New Online License Puchase

[Biggy]

A little late, but I just completed my online purchase for the 2012 season. I found it easy to complete. More than a little surprised to find that we went from the small, easily folded and "pocketable" license and tags to 4 full size sheets of paper. But hey, it's going to save millions on costs so I'm just happy to be doing my part and helping out the commonwealth.

After all, they know what's best for me anyway...

 

[stinger35]

I looked at the online thing yesterday. I didn't realize they turned it into a four page deal now. So much for that federal save paper act.

 

[Biggy]

I looked at the online thing yesterday. I didn't realize they turned it into a four page deal now. So much for that federal save paper act.

It's not too bad. With a pair of scissors it'll break down into a manageble size and should fit in any of the standard plastic holders out there. I just wasn't planning on arts-n-crafts hour.

 

[SJan]

It's not too bad. With a pair of scissors it'll break down into a manageble size and should fit in any of the standard plastic holders out there. I just wasn't planning on arts-n-crafts hour.

I had to trim the borders right up to the print in order to get everything folded neatly into my plastic holder thingy

 

[pcgod]

It was easy but how do I get a hip number to hunt timbersnipe (woodcock)

Note: I did the survey so maybe thats it

 

[SJan]

So you folks paid The Div. of Fakers and Wankers, a buck and ahalf convience fee to print your own license, using your paper and your ink. Then IIRC there is a three dollar fee for using the credit card. Boy! Have they got you folks figured out.

I would have burned at least 2 gallons of gas in my truck driving somewhere to buy my licenses, so in the end its all the same to me

 

[Madmarek]

I heard you will be able to check in deer online this year.
Not joking.
I will see if I can find the email from Mass Div.

 

[SJan]

What the nearest town hall over ten miles away?? No, didn't think so, So who you Bullshitting?

OK you got me, approximately 12 mile round trip. My old piece of crap gets about 15mpg 'round town....

anyway, I see your point about getting bent over for ridiculous fees.

eta: Another problem with myself and I'm sure some others is getting to town hall during business hours.

 

[Colt Delta Elite]

What the nearest town hall over ten miles away?? No, didn't think so, So who you Bullshitting?

Town Halls no longer sell licenses on the lower Cape not sure about the rest of the state.

 

[Mark from MA]

This is the first year I won't be buying in ma. The deer herd sucks the antis suck and the dfw couldn't manage a 50 acre fenced game ranch. Fxck this state. Even though it's only 45 bucks ill invest it elsewhere. They can shove that convience fee where the sun don't shine deep

 

[Acme.Armament]

So you folks paid The Div. of Fakers and Wankers, a buck and ahalf convience fee to print your own license, using your paper and your ink. Then IIRC there is a three dollar fee for using the credit card. Boy! Have they got you folks figured out.

Look at the License fees in NH. So much for freedom. http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Licensing/license_prices.htm

For me in MA, my license and fees total $63.55. If I lived in NH the same would cost $144.50.

eta: Another problem with myself and I'm sure some others is getting to town hall during business hours.

Town Halls no longer sell licenses on the lower Cape not sure about the rest of the state.

True about Town Hall availability. If you go to, http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/recreation/licensing/vendors/license_vendors.htm and click the district your in it will give you a list of walk in locations. I see 1? on the Cape with it in Orleans and one in Chilmark (not sure if your on the island).

 

[Colt Delta Elite]

Look at the License fees in NH. So much for freedom. http://www.wildlife.state.nh.us/Licensing/license_prices.htm

For me in MA, my license and fees total $63.55. If I lived in NH the same would cost $144.50.






True about Town Hall availability. If you go to, http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/recreation/licensing/vendors/license_vendors.htm and click the district your in it will give you a list of walk in locations. I see 1? on the Cape with it in Orleans and one in Chilmark (not sure if your on the island).

Used to be everybody sold them now there's one place on the Cape? lol. F Mass I'll never spend a dime hunting in this State again just not worth it.

 

[el duderino]

Yep, it was about 65$ for a sporting license, turkey tag, required woodlands stamp and saltwater fishing license. I think city hall still issues the reg permits but as I understand it the saltwater permit is only available at 3 places, closest being Gloucester.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

This is the first year I won't be buying in ma. The deer herd sucks the antis suck and the dfw couldn't manage a 50 acre fenced game ranch. Fxck this state. Even though it's only 45 bucks ill invest it elsewhere. They can shove that convience fee where the sun don't shine deep

I am almost there myself. The new check in procedures will put a serious hurting on what is left of the deer herd in Western MA. I already spend more time hunting in CT than I do in Mass.

