Harvest reports what's the point?

[steen]

I always report accurately but wonder how to count points.  Do you count the eye-guards as a point or not?  This year was the first time they charged me for not  reporting and I think it was their mistake and not mine but I could be wrong.  I didn't check my license to see if I wrote all the confirmation #s down.  This year I only have two tags to report so it will be simpler.

[STIKNSTRINGBOW]

I think the fee is just for missing one piece of your reporting.  Obviously the more animals you are hunting and the different seasons increase your risk for forgetting to report.  For instance you report your deer and elk harvest but wait till spring bear season is over, but forget to report the bear harvest info.   I am pretty sure it is 10 bucks if you don't report any of your hunts or if you forget one piece of your report.

Spring bear is over by June, fall season ends Nov., if you are still waiting, no wonder  ...

[pianoman9701]

Guys, as far as purposely not reporting or reporting falsely is concerned, if you're not going by the rules and doing what you can toward game management, you've got nothing to say when the WDFW does something you don't like. Either you're in it 100% or you aren't. You don't get to pick and choose.

[Practical Approach]

I think the fee is just for missing one piece of your reporting.  Obviously the more animals you are hunting and the different seasons increase your risk for forgetting to report.  For instance you report your deer and elk harvest but wait till spring bear season is over, but forget to report the bear harvest info.   I am pretty sure it is 10 bucks if you don't report any of your hunts or if you forget one piece of your report.

Spring bear is over by June, fall season ends Nov., if you are still waiting, no wonder  ...

Your right, I don't hunt bear so shows what I know.  I guess I was trying to help make excuses for folks.

[Sitka_Blacktail]

I'd like to see Washington go the same route as in Alaska. If you don't report, you don't get a license next year.

If you're not reporting or falsely reporting, you're part of the problem.

[gaddy]

way to start there sitka.

[Special T]

I cant disagree with the real NEED for hunters to report truthfully... It is our ethical responsibility. However as a tool it is less effectve. More info does not equil better info. 

[gaddy]

but if its factual info, its usefull info

[Special T]

Bingo! when you start doing statistac anaylis you have the potential to magnify the effect of false data. That is why  a "clean" smaller sample is more useful than a compleate survey that has 100% partisipation with unknown ammounts of misinformation. You always get it, but the more you can do to eliminate it the better.
I think the percentage of reporters that were provided earlier are a great indicator that his is about money not information, because the fine has not changed the reporting significantly. 

[coachcw]

the only people that pay the peniltys for not reporting are licenced hunts so lets hit there pockets some more. just seems like its always about the money , i like the thaught of have a statistical system thats really accuarate but this one really isnt way to many holes in the data. with bad data they can spin there findings any way they feel fit and ussaully the licenced hunters get screwed again .

[bobcat]

Wait a second.... aren't ALL hunters "licensed hunters"?

[MtnMuley]

The way I see it:  Report truthfully. I don't see any positives for reporting dishonestly. What would happen if you fell victim to a search warrant, and here were all these legally harvasested  animals that were reported as "unsuccessful" or "did not hunt"? Be pretty silly explaining that one.

[ICEMAN]

My guess is that guys just don't report which GMU they concentrated their efforts in, and how many days.  If a guy has a quick success in a GMU, does he want this information readily available to all the other hunters? This is one problem with the statistics being available to the public. Some folks wish to keep their hunting grounds off the radar and I imagine that this type of false reporting occurs more than anything else.

[trophyhunt]

Wait a second.... aren't ALL hunters "licensed hunters"?

not the indian hunters.

[coachcw]

Right bobcat , I'll call the unlicenced hunters HARVESTERS the problem is they harvest more than we do . If you want to be sickined take a drive over to the spot I showed your buddy a couple years back and see whats going on ( you know the area ) my whole oppionion and the scale of the problem really has changed in the last few weeks .