First, I believe we all should turn in our harvest report cards (I turn in mine and they are filled out accurately) !!!!!

After catching from flack from the peanut gallery here, about me questioning the 2005 results, I happened to look a little closer at the Harvest Report Data found here:

http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/cwp/view.asp?a=493&q=159232

I draw you attention to the years 1986 (the 1st year the harvests were calculated) thru 2002. During those 17 years (51 data points total), you will see that in all of that data (Buck, Doe, and total harvest columns) you onlyhave 4 data points ending in zero's ("0"). I have absolutely no problems with any of this data !

Now, move forward and look at the data from 2003 thru 2005. In those 3 years of data, all 9 total data points end in zero. I have a very difficult time believing any of this data.

I would like for someone to explain what exactly has taken place to cause this. Perhaps then, I may be able tounderstand and possiblyaccept the data for these years as well.

I'd go for that.

"I'd go for that."
Strangely enough the PGC won't go for that!

I'd go for it too with one qualifier: there's gotta be a way that the hunter gets a receipt or confirmation for reporting if theres going to be a larger penalty. Year before last, My son was refused a DMAP for the ANF because he "didnt report" for the previous year. I and both sons filled them out together and I mailed all three at the same time. When I called to complain, they had a ready made form thathe had to get notarized saying that he had reported as required. Now it must have happened often for the PGC to have a ready made form for just such an occuirence.

I also know a hunting buddy who actually had a WCO come to his door and give him a citation for not reporting and he swears that he sent it in. He's ususally a fairly organized and consciencous guy and I tend to believe him rather than the PGC in his case.

If we had online reporting you could print an ackowledgement right there.
Another way could be like Illinois. They have an automated phone in system and you get a confirmation number right there on the phone

Full reporting with serious cosequences for failing to comply is the only way to get a good count, but, we gotta have a better system than those stupid (and costly to the PGC) report cards

BTW, I'm not sure of the exact cost to the PGC for a business reply postcard but I think it's around half a buck! So theres a couple hundred grand just flushed down the old pooper every year.

It's a great idea, but wouldn't the information be to late. They need the information well before the season starts.

As livbucks said..."ALL license holders must return a kill report by a certain date, regardless of success or failure to be eligible to hunt the next year."

I think this is how they would have to do it. I bet there will be many angry hunters hunting without a license.

Cost to much money...Every report would have to be checked and put on a comp with name address etc.. millions of report cards...don't see the man power to do this.... They should just have2 seperate colored report card self addressed and postage pre paid... yellow for doe harvest,green for bucks, just drop in the mail...This would prob work alot better for the lazy people..And give a better genral idea of how many deer was actually taken.. when the gpc recieves them,they just put the color in the right box and weigh the box..alot easier and less time consumeing and fairly accurate... I believe many more would send them in if there was no writting or filling out report cards...

they should do it like MD, you just all an 800 number and follow the prompt to register your deer. But I guess if the hunters in PA don't wanna follow the law it doesn't matter how easy you make it.

Bionicrooster, They do this in NY with poor results. The report cards had better results. They are lazy,lazy,lazy.

Here is the root of the problem, right here. The cards are only meaningless if your too lazy to send the damn thing in. It doesn't even cost you anything. And ok we send them in just to send them, and fake a harvest? Who is that hurting but us. People just don't get it. Honesty goes a long way.

Thats just sad. maybe they should have harsher penalties, like if you don't check a deer its poaching. here in NJ thats what happens, you kill a deer, you fill out a posession tag on your license, and you get that deer to a certified "deer check station" asap, even before going home. The check station then takes all the pertinant info the state needs, and gives you a metal tag to affix to the deer. If you don't check your deer in, you are a poacher, and treated as such by the law. I can't believe NY and PA uses the report card system, and even worse that so many hunters are so lazy they don't use them.