Bob

 

[Mark from MA]

NH is crazy expensive. Their deer herd sucks as well. I hunt CT archery only and that's gone nuts too. But at least I'm shooting all the deer I want for my money. I pass up more deer in ct than I'd see in ma or nh in ten years of hunting.

 

[pupchow]

I am almost there myself. The new check in procedures will put a serious hurting on what is left of the deer herd in Western MA. I already spend more time hunting in CT than I do in Mass.

Bob

http://www.eregulations.com/massach...-game-harvest-reporting-a-new-and-better-way/

"If you choose to use the online game harvest reporting system yourself, you will see a form asking for basic information: the same information sportsmen have always been asked to provide at traditional game check stations. For example, if you check in a turkey, you may be asked to measure and report the spur length and indicate if the bird is an adult or a juvenile. The DFW will provide helpful guides/information online on how to collect this biological information. Biological data on deer, however, will only be collected by biologists. Although harvested deer can be reported online during the archery and primitive firearms seasons, online checking will be closed during the deer shotgun season. All deer hunters will be required to check their deer at a traditional check station during this season.

In addition to saving the sportsmen time and money, online game harvest reporting also benefits DFW biologists and the Environmental Police. For example, once the hunter submits the game harvest report, a law enforcement officer in the field can call in or access the computer database for an instant enforcement check, much as a police officer can check driver license and vehicle registration information. DFW biologists will also have instant access to game harvest reports, enabling a significant increase in the efficiency and speed of harvest data collection. Under the traditional system, biologists have had to enter and analyze data from over 15,000 handwritten “kill cards” every year. With online reporting, they will receive the data more quickly and in a form they can readily analyze, thus reducing data entry costs and speeding the release of harvest data to the public. It’s a win-win situation for hunters, biologists, and law enforcement officers."


I don't see it as all that bad a system, but the mandatory check-in for deer during shotgun seems contradictory to the justification of online check-in?

 

[HorizontalHunter]

NH is crazy expensive. Their deer herd sucks as well. I hunt CT archery only and that's gone nuts too. But at least I'm shooting all the deer I want for my money. I pass up more deer in ct than I'd see in ma or nh in ten years of hunting.

That is why I hunt Connecticut most of the time as well. Call me crazy but I like to see a deer once in a while when I am hunting.

I hunted Mass only during our gun seasons the only deer I saw in Mass during the shotgun and muzzleloader season I harvested on December 1st. I did not see another deer, not even a flag, through the end of the season. I am retired so I hunt quite a bit.

http://www.eregulations.com/massach...-game-harvest-reporting-a-new-and-better-way/

"If you choose to use the online game harvest reporting system yourself, you will see a form asking for basic information: the same information sportsmen have always been asked to provide at traditional game check stations. For example, if you check in a turkey, you may be asked to measure and report the spur length and indicate if the bird is an adult or a juvenile. The DFW will provide helpful guides/information online on how to collect this biological information. Biological data on deer, however, will only be collected by biologists. Although harvested deer can be reported online during the archery and primitive firearms seasons, online checking will be closed during the deer shotgun season. All deer hunters will be required to check their deer at a traditional check station during this season.

In addition to saving the sportsmen time and money, online game harvest reporting also benefits DFW biologists and the Environmental Police. For example, once the hunter submits the game harvest report, a law enforcement officer in the field can call in or access the computer database for an instant enforcement check, much as a police officer can check driver license and vehicle registration information. DFW biologists will also have instant access to game harvest reports, enabling a significant increase in the efficiency and speed of harvest data collection. Under the traditional system, biologists have had to enter and analyze data from over 15,000 handwritten “kill cards” every year. With online reporting, they will receive the data more quickly and in a form they can readily analyze, thus reducing data entry costs and speeding the release of harvest data to the public. It’s a win-win situation for hunters, biologists, and law enforcement officers."


I don't see it as all that bad a system, but the mandatory check-in for deer during shotgun seems contradictory to the justification of online check-in?

The convenience of the new system is great for hunter. I use a similar system in Connecticut and it is very convenient but since the new system was instituted I have been seeing fewer deer every season. Granted, last season was a strange season and it is just "my perception" but I don't care what the DEEP in Connecticut says, or DFW in Mass, in regard to deer numbers. What matters to me is what I see. At least in Connecticut they do an aerial survey every three years or so to confirm what the deer herd is doing. In Mass there is no such mechanism to verify. The numbers are nothing but a WAG.

