I wouldn’t mind a better system for mandatory reporting. My father law said in Wisconsin you had X amount of time to go to a check station to get your animal tagged and a butcher could not accept without such tag. Total number of licenses and amount of kill tags issued would be more accurate than a 10$ fee. The fee only to me shows that on the $’s are cared about, not animal populations.
That would work for tags that are filled, but I suspect the vast majority of tags that aren't reported are for unfilled or unused tags.
That’s ok. My thought is at least we have a better gauge on the actual number of harvested animals. The only ones not included would be those who self-butcher. Which I assume is a small %. Then just charge the 10$ or 15$ (since there would be less unreported kills) for anyone who does not report. Whether the tag is unused or I unfilled will be irrelevant. They are the same to me, no animal was harvested from their truck or couch. I don’t care how many people actually had time to go hunting. I just want an accurate take of animals taken. Trend reports would mean more that way. As it is now you can’t trust any number. I could fill my tag every year and just pay the 10$. No system is perfect but it could definitely improve
