and get a new one. It's free and required for game check.

If they're not going to rigidly enforce it then it won't make a difference. All hunters will have to do is ignore it, say "Really? Hadn't heard." or "I forgot." and keep going.

I understand the "let's give them some leeway" idea. But we've had "voluntary" reporting for what, five or six years? Reports of hunters saying they heard the voluntary reporting was mandatory and also a few saying state officials told them it was mandatory. Confusion. Most hunters ignoring it, for different reasons, and not calling in their info. Mostly crickets from 64 N. Union as far as getting the word out hard and in abundance. A clumsy and aborted effort for mandatory check two years ago.

I know the Department gets kicked around, much of it undeserved. But a ball is being dropped with this IMO by not getting the word out better. Sending a letter to all license holders would be a start. Kinda difficult to ignore that. There's still time. And I appreciate you guys being on here to clear up some of the confusion by providing clarity.

Maybe it'll work out.

Clem this is only the beginning of our efforts to get the news out. There will be no excuse for not having heard by the time season gets here.

It'll be published every where, discussed at these meetings, and was presented and will continue to be presented at every stakeholder meeting, press releases, the digest, etc.

I'll say this. There's also responsibility on part of each hunter to educate themselves. I conducted a site visit in 2014 with a well known and respected member of a local community and large landowner who had no idea AL had a three buck limit with a mandatory harvest record. He picks up a digest every season, had one in his truck, and was very surprised and confused to hear of it when I pointed it out. After 7 years of a harvest record there is no one to blame but him for not knowing that. He admitted he doesn't read the digest.

I'll not go into depth what I think about having too many regulations. Changing deeply held beliefs in the public is tough for you guys, and changing deeply held beliefs in a state agency once ruled by a dictator and now ruled by political and me-first forces playing tug-of-war also is tough. I wish y'all the best in getting the word out.

But I agree that hunters (and anglers) should make an effort to keep up with anything going on and possible changes. I'm dumbfounded, as I'm sure you were, that anyone would not know there's a 3-buck limit whether they use the 'harvest record' or ignore it. How the hell would you not know that in seven years? Never leaving your house and land? Damn.

i still say it's a bunch of BS

I just don't see the big deal.......I have been recording my kills since the State asked. It takes tops two minutes. Some people will spend way more time and effort to bitch, gripe and complain than to just simply comply.........