My biggest concern with the new system is that there will be no way for the EPO's to verify that a doe is properly tagged with a tag for that zone. It happens a lot now and EPOs have caught people checking a deer in Western Mass with a zone 10 tag that was still warm and bleeding. Now there will be no mechanism to catch these guys and what is left of the deer herd in Western Mass is going to get creamed.

The new system is all about money. The DFW eliminates its printing expenses for licenses and abstracts, doesn't have the expense of manning check in stations during the archery and muzzleloader seasons with a biologist, gets us to do the data entry for them, and charges us a convenience fee to boot. It really frosts my a$$ as well.

Bob

 

[Mark from MA]

I've taken my share of deer in ma and nh mostly with the bow. But it takes a lot of time and working full time it's tough. I think the herd is taking a hit as well in central western ma. Definately don't see them like I used to. Dfw needs to cease all doe permits west of Worcester and stop all quabbin hunts.

Anyway I just focus on ct I see deer every day I hunt down there and pass more than I shoot, it's nice to see them and be able to be selective. Rather than having to shoot the first deer u see cause it's likely to be the only one you'll see.

The new system is all about money and it's unlikely to work in ma. Ma gun hunters tend to be driving kill em all slobs and will probably abuse the system. We don't have nearly the deer herd to replace the poaching that will happen. Not that that stuff doesn't happen already with tag trading and doe permits.

 

[HorizontalHunter]

I've taken my share of deer in ma and nh mostly with the bow. But it takes a lot of time and working full time it's tough. I think the herd is taking a hit as well in central western ma. Definately don't see them like I used to. Dfw needs to cease all doe permits west of Worcester and stop all quabbin hunts.

Anyway I just focus on ct I see deer every day I hunt down there and pass more than I shoot, it's nice to see them and be able to be selective. Rather than having to shoot the first deer u see cause it's likely to be the only one you'll see.

The new system is all about money and it's unlikely to work in ma. Ma gun hunters tend to be driving kill em all slobs and will probably abuse the system. We don't have nearly the deer herd to replace the poaching that will happen. Not that that stuff doesn't happen already with tag trading and doe permits.

I was one of the "lucky 19" hunters on the Prescott hunt this year taking a 5 pointer. Almost a third of the deer taken (that I personally saw) were under 80 lbs. DFW really missed the boat with Quabbin IMO. When they opened it up they could (should IMO) have instituted antler restrictions and managed it as a "trophy zone" controlling the herd with unlimited doe permits.

The state could have charged a lot more for the raffle and hunters would be beating down the doors. It would have been a win-win for all involved. Instead they slaughtered the herd to the point that 350 hunters shoot 19 deer in two full days of hunting. It is pathetic. Now they are trying to get hunters to hunt multiple segments because the hunters know the herd is shot out and the hunters don't want to pony up the money for the lottery to not see deer. They can do that for "free" on the WMA's in Western and Central Mass. I know that I am done with it and I won't go back. I have continued to hunt Prescott as it is the only way you can get out there and it is beautiful but I am done paying extra for nothing.

Bob

 

[Biggy]

I was one of the "lucky 19" hunters on the Prescott hunt this year taking a 5 pointer. Almost a third of the deer taken (that I personally saw) were under 80 lbs. DFW really missed the boat with Quabbin IMO. When they opened it up they could (should IMO) have instituted antler restrictions and managed it as a "trophy zone" controlling the herd with unlimited doe permits.

I agree with you, Bob. Saw 1 flag in New Salem hunt this year, with only 7 deer checked out on the first day. I almost got steamrolled by an adult bull moose, which made the whole hunt worth it, but it's gone way down hill. Unfortunetly, it was never about making a trophy zone, it was always and will always be about water quaility and simple culling of numbers, but I'm sure I don't have to tell you that.

I'm not sure how this new system will work out. As far as poachers/cheaters, they will always be there and someone will always try to beat the system. I just try to do my part by being ethical in my ways, paying my way, and reporting those things that I see that are illegal/unethical. I like hunting close to home and will continue to do so, but am also considering "going back to camp" in NY or CT. We used to do VT every year but never saw deer in the numbers we did here. Had a great time every time, but then again, I think most guys can agree that "deer camp" isn't always about making a kill....

 

[el duderino]

Had a great time every time, but then again, I think most guys can agree that "deer camp" isn't always about making a kill....

Agreed Some family friends have a deer camp on the shore of moosehead lake up in maine, ive been there a couple times, and as I understand it nobodys taken a deer out of there in many years. Seen plenty of moose though, still a good time.