Ohio's new automated hunting and fishing licensing and game check system has arrived, and many sportsmen still have questions and complaints.
Jamey Graham has been on a mission, introducing hunters and anglers to Ohio's new automated licensing system now in effect. Many sportsmen have been critical of the new system, or hate the break from tradition. A few believe it will encourage poaching.
The Wild Ohio Customer Relationship Management System (WOCRMS) is encouraging sportsmen to buy their licenses and permits at the Ohio Division of Wildlife's Internet site, although they can still be purchased from a license agent.
Causing the most controversy is a game check system that short-circuits the traditional trip to a deer or wild turkey check station by allowing hunters to check their game via telephone or the Internet.
"The No. 1 question I hear is whether hunters now have to check their deer or wild turkey, since they don't have to physically take them to a traditional check station." said Graham. "Not only must they check their game, but they must do it by 11:30 p.m. on the day the deer or turkey was killed."
A wildlife communications specialist for the Ohio Division of Wildlife, Graham has been very visible at sportsmen's events, club meetings and banquets, fishing and hunting shows and county and state fairs. Here are the most common questions fired at Graham over the months, and facts about the WOCRMS.
Q: How do I check in a deer or turkey?
A: There are three ways. Call 1-800-WILDLIFE or 1-877-TAGITOH. Visit the ODOW sites, wildohio.com or ohiogamecheck.com. Or visit a traditional license agent.
Q: Any exceptions?
A: Landowners who do not need to buy a license or permit can't check in by telephone. They must go to a traditional license agent or on-line to check their game.
Q: Must I still tag my deer or turkey before moving it?
A: Yes.
Q: Since hunters don't have to physically check in a deer, won't that encourage people to not check in their game?
A: There is no goof-proof method to stop someone from not checking their game. Poachers broke game laws under the old system. They'll still try to do it. The new system lets the DOW immediately determine whether a deer or turkey has been checked, giving wildlife officers an excellent tool to stop poaching.
Q: How do we know the system works?
A: More than a half-dozen states are successfully using this type of system.
Q: How do I find a traditional license agent to buy my license or check my game, since they're not in the Ohio Hunting and Trapping Regulations brochure any more?
A: Call the DOW, or go to the DOW's Internet site.
Q: How can I prove I've checked my deer or wild turkey?
A: You'll be given a confirmation number, no matter how it's checked. That number can quickly be matched to the hunting license and permit, preventing abuse.
Q: How can the new system be more convenient? I liked visiting my old check station.
A: Sportsmen can check game around the clock. They can keep a copy of their license or permit stored in their computer, should they lose one of them.
Q: What are all the tags for on a deer hunting permit?
A: From the bottom up, the tags are to a) temporarily tag a deer after it is killed; b and c) permanently tag a deer's head that is left with a taxidermist and venison dropped off at a processor.
Q: Any tips?
A: Carry licenses and permits in a waterproof container. Have a pen ready when you call to check wild game, so you can jot down the confirmation number. It must be written on the deer or turkey permit.
Need more help? Visit wildohio.com and watch a short video on the WOCRMS.