The other thread about how many deer one man killed this year got me to thinking how many people I know that haven't reported to Game Check? Post if you know of any deer. Be curious to get a count.
14 deer that I can think of between 4 hunters.
Hunter 1, 8 Bucks
Hunter 2, 4 Bucks
Hunter 3, 1 Buck
Hunter 4 1 Doe

I have reported 100% of the deer I've killed.....all 0 of them

I have asked some people did you game check your deer and gotten a look like what the hell are you talking about

You know a guy that has killed 8 bucks?

i have reported both of mine, one buck and one doe

It's interesting how many people think people in Alabama are so different from other states. Isn't Kentucky's system the same call-in type system? At some point you have to use the data, or quit requiring people report it.

If he reported them, POSSIBLY could be perfectly legal. If only 3 had antlers and the other 5 were spotted fawns....

How many people really know the reason for the recording system, not game check. The recording system came about around 2007 when Ditchkoff and a committee were charged with looking at buck limits. The idea was to get a better ratio of older bucks in the herd in the state. Ditchkoff pushed for a recording system to aid in keeping hunters honest. All sounds good to this point. Then comes a recording system where buck fawns do not count against the buck limit. Now, I'm no biologist but I know if you are trying to get older bucks, killing them at 3 months of age and not counting them ain't gonna get you there. That dead 3 month old will never reach maturity. Totally defeats the purpose of having the limit.

Other states use a similar and/or same system. I've checked deer in Ohio, Kansas and Oklahoma with similar phone-check systems. It's easy when it works correctly and there are no bugs, hacks or problems.

The issue is a generational shift of going from "we trust you to do the right thing" to a mandated "do this, we know what's best, we need data for management, do this now." Combining that with the typical distrust for "government" along with the ease of skirting the check system and some other things that have transpired in the last 8-10 years, it's not a suprise that deer and turkeys aren't being reported.

Here's another thing: few people here fear the repercussions of getting caught not reporting a deer or turkey. The penalties don't hurt enough.

I think it's in Idaho or Washington where response to the post-season survey is mandatory to be able to purchase your license and tags for the next season. Kentucky is that way with its sandhill crane post-survey. Either respond or you don't get to play next season.

It's not that difficult in today's electronic era, or shouldn't be. Send the survey. Make it clear that if you don't respond, you're flagged and don't get to purchase a license for the next season. I think Idaho even includes a fine if you don't respond.

It should not have to be that way. But that's where we are for some things now.

Yes I do and is taking a week vacation next week so will likely add to that total.

alabama could of made a much easier way to do a "game check", but chose to do it the least effective way.

I have never game checked one.

X2. Had to explain it to a few.

Probably know of 5. 3 bucks and 2 does (3 people).

Lectrode and Klay - what were the (roughly) ages of the people who didn't k now about GameCheck? Older? Younger?

I have a feeling that most people age 50 or 55 and older who grew up hunting maybe are the ones who don't know.

If so, that's again a generational thing that was not, or is not being, adequately addressed, and saying "We've put up posters, sent emails, don't know what else we can do!" clearly isn't enough.

Game what?

It's usually the older guys that don't know what it is but most of the ones who blatantly refuse to do it are younger to middle age.

Interesting.


I go back to fines for speeding tickets. The last one I got, I think the fine was $140 or $180. Thankfully, it's been long enough that I don't remember.

But I remember that neither of those were enough to make me slow down and even $250 wouldn't be enough. But $350 might. Maybe.

Penalties have to hurt. Otherwise they're just window dressing and no one respects them.

Needs his head split

Well I personally wouldn't go that far. These are men that fall in that 50-55 age class that Clem describes that doesn't give a rip about Game Check. I will personally abide by the Law and if they choose not to, that is on them.

Over 60

We need an open season for people.
We don't have too many deer, we got too many people.

My "50/55 and older" was mostly in reference to they don't know about it because they grew up hunting back in the 1960s/70s/80s/ when we were trusted to do the right things without being mandated to do things, and therefore haven't kept up with every little thing like today's younger data-QDMA-management by numbers generations.

But I agree there's a subset of that 50/55-yo and older who flat-out refuse and don't care. That's just contempt.

I know several that have never checked one in or written them down since all that started and probably never will

If you think them good ole boys in KY are any different than the ones down here you are sadly mistaken.

Every deer that has been killed at our club has been entered into Game Check. All of the folks that I work with and all of my friends that have killed deer this year have entered them into Game Check. I have not killed a deer so I'm 0/0. Plan to change that this weekend.

