Bocajnala

I guess I just don't understand the difference that people think that it makes. Your state requires a paper tag and then check in after twenty four hours.

And people were breaking the law. If you were required to go to a physical check station... How would that have impacted that group with nine birds? They still shoot them then they head home. Just like they planned to do anyway.

​​​​​When Ohio did away with check stations allot of people were saying the same thing. "now everyone will shoot all the deer" I didn't poach any more deer after the change than I did before the change. I just can't imagine that suddenly a bunch of people become poachers when tagging laws change. The people that were poaching before are still poaching. And the honest people are still honest. At least I hope so.

-Jake

Oldtimr

You would be wrong! Phil said they did away all tagging requirements. At least if a person gets caught without tagging the bird the officers can cite them and take the bird. additionally they can could only have the number of tags for the number of legal birds they can kill. By allowing people to transport birds without a tag it will be a free for all, and a percentage of the hunters will kill all they can. My state requires a tag before the bird is moved and we still have clowns killing too many. You have way too much faith in human nature.

Bocajnala

The only change is the requirements of taking the bird to a physical check station. And it's only temporary.

Although as I said before- many states are headed this direction and it's a good thing. I used to have to drive 23 miles to my closest check station. And there was no need for it. Poachers still poached. And I didn't start poaching when the law changed. Neither did anybody that I hunted with.

I'm in law enforcement in a city of nearly 200k people. I understand how people behave. It's not a matter of putting too much faith in anyone. People are already poaching. They aren't going to start because of a change in tagging requirements. Bag limits still exist.

I'm guessing Phil won't poach any turkeys this year. Neither will OT or myself. Kelly I think commented on the thread. I doubt he'll do any poaching this year. Where are all these bum hunters that suddenly turn into poachers because of a slight procedural change this year?

My point is not that people aren't poaching. My point is that they already are. This won't add a bunch more. It might add a few more, but it's not going to destroy the turkey population. Just like it hasn't in Ohio.

-Jake

Bocajnala

What may impact your population is the amount of people with time to hunt this year. I know guys in Ohio planning on going out that have never hunted turkey before. Just because they have time off this year.

-Jake

Oldtimr

When Phil said they did away with all tagging requirements I thought he meant they no longer did not have to put the temp tag on after the kill, that is what it sounded like to me. I do agree that check stations are a waste of time and a great inconvenience for hunters and it does no increase the reporting rate for deer or turkeys. Other states around us who have check stations have told us their report rates are no higher than theirs and they have a pretty high number of people who do not go to the check stations for the same reason that hunters do not tag big game in our state, to kill more than they are allowed. We have bear check stations mainly for collecting biological data that could not be collected without them that is important to manage the bear populations.

Bocajnala

My understanding, which is the result of a very quick Google search and Phil could 'fill' in allot more accurate info no doubt, is that in Maine you have to attach a transportation tag to get the to the check station to check your turkey where they issue you a permanent tag.

Because you don't have to go to a check station this season there is not a transportation tag needed either.

But they still require a turkey permit and still have bag limits.

-Jake

Oldtimr

That is what I understood from Phil's post, no tag what-so-ever. That is a license to steal in my educated opinion the issue. Attaching a tag does prevent over the limit killing, not all, but enough for it to be worth while. People are pretty much the same all over based on my conversations with Wardens from Maine to Florida and Maine has just left a door open that more than you may think will walk through.

Champlain Islander

Here in Vermont we have a strict check in requirement for all big game including turkey. Due to Covid19 they have said check in through F&W website. They have the hope that people will cooperate and the biological data will still be submitted. Knowing human nature and sportsmanship they will get a high compliance rate. Unfortunately that 5 percent that doesn't follow the rules will have a license to steal.

Oldtimr

5 percent? Sorry it is a lot more than that. Sadly game departments continually put forth a very low number of scoff laws and outlaws. The enforcement officers know better than that. Just look at the annual number of prosecutions and then do the math with the number of hunters in your state. Granted, it is a small number of outlaws compared to the number of hunters, however, even if it is only 10% of a million hunters, it is a significant number and it is minimized for public relation reasons with non hunters.

Bocajnala

I'm guessing that 5% is quite low. But... My point being this: I think that 5% is doing it whether there is a physical check station, or a self report system.

There may be a slight increase with a self report. But my guess is it's not much. And most of those who would increase those numbers would have eventually been breaking the law anyway.

I don't think it's enough of an increase to impact a population.

Of course, I could be wrong.

I think either way Phil- get out there and get your turkey this spring!

Why are they adding days to the season? Just cause people are home and they want people to have more opportunities? That seems like a good thing to me right now.

- Jake