For deer hunters heading into the wilderness with a gun next week, there’s now an app for that.Ohio has a new automated game-check system that includes smart phones and computers. While hunters must still report their deer harvest, they are no longer required to take the deer to a check station for a physical inspection. Instead, they have three options to complete the new automated game check:• On the Internet at wild
ohio.com. • By telephone at 877-TAG-ITOH (877-824-4864). This option is available only to those who are required to have a deer permit to hunt deer. • At all license agents. A list of these agents can be found at wildohio.com or by calling 800-WILDLIFE (945-3543). So far, the response to the new options has been positive, said Dave Lane, chief of the Division of Wildlife.Hunters who check their deer on the Internet should make sure they have access to a working printer so the game-check receipt can be printed. Game check requires the hunter to print a receipt. If printing fails, the game-check receipt is available at wildohio.com under the “Manage Your Customer Account” link. Hunters can use their customer identification numbers found at the top of hunting licenses and permits to get access to their account.Hunters can also check game on the Internet with a smart phone, but they must eventually print out a game-check receipt with a permanent tag number printed on it. The game-check receipt is available at wildohio.com under the “Manage Your Customer Account” link.All deer must be checked in by 11:30 p.m. the day of harvest.Carl Bell, 79, of Coventry Township, said he will be hunting in Belmont County and is happy with the new system.“It’s going to save the DNR some money and if we don’t save them money, they are going to have to increase tagging fees again in the next year or so,” he said.However, he worries about how small enterprises will thrive with some hunters bypassing bagging stations and using Internet check-ins. He said many churches, lodges and other community organizations offer dinners, bake sales and other services to hunters as fundraisers and might suffer if the hunters decide to check in online and go right home.The new tagging document is printed out at home and the number obtained online after the deer is killed. A printout is attached to the corpse. Some hunters put the paper in a plastic bag to help protect it as it is taken out of the field.Source: Ohio Department of Natural Resources