I'd be willing to be that there is a sizable group of Alabama deer hunters that aren't aware of game check and not aware of a 3 buck limit

for not reporting a dead pine goat using a flawed system to a dept no one trusts anymore???? Really?

That's what I mean. We're all the same. Isn't this the third year of Game Check? Are they going to be saying the same crap about under-reporting in 10 years? 20? If the data is crap, then why require it?

Playing Devil's advocate here:

How is this possible that a large group never has heard of GameCheck or the buck limit?

The buck limit was approved 13 years ago. At the time, the state's biggest newspapers had outdoor writers who all wrote about it. It was in smaller daily and weekly papers. It was talked about on Rick & Bubba's and Big Daddy's shows, other radio/outdoors shows, and blasted out by the DCNR.

GameCheck was voluntary for three years, I think, or maybe four. Then the mandate arrived. It, too, was widely discussed, talked about on radio shows and whatever news media, talked about on social media, signs posted in license outlets, emails and newsletters sent by the DCNR, and online-social-coffeeshop chatter. I think the state also sent physical mailings. It was put on the cover of the regulation books in all the license dealers, gas stations, Th' Walmarks and other locations

You literally would have to ignore everything and never converse with other deer hunters or be aware of anything statewide to not hear of either of these in the last 14-15 years.

How could it be possible for such a sizeable group to not know anything about either? I guess it is, but that's just baffling.

I think it's more of they know it but just aren't doing it. And there's nothing you can do about that other than require physical tags and jack up the penalties to make it really hurt.

And if that happens, Billy Bob's lawyer will be in court complaining that such a big deer fine is excessive for his poor ol' client who didn't know or was just trying to feed his family.

2 Bucks

Educate the people you hunt with. If they don’t know or care about regulations, I’m not hunting with then.

Just to keep people honest we have a space on our harvest board to put your confirmation # before you leave.

Thank God I ain't in that club.

X2

Age is no excuse for persons not following hunting regs and 99% do know the regs… They do FB and Aldeer, you know that they know about game check. Basically everyone not reporting is classified as a poacher. If they're killing more than the legal limit turn them in. Here, if you fail to submit a hunt report ya get to pay 25 bucks xtra the following year. Fail to report on 3 hunt tags, $75. Not a lot but, I'm not paying xtra. As far as tag, the animal is tagged. Most guys poaching here get turned in probably because of the hunter hotline and the rewards. Report an elk poached and they get the guy, reporting party gets $500. each species has a set amount.

Why, because they follow the hunting regs?

what percentage will the DCNR decide went unreported so they can artificially inflate the numbers to suit their needs? Im not jumping thru any more hoops to hunt I took my hunter ed class in highschool, pay my license fees every year and I know the game laws. Im not doing anymore paper work to kill a deer.

lol

I’m 63. I killed 3 bucks and game check all of them. It takes about 2 minutes or less with the app. Y’all making a big deal about nothing.🤦‍♂️

Nice, congrats on ya deer

If they were following the regs they wouldn't have to put up a confirmation # before they left , just within 48 hrs. So, that can't be it.

True, they just ensuring its complied with though it seems. Heck, most club board members are shady at times so ya know why...

With all these $15 corn permits being sold........ shouldn’t the state be able to afford to print real tags for deer and turkey. Seems like it would make things a little simpler.

Tags, yes. Idk how many deer have been checked in Lamar co this year, but my family has done 8 of them. I know a lot that don’t.

No, because they mind everyone's business but their own.

^^Good post.
Totally agree.

buT if You'Re NoT doiNg anYThinG illEgal yoU won'T miNd giVing ALL of yoUr InfO!

No, because they mind everyone's business but their own. [/quote]

No sir, to weed out people like you.

What do you all think the percentage is ? I say 35 report them and 65 don't but I may be way off . The older generation isn't going to report .
The renegades aren't going to report and probably some folks it never crosses their mind till after the fact .

Good job. But I'd weed out that club all by myself.

I think it's probably within 35-50 percent.

Not all of the older generation is ignoring it. There's a lot of folks across the age spectrum who follow the regs and laws, a bunch who don't, and a bunch who just go about their lives not paying mind to much of anything outside their little world.

I don't think we could pin it on one age group. It would be interesting, though, to see the cross-section.

For the record, I've reported all the deer I've killed since game check was implemented. I'm in total compliance with the rules. But I know people who aren't and it does not bother me at all. I do my thing, and they do theirs, and I don't get in their business.

Where’s all this weed y’all talking bout?

