Survey Cards

[ichiban43]

At the recent commission meeting, Commissioner Hernbrode brought up that he wants more precision in the harvest data (refering to how they figure out how many animals are harvested, ie survey cards). I think that's great, however he then said he did not believe mandatory reporting was necessary. I think all the sportsmen's groups already support mandatory reporting or would if given the opportunity. I know the AZ Deer Association supports it and Dick King of the AZ Bowhunters requested that at the meeting to no avail. And Dick has been arguing for mandatory reporting for years now. It appears that the commission and dept do not support mandatory reporting, but hunters do.

 

Amanda

 

Maybe we sportsmen and these groups need to bring pressure on AZGFD to implement such a program. They are hired to manage this resource on our behalf and we have the right to demand (strongly suggest maybe) that they do it correctly.

I don't know of another way to generate accurate data other than a mandatory reporting system. So I wonder what this commissioner has in mind? Idaho used to --may still do- have highway check stations--although maybe it was/is more accurate than AZ's system--it still left a lot to be desired.

I think in a similar forum awhile back--someone suggested that if you didn't return the report card you would not get a license the following year. Given the mail service and other human elements--along with the fact that some would not report truthfully--I don't believe that this would be of any benefit. Doomed to failure from the start.

 

BOB

[Outdoor Writer]

Sure Tony--

The tag has a place for you and a countersigning officer or other authorized person to sign. You must also list the date, time, # of antler points and the general locality of the kill. You must transport the game to a person authorized to sign the tag. The portion that you enter that info on and is signed is torn off by the officer and mailed to the dept.

As I said--there are penalties if you do not abide by the law. As I said--the list of people authorized to sign is quite extensive--composed of both Fed & State officials. All law enforcement officers--FS personel-postmaster/mistresses are among those that can validate the tag.

Also-the wardens field check people and record that data . That data-although not accurate in actual harvest stats--is reflective of the trend.

This reporting system may show a trend--but otherwise the #'s are suspect at best. There are all sorts of reasons why a person may not return the mailer--or reasons to falsify the answers. A mandatory reporting system would go a long way in ensuring proper management of this dear and valuable resource.

 

 

Desert Bull--Yes--to answer your question--there are people who-for whatever reason do not want accurate data collected. Those people are doing the ethical sportsman a disservice IMHO!!

BOB

 

Thanks, Bob. I did a bit of searching yesterday afternoon and found it in the CA regulations. What I couldn't find was how info on the dupe validation tag got back to the game department, which you explained above.

 

It sounds like that sort of system might work, but of course it depends on the compliance factor of both the hunter and the folks that validate and return the tags.

 

For informational purposes, these are the CA rules . -TONY

 

Tag Information

 

(Exerpts from Section 708(a), Title 14, CCR)

 

Tagging Requirements:

 

Immediately upon killing a deer, both portions

of the deer license tag must be completely filled

out and the date of kill permanently marked on

the deer license tag. The deer license tag must

be attached to the antlers of an antlered deer or

to the ear of any other deer and kept attached

during the open season and for 15 days thereafter.

Except as otherwise provided, possession

of any untagged deer shall be a violation (refer

to Fish and Game Code, Section 4336).

 

Tag Validation and Countersigning

Requirements, and Transporting for the

Purpose of:

 

Any person legally killing a deer in this state shall

have the deer license tag validated and countersigned

by a person authorized by the commission

as described below before transporting such

deer, except for the purpose of taking the deer

to the nearest person authorized to countersign

the license tag, on the route being followed from

the point where the deer was taken (refer to Fish

and Game Code, Section 4341).

 

Deer Head Retention Requirements and

Production Upon Demand:

 

Any person taking any deer in this state shall

retain in their possession during the open season

thereon and for 15 days thereafter, that portion

of the head which in adult males normally bears

the antlers, and shall produce the designated

portion of the head upon the demand of any

officer authorized to enforce the provisions of

this regulation (refer to Fish and Game Code,

Section 4302).

 

License & Tag Information

 

Deer Tag Reporting Requirements:

 

Every person to whom a deer tag is issued shall

return the completed report card portion to the

department within thirty days of taking a deer.

 

Deer Violations, Tag Forfeiture:

Any person who is convicted of a violation

involving deer shall forfeit their current year

deer license tags and no new deer license tags

may be issued to that person during the then

current hunting license year, and that person

may not apply for a deer tag for the following

license year (refer to Fish and Game Code,

Section 4340).

 

Deer and Elk Tags, Persons Authorized to

Validate.

 

The following persons are authorized to validate

or countersign deer and elk tags:

 

(A) State

1. Fish and Game Commissioners

2. Employees of the Department of Fish and

Game

3. Deputy Foresters

4. Assistant Deputy Foresters

5. Forest Rangers

6. Park Rangers--Grades 1, 2, 3, and 4

7. Supervising Plant Quarantine Inspectors

8. Junior, Intermediate and Senior Plant

Quarantine Inspectors

9. Foresters

10. Fire Prevention Officers--Grades 1, 2, 3,

and 4

11 . Fire Captains

12. Fire Apparatus Engineers

 

(B ) Federal: (FS = U.S. Forest Service, FWS

= U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, BLM =

Bureau of Land Management)

1. Range Technicians (BLM)

2. Forest Supervisors (FS)

3. Assistant Forest Supervisors (FS)

4. District Forest Rangers (FS)

5. Foresters (FS, BLM)

6. Range Conservationists (FS, BLM)

7. Forest Engineers (FS, BLM)

8. Forestry Aides (FS)

9. Fire Control Officers or Aides (FS, BLM)

10. Clerks (FS, FWS, BLM) while on duty at

their headquarters

11 . Game Management Agents (FWS)

12. Wildlife Management Biologists (FS, FWS,

BLM)

13. District Managers (BLM)

14. Information Specialists (BLM)

15. Area Managers (BLM)

16. Realty Specialists (BLM)

17. Natural Resource Specialists (BLM)

18. Engineers (BLM)

19. Engineering Technicians (BLM)

20. Recreation Resource Specialists (BLM)

21. Geologists (BLM)

22. Recreation Aides (BLM)

23. All Uniformed Personnel of the National

Park Service

24. Commanding officers of any United States

military installation or their designated

personnel for deer taken on their

reservation.

25. Postmasters

26. Post Office Station or Branch Manager for

deer brought to their post office.

 

(C ) Miscellaneous:

1. County firemen at and above the class of

foreman for deer brought into their station.

2. Judges or Justices of all state and United

States courts.

3. Notaries Public

4. Peace Officers

5. Nonsalaried police officers or deputy

sheriffs while on scheduled duty in a city or

county of appointment for deer brought to a

police station or sheriff’s office

6. Officers authorized to administer oaths

7. Owners, corporate officers, managers or

operators of lockers or cold storage plants

for deer brought to their place of business.

 

(D) No person may validate or countersign

their own tag.

[CouesWhitetail]

One of the other suggestions brought up at the commission meeting (I believe by McLean) was that since the dept is going to start requiring an email address from anyone who submits an application online, then the dept could email a survey to each hunter who was drawn. That email would make it easy to submit a response, but does nothing to increase honesty of reporting I suppose.

 

Amanda

[ichiban43]

[it sounds like that sort of system might work, but of course it depends on the compliance factor of both the hunter and the folks that validate and return the tags.

 

Nothing is fool proof. Since the statute of limitations has long run out--I can attest that there were ways to get around some of these regulations if you were friends with the right people. But those discrepensies would be few and far between and wouldn't skew any stats.

I would like to see it happen so that we would be afforded better management of our herds.