ORIGINAL: Sylvan
ORIGINAL: doughboysigep
ORIGINAL: doctariAFC
...is that the process takes too long.....
I don't buy into the it's too long, too hard, too complicated. Yes there have been some difficulties & issues, but I believe most have been addressed. I too had some difficulty at first (pushed wrong number), but didn't give up and quit. It comes down to plian laziness. A hunter can sit in a tree all day, but not take 2, 5, 10, maybe even 20 min. to report a harvest? They can wade through other phone directories when trying to contact some outdoor store/catalog or company, but not the "complicated" DEC reporting call? Give me a break. Pure laziness. If you have some difficulty, hang up, and try again later. The 48 hour thing to me is more of a request and not a "law" - seeing how they can't really enforce it. As long as they get an accurate reportDEC will be happy. The 48 hour just helps those get it reported quickly before they forget, which we all can do. Those that don't report either don't know or don't care that their report will help the DEC with their job of deer management (more than likely the latter).
I totally agree doughboy, it's just laziness. They just don't want to be inconvenienced forthe few minutes it takes. Too complicated etc are just excuses. I don't buy the too old excuse either. For heavens sake, there's nothing new about these automated phone systems and if you're so senile you can't negotiate such a simple process then maybe you shouldn't be running around with a firearm in your hands. Come on guys, drop the excuses and get er done!
I don't know. Seems to me some reporting options and dropping the 48 hours mandatory reporting language, then enforcing a mandatory end of season report in total would go a long way to eliminating the "excuses". After all, it is these "excuses" which are used by the DEC as justification to not enforce the mandatory reporting in the first place.
Besides, if we are to believe that game harvest reporting compliancy on deer harvest was running at 95% through the mail in your report system, something obviously has changed, which is the new phone in system and the reprt within 48 hours.
Yes, its part laziness, and its also part stubbornness, and also part uncertainty. Let's face it, we understand the DEC isn't enforcing the 48 hour rule. Heck, they're not enforcing mandatory reporting in TOTAL. The only reporting that is being somewhat effectively enforced is the waterfowl/ migratory game birds reporting, through requiring a HIP number before hunting ducks, geese, woodcock, etc. And that one is being enforced when licenses are inspected (if they happen to inspect your license during a hunt). A friend of mine a couple years ago got a ticket for not having the HIP number, and he was duck hunting. He claimed ignorance, and won a $50.00 (big whoop) fine for that ignorance. He then belly-ached to me about that, and did I know about that (HIP Number requirement). I said, yes, I did know about it. Congratulations on your prize.
But in order for anyone to know that the 48 hours requirement is not being enforced, one would have to either ask the DEC, or have attended some of the public hearings and heard the answer to the questions when reporting compliancy was discussed. How many hunters stay educated on the latest happenings? 1%? 5%? The majority don't, andare not aware of this, IMHO.
The HIP program is effective, because EVERYONE who desires to hunt waterfowl and other migratory game birds must register. During the registration process, you answer general questions pertaining to last year's success. I like it. You want to hunt deer next season? Report your harvest at the end of extended big game season.
We also have this problem with reporting wild turkey harvest. So much so the DEC has resorted to basically bribery to get hunters to report. The three year wild turkey study being conducted in NY, PA and OH, to determine longevity and whatnot of bearded turkey is now in its second year, and trapping, banding and immediate release of turkey is now resuming for year two. Connie Adams, Region 9 Small Game Biologist presented this new cooperative study to the Erie County Federation Last winter, and mentioned that if a hunter reports a banded bird, one in two also carry a cash reward! SHe wouldn't say how much cash, but.... ARE YOU KIDDING ME? Kind of a similar scenario with the DECtagged fish. You could get a $50.00 if you catch a DEC tagged fish and call in the number.