Thanks for reminding me. About slipped my mind. According to a couple of processors I spoke with yesterday, there have been alot more deer brought in than last year. Are the gamecheck numbers alot higher than last year. If that has already been stated, forgive me, im too tired to read this whole thread.

too much weed

If you aren't reporting your harvest, you might as well be riding with 9 toes and Timber2.

Well maybe...if chuckie didn't go on another safari?

That might be a little extreme. But it is like always having your lucky joint with you. You are eventually going to get caught and the possum police aing gona care if you agree with it or not. If this is where you take your stand, more power to you but you have to be prepared to pay the price.

x2

How dare someone kill the King’s deer without reporting it.....I heard Lil Chucky got every gamecam in Alabama connected to SkyNet and not only are they watching our every move in the woods but they’re listening too.

And all of this commotion over a dumb deer at that

I would pay to see some of the pictures and read some transcripts.

I’m different I guess

This system is easy to use

Same as Tennessee. The old system was a headache dealing with gas station workers who had no clue.

Nebraska you are required to go to the one available check station in the whole unit.

The state must not really care about the game check. They could write hundreds of tickets simply by stopping by processors.

Stupid deer

I comply, and don't know of anyone who expressly admits they don't. guess the reported info is valuable somehow, but I would think est age and weight are much more valuable than # of points where bucks are concerned.
On a side note- have had no issues with gamecheck app for all the deer I checked this year.

I’ve checked all my deer since the implementation of the game check process..

You would not BELIEVE how many we know of tha werent..... we already know about yours.....

And you could fund every municipal government with DUI revenue by camping out with a cop car at Taco Bell from 11PM-2AM on weekends. But thankfully they don't do that to businesses.

Truer words never spoken.

You and I both know a few who got a few for taking a nap at the Arby’s on university blvd

I know of several folks who have not and will not use the Game Check system.

These folks haven't used it this year or any year since it's been implemented.

They probably never will.

I have reported all 3 of my deer this year.

A nine point and two does.

It's so easy to do and it's required.

I don't understand why folks refuse to use it myself.

I know of one guy who has killed 15 deer. 8 racked bucks and rest does or spikes. None of those have been reported. And he will probably kill 10-15 turkeys this spring as well. Just a normal year for him.

I'm not reading all this, but if they know how many deer are killed,which they would have to know in order to know how many were not reported,then why does anyone need to report anything?

Could care less about game check, but the blatant ignoring of limits I have no tolerance for. Life if pretty simple. I hate phucktards that make it difficult.

So have you reported the poacher? If not why not??

Well he’s been reported several times. But he’s not poaching. He just has a lot of places to hunt and that makes it hard to get caught. My guess is he never will be caught. But that deer count was in December. I’m sure it’s higher now.

Bingo. Ain’t no need. They can get more reliable numbers by surveying a sample of hunters. I think that’s what they still do to estimate non-reporting rates. So what’s the reporting system accomplish? Nothing much. Just another law they can enforce.

If he killed 8 racked bucks in Alabama he's poaching. If he killed 3 and didn't report, he's poaching

You can only kill three bucks, yet you can kill every doe you see. come up with some sensible regulations if you want folks to comply.

The regulations are sensible. 3 bucks allows a hunter ample opportunity to not only put meat on the table but to also have decent chance to take a good buck while, hopefully, leaving a few to grow. The liberal doe season was never meant to be a personal challenge to kill a doe or two every day. It’s meant to let hunters take the does they want, when it suits them, throughout the season, rather than what does were seen only during that narrow 2 week period we had previously.

Have the app on my phone. Only takes a minute. No problems.

I hunt on 4 different properties in 3 different counties, and cannot legally kill 1 buck on each property in the same year. Meanwhile we have people killing 30 + does in one year making it hard to even see a deer, much less a good buck. There is nothing sensible about that.

Well he’s been reported several times. But he’s not poaching. He just has a lot of places to hunt and that makes it hard to get caught. My guess is he never will be caught. But that deer count was in December. I’m sure it’s higher now.
[/quote]
If he killed 8 racked bucks in Alabama he's poaching. If he killed 3 and didn't report, he's poaching[/quote]

You can only kill three bucks, yet you can kill every doe you see. come up with some sensible regulations if you want folks to comply.
[/quote]

Lol, no one makes anyone shoot does. There's a Three Buck limit, if he's killing more than that he's a poacher.

