Proposed deer harvest reporting system

http://myfwc.com/recreation/Deer_hrs.htm
Proposed Deer Harvest Reporting System for Florida

May 19, 2010

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission approved a Strategic Plan for Deer Management in Florida: 2008-2018 in February 2008. An objective in the strategic plan is to develop and implement a method to reliably determine how many and where deer are harvested annually. This objective was identified as a top priority by both FWC staff and stakeholders. Currently, harvest estimates are developed from a survey of hunters after the season ends. However, this method is limited in its abilities to estimate deer harvest on a county or regional scale. Accurate harvest and hunter effort data are often used as indicators of abundance and are vital to developing a deer population model for Florida. Having accurate harvest information would also aid in developing harvest goals in the future.

The FWC is proposing to implement a deer harvest reporting system for Florida in an effort to collect accurate harvest data. The proposal would require hunters to report any deer harvested using a telephone or computer. Hunters would need to enter some basic information regarding their harvest within a certain amount of time of taking a deer. A confirmation number would be provided and would need to be recorded on a deer harvest record. The proposal would also require taxidermists and meat processors to maintain a record for all deer brought to the facility.

Another top priority outlined in the Strategic Plan for Deer Management in Florida is developing Deer Management Units (DMUs). DMUs are being developed to help manage Florida’s deer populations on a local level to increase our ability to meet the needs and desires of the public. DMUs would be smaller units within deer management zones that are based primarily on habitat. Deer populations within DMUs should have similar characteristics (i.e. reproductive potential, body size, breeding chronology, antler potential, etc). DMUs would be used as a basis for specific population goals, antlerless deer harvest, potential antler restrictions, bag limits and data collection. It is important to establish DMUs at the same time as a harvest reporting system since hunters would need to report deer harvests within DMUs and harvest levels will be important when developing management goals for individual DMUs.

Major components of the project

An accepted, user friendly, telephone and Internet system for reporting deer harvest.
A deer harvest record system that will facilitate enforcement of deer harvest reporting.
A data reporting system that will produce annual and seasonal harvest to staff and the public.
DMUs that will be used for collecting deer harvest data and setting deer management goals.
Note: A tagging system would be considered in the future when season bag limits are proposed.
Harvest reporting system details

Telephone and internet based reporting system available 24 hours a day.
Internet and telephone data would be merged daily.
All deer hunters regardless of age or residency would be required to have a current deer harvest record in their possession while hunting deer. Harvest records would be available free of charge from license vendors, in the annual hunter handbook or could be printed off the internet. Hunters would not be allowed to possess or use multiple deer harvest records. Harvest records would be valid for only one hunting season. All deer hunters would have to obtain a new harvest record for each new deer hunting season.
Hunters would have to record the date and time a deer was harvested along with the sex of the deer on their harvest record prior to field dressing or moving the deer from the point of harvest. A harvested deer would have to be reported the day of harvest (before midnight). Reporting would be mandatory for all hunter harvested deer. A confirmation number would be provided once a deer has been reported and this confirmation number would have to be recorded on the hunter’s deer harvest record. Hunters would not be allowed to hunt on subsequent calendar days until the previous day’s harvest was reporte
After a deer was reported it could be possessed and transported by anyone, but if in possession of anyone other than the taker, it must be labeled with the taker’s first and last name, address, telephone number, and date of harvest.
Taxidermists and meat processors would be required to maintain a record of deer that are dropped off. This would include the taker’s first and last name, address, telephone number, date of harvest and the confirmation number provided after the harvest was reported. Hunters would be required to report their harvest prior to dropping it off at a taxidermist or meat processor.
Required information when reporting a harvest

First and last name of hunter
Customer number (exempt hunters would be required to get a customer number free of charge)
Date of harvest
If harvested on private land, Deer Management Unit (DMU) and county where harvested. If harvested on public land, county and WMA where harvested.
Method of harvest (modern gun, muzzleloading gun, bow or crossbow)
Dog or still hunting
Type of deer (antlered buck, button buck or doe)
Total number of points for antlered bucks
Sample harvest record