Will we EVER be to a state like Illinois? Most likely not. But it can be better than it is now as a whole I think tags will be sooner than later maybe next season.

Btw. When you kill a buck in Illinois it's supposed to be tagged before moving it & called in by midnight ( I think it was) When I called. They asked for the number of points, measurement of each base, measurement from corner of the eye to the nostril, how many turkeys seen on the trip, and how many bobcats seen on the trip. Heck I thought they where pulling my leg halfway through the call.

And what part of a tag asking what the sex of the deer, # of antler points and what county it was killed in is going to help AL have the quality of deer that the ag fields of IL produces? The only similarity would be that both States require Tags, even if asking for different info!!

So, is part of the problem with GC is that it doesn't provide enough data to help regulate the deer heard?

You must be off today. I'm going to call my wife's uncle (Anthony Price) and get you something to keep your mind and body occupied the rest of the week.

To me, the amount of data the system asks for is of little use.
I think that the main focus of the system is for Enforcement of the 3 Buck Rule.

And, before anyone says that they are just rolling out the Program 'slowly'..... I will counter that I believe that is THE worst way to implement change. People are resistant to change, true. But, CONSTANT change will finally build collective Resistance. One and done is always best.

The only thing GC has done thus far is to get Sykes to admit they have no idea how many deer were killed and no idea of how many deer there are.

I am truly not 'against' Game Check......or, heck, even true Tags!!!
IF the data it provides has true value and is utilized properly by the DCNR. I know that they have a difficult job trying to balance Nature with Politics AND maintaining Public Support. There is no doubt about it!!
I am unsure as to what our current goals are, though. It appears to me that the Bag Limit for deer is being reduced while the Season is being Exteneded. Those 2 things seem contradictory to me. But, what do I know??
I do know that they need harvest data to make Management decisions. That is a given. They also need good information to provide indicators of herd health. And, they also need population estimates to make wise decisions concerning Bag Limits. I have no problem with those things. The problem I do have is that they seem to want to force the Responsibility on the Public vs feet on the ground Field Staffing. The info they gain is only as good as the person giving it. That said, I have seen WAY too many 140" 200 lb bucks that to me appear to be 110" 160 lb bucks to think they can get accurate data from the General Public. A cross section of each District should be available through WMA and DMAP collection to suffice. So, again, I think this is simply an Enforcement Tool designed to replace GW's.

The information collected you noted could and should be adequate, period! The sheer stupidity that the government deserves, no DEMANDS the citizens to bow to their "authority" and the citizenry's willingness is utterly amazing when scientifically proven and accepted methods are adequate!! NO MATTER the system employed it will not make the dishonest honest nor keep the honest honest, but one certainty is that the government will continue their stupidity of doing that very thing!

What the hell did he say?

The govt needs to focus more on mgmt of their WMA lands than trying to manage everyone else's.

Any government is too much government. Will not comply with tags, if they come to that. Deer hunting is being ruined ! The state wants control and money. Due to hunting shows many only want trophies . THIS IS NOT HUNTING. I do not intentionally shoot little deer, but I hunt for the table. The tree of liberty needs to be watered!

Season totals continue to rise. Current: 82,459.

Stragglers!

Do you think the GWs are checking turkey hunters harvest records and seeing deer on them with no confirmation number and having them call them in now?

Doubt it. The "final" total has been increasing daily since Feb. 12, after the 48-hour reporting period. Figured it was late phone calls or something a week after, but we're now a month after and it's still rising.

Well, doesn't really matter. If they know only about 35% was reported then they know the total killed. Even my dumbass can do the math on that.

If y'all keep refusing to report your deer maybe the fines will go way up and we will get more wardens to help police it.

35% is a win in my book. Shows what we are dealing with in terms or attitude towards game management. Hopefully it will be 25% next year. Maybe they'll figure out they aren't going to win over the hearts and minds and we'll just go straight to paper tags and even bigger fines.

Bigger fines and more game wardens would be fine. Bring it.

horsechitt on both counts, neither will happen.