Since you have so many places to hunt maybe you should give one up

If he killed 8 racked bucks in Alabama he's poaching. If he killed 3 and didn't report, he's poaching[/quote]

You can only kill three bucks, yet you can kill every doe you see. come up with some sensible regulations if you want folks to comply.
[/quote]

Lol, no one makes anyone shoot does. There's a Three Buck limit, if he's killing more than that he's a poacher. [/quote]

You are right no one make me shoot does, and I do not, however I can only control what my trigger finger does. Stop all this doe killing, there will be more bucks, and the need for the 3 buck limit goes away.

actually very funny. I hunt on about 75,000 acres in Oregon and I can only kill one buck so by your math I should probably be able to kill about 70. And I should also be able to kill about 35 elk. You can hunt four properties at total 800 acres another guy can hunt one property that totals 1,000 Acres, so why should you be allowed to kill more than him

The 3 buck limits nor in place to increase the deer/buck population. Its my opinion that it's there to get a higher percentage of bucks past the 2-2.5 year age. People needed more 110in bucks to shoot

You hunt in Oregon. y'all set the regulations how y'all need to. Pretty sure what I kill here will have little affect there. Glad I do not hunt in Oregon.

Just a few points and y'all carry on.
1). Alabama does not have a 3 buck limit. It's a 3 antlered buck limit. BIG difference because under a 3 antlered buck limit a knob head can be killed every day of the season along with 3 antlered bucks. A 3 buck limit is 3 bucks.
2). The limit was put in place in 2007 to aid in getting some older bucks around. After 13 years. has it worked? What was the starting data points? Where are we now? 13 years should be enough to see if it's working or does the program need to be tweaked some.

Carry on.

I could care less if you hunt in Oregon and you're missing out on some fun hunting. I also hunt in Washington County and Monroe County in Alabama where the regs are set just like here. We tag and report our kills in both states and do not try to blame a system for people's reason to poach is all.

The post-season survey was used for decades and was statistically valid, meaning the methodology and +/- outcomes were acceptable for the desired results. The survey was sent to a percentage of licensed hunters each year, after deer season. Although not mandated that they return it, I was told several times that returned surveys provided enough information for -- at the time -- the department's goals.

That survey was deemed to be - paraphrasing here - unacceptable, unreliable trash once the GameCheck system was put in place and mandated. Poor optics and PR about implementation didn't entirely help the situation. But it's what we have now.

As for what GC can accomplish, the reporting data can and should provide better info but only if hunters respond.



Killing a deer and not reporting it is easy to do right now. Mandatory physical tags visible on any dead deer would help curb this problem.

The tags to help a little bit. I think the confirmation numbers on the tags are the real enforcer here now

actually very funny. I hunt on about 75,000 acres in Oregon and I can only kill one buck so by your math I should probably be able to kill about 70. And I should also be able to kill about 35 elk. You can hunt four properties at total 800 acres another guy can hunt one property that totals 1,000 Acres, so why should you be allowed to kill more than him[/quote]


I'm pretty sure one buck that you kill in Oregon will have little affect in Alabama, same as a buck that I kill off one property here will have little affect on one of my other properties. But by your reasoning, you should count a deer in Oregon as one of your three bucks here.

Thirteen years with a 3-buck limit, shouldn't we be seeing more mature bucks and a healthier herd all over the state?

Mature bucks = stronger herd = fewer does thanks to years of doe harvest = more intense, visible peak rut = stronger, stable younger year classes

Isn't that what we should be seeing right now, even in counties like Marshall, Morgan, Winston, Hale and some others where hunters have seen legitimate declines in deer numbers?


Maybe we need to go to just one buck a season, mandatory tagging, any male deer is a buck whether "unantlered" and that's your season buck, and possibly within 13 more years we'll have "quality experiences" for hunters with healthier deer populations.

Like Outback, I will comply with the checking requirements when I kill a deer or turkey.

But if I were of the mind to not report, I would have zero fear of being stopped with an unchecked deer. Cheating the system is comically easy.

I know the agency here has for years eschewed implementation of physical tags, either issued by them or required to be created and affixed by the hunter. And also possibly has roadblocks about requiring taxidermists and processors to be (IMO psuedo) agents of the state and requiring confirmation numbers before doing any work.

But if they want GameCheck data to be more reliable, one or both of those is going to have to happen. I think it would suck because I'm for fewer government intrusion and regulations, laws and requirements. But it's clear that after multiple seasons of mandatory GameCheck and a lot of hunters giving the big "FU" finger, they'll either have to use what they have or add more requirements.

I'm pretty sure one buck that you kill in Oregon will have little affect in Alabama, same as a buck that I kill off one property here will have little affect on one of my other properties. But by your reasoning, you should count a deer in Oregon as one of your three bucks here.
[/quote]
Your swinging lol... Why would someone count a legally killed animal in one state towards a limit in another? Nothing in my reasoning as pointed that direction. The reasoning above was from you stating you hunt 4 properties but can inly kill 3 bucks. Its no biggie.

