New Hunter Reporting Requirement -
Mandatory Reporting for Deer, Elk, Bear and Turkey Hunters
Clifford G. Rice, Game Surveys Coordinator

In recent years, the Department of Fish and Wildlife has estimated harvest by sending a questionnaire to a sample of licensed hunters. Generally, about half of the hunters receiving the questionnaire respond, yielding a sample of about 10% of all hunters. Estimating harvest by this method has been unsatisfactory for several reasons. For one thing, this sample has been too small for accurate estimation needed for management of small geographic areas such as Game Management Units (GMUs). To ensure the well being of the game populations, regulations must be more conservative than they might be with better information. This translates directly in less hunting opportunity.

Increasing the sample would cost more, and costs are already high due to the expense of mailing out the questionnaire (and reminders to hunters who have not responded), paying for return postage, and costs for data entry. The Department has also had a requirement that all successful deer and elk hunters send in a report card. However, compliance has been consistently low.

To overcome these problems, starting this year, all hunters who purchased a tag must report their hunting activity for each deer, elk, bear, and turkey tag acquired by calling toll-free 1-877-945-3492 or over the Internet at www.fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov.

Successful hunters must report within 10 days of making their kill. Unsuccessful hunters, including hunters who ended up not hunting, must submit their report by 31 January.

Hunters who submit their report within 10 days of killing an animal and unsuccessful hunters reporting on or before 10 January will be entered into a special permit drawing for one of nine deer or elk special incentive permits valid for the 2002 hunting season. Details are in the 2001 Big Game Hunting Seasons Pamphlet, page 7. Deer, elk, bear, and turkey tag holders who do not submit a report by 31 January, 2002 will need to do so before purchasing tags for hunting in 2002.

To help you report your hunting activity, we encourage you to use the worksheet on page 7 of the 2001 Big Game Hunting Seasons Pamphlet. You will be asked several questions;

1. whether you hunted or not,
2. what Game Management Unit(s) (GMUs) you hunted most, and
3. The number of days you hunted there,
4. whether you killed an animal,
5. kill location GMU number,
6. date of kill,
7. sex/age of the kill,
8. number of points on left and right antler, and
9. for deer what type (whitetail, blacktail or mule deer)?

You do not have to submit reports for all tags at the same time. Do not send us the worksheet. To keep costs down, we can only accept reports through the telephone or website. With your assistance, we can look forward to enhanced management of our game resources and greater opportunity for Washington hunters.