Sincerely, this is legit. But I also think most folks, even folks who aren't intentionally being "outlaws", don't care enough to fool with it because (1) they can't see how it helps or matters, or (2) realize there's next to no chance of being caught. And what I mean by that is there's a subconcious implication that if they aren't gonna enforce any more than they do, then apparently it isn't important.

I've always said, for some reason(s) (some I know, some I don't, some I agree with, some I don't) Alabama hunters are MILITANTLY against any notion of "deer management". Just look at this site, the overwhelming majority of members on here think the DCNR is corrupt, and/or imposing "television trophy mentality" on us. I wouldn't have originally thought this, but I've become more and more convinced most folks are purposefully not reporting purely for the same reason all those "meat in the freezer" posts litter the social media sites. Alabama is a curious bunch of hunters. I really do think I could talk about their mama and get away with it, more than I could challenge someone about killing a 1st year 4 point. They'll laugh at their mama, but they'll go full "yee yee redass" on you about some doe meat.

Your swinging lol... Why would someone count a legally killed animal in one state towards a limit in another? Nothing in my reasoning as pointed that direction. The reasoning above was from you stating you hunt 4 properties but can inly kill 3 bucks. Its no biggie. [/quote]

You shouldn't, and that is my point.

There is NO solution to this problem because most Alabama hunters don't believe there's a problem. I could stop there, because that really says it all, but I just want to flesh that out a bit more...

Hunters have to WANT something more, because people really only do what they WANT to do. Fences only keep out honest folks, but after a while if the gates stay open, then even the honest folks subconsciously assume it's not important.
Something as vast as a State is impossible to police, even with physical tags there's still virtually zero chance of being stopped and inspected. I could kill a deer legally and ethically, load it in my truck untagged, and what's the likelihood of being caught with that untagged deer?....absolutely NO difference than it is now with the GC system. If I'm stopped or spotted NOW, I have to show my GC card and confirmation number. My point is until hunters WANT something different than they have, not only will nothing work, but they'll actually fight against it.

Alabama hunters for the most part simply are "if it's brown it's down, meat in the freezer" hunters. The only hunters in the State who are interested in, and in favor of, "deer management" are rack hunters like myself. I"m probably only gonna kill one or two (max of 3) deer per year, and they should all be bucks big enough to shoulder mount. Now that puts me at odds with the majority of hunters surrounding me, not because I think I'm better, not because I think everybody should hunt like I do, but just because of the general lack of concern with improving things (we don't all WANT improved buck structure).

I’ll answer it like this. I don’t know of anyone that has killed a deer this year that has checked it. Of course I’m not going to ask them, “did you call that into game check”? Think about that. That’s basically asking them if they broke the law which is a crappy question to ask that deserves a punch in the nose.

This is leading to tagging the deer anyhow , too many hunters and not enough wardens,,,, we are going to be made to stop at check in stations before you know it...

If you're in a club... what you do effects and applies to the club. So yeah, it's the clubs business. And i'm not just talking about game check

One point of electronic reporting is to do away with physical check stations. Even Wisconsin, which mandated reporting and used check stations for decades, got away from the physical stations about three years ago.

There won't be any physical check stations other than on WMAs. Hunters won't drive 20, 30, 40 minutes out of the way to a station, especially at night. And if they get home with a deer they're not hauling it out the next morning. They're just not.

If they won't comply with modern technology to use an electronic reporting system, they're not going to jump back 30-plus years for a physical one.


Physical, visible tags on every deer would be a start. No tag, you're busted. period. Just like in Iowa, Kansas, Indiana and other states.


Ikillbux made a good point: until hunters want something, and I would add that "enough hunters" want something, it won't happen.

For a long time hunters wanted a buck limit. Then, "enough hunters" and some "I don't give a damn, figure it out and do it" state officials made it happen.

For a long time, hunters have wanted reduced "doe days." Yet y'all who want that aren't piling into the CAB meetings and torturing the DCNR offices with calls and emails about it. You say it doesn't matter, but when 350 people show up at meetings going on about does, or bucks, or why spotted fawns are now legal, or physical deer/turkey tags, or anything else, it gets their attention.

Proof? Dog deer hunters showed up en masse for years (decades) at meetings. Did they always get what they wanted? No. Did they make a point with their continued support? Yes. And so did those who wanted assistance from dogs being let loose. Is it perfect? No. But had either side just said, "Eh, phuck it, they won't listen" then they wouldn't have gotten anything at all.