# Ohio deer check in ?!?!?!?!?



## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

What the heck??? I got out for the first time Monday afternoon. It may be a good thing I didn't get one. It seems all the check stations I know of are not check stations any longer

A coworker asked if I'm using the "phone or internet"? I tried the number listed at ODNR. It is "not valid"...

What the heck? Are we exempt this year?


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## T-180 (Oct 18, 2005)

Go to the DNR website or the regulation book to look up check stations in your area. Several in my area have changed as well & those businesses that choose not to do it any longer don't get any business from me.
The phone / internet check in doesn't start until next year, I'm pretty sure.


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## BigV (Nov 11, 2004)

The new system takes affect March, 2011.


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## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

T-180 said:


> Go to the DNR website or the regulation book to look up check stations in your area. Several in my area have changed as well & those businesses that choose not to do it any longer don't get any business from me.
> The phone / internet check in doesn't start until next year, I'm pretty sure.


That's the problem. One is on the other side of the county. The other one is only open Thursday through Saturday.

The Ohio website is useless. It lists check stations that were not check stations *LAST* year.


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## fakebait (Jun 18, 2006)

It seems to me to be a big waste of time and money anyways. When I lived in PA. there were no check in places. You just mailed in your harvest report card to Game Commission after you harvested a Deer or Turkey. If someone going to cheat the system they will anyways no matter what you put in place. More wasted time and money by ODNR. The bad reporting would not be big enough skew in the numbers to change most outcomes. Quit wasting or hard earned dollars and place into to land or worth while projects!


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

fakebait said:


> It seems to me to be a big waste of time and money anyways. When I lived in PA. there were no check in places. You just mailed in your harvest report card to Game Commission after you harvested a Deer or Turkey. If someone going to cheat the system they will anyways no matter what you put in place. More wasted time and money by ODNR. The bad reporting would not be big enough skew in the numbers to change most outcomes. Quit wasting or hard earned dollars and place into to land or worth while projects!


That's such a rediculous statement, I don't even know where to start.
Ohio's DNR runs circles around what they do in PA...friggin CIRCLES. Ohio has one of the premier deer herds in the US, and it's due to the management practices of the ODNR.
Conversely, PA has one of the worst deer herds in the US due to the crappy management practices of the Commonwealth.
I assure you the ODNR is not "wasting" hard earned dollars and they aquire as much land as possible.
Feel free to go hunt in PA and NOT have to go to a check in station.


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## T-180 (Oct 18, 2005)

Also, check the closest county to you as there may be a check station much closer there. Closest one for me by far is in the neighboring county.
System seems to have done a decent job for many years IMO. Of course cheaters will cheat, but let's not make it too easy.


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

Bubbagon said:


> That's such a rediculous statement, I don't even know where to start.
> Ohio's DNR runs circles around what they do in PA...friggin CIRCLES. Ohio has one of the premier deer herds in the US, and it's due to the management practices of the ODNR.
> Conversely, PA has one of the worst deer herds in the US due to the crappy management practices of the Commonwealth.
> I assure you the ODNR is not "wasting" hard earned dollars and they aquire as much land as possible.
> Feel free to go hunt in PA and NOT have to go to a check in station.


I agree with this completely.

I'm entirely against this new call in system. I bet there is a record number of antlerless deer checked in next season.


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## BigV (Nov 11, 2004)

I believe this new call in system is a great move by the ODNR!!
This same process is followed my many other states and it works well for them. 

I hunt in a rural section of Ohio and the nearest check-in station is almost 30 minutes away. This will allow me more time in the woods hunting instead of driving into town. 

As with any outdoor sport, there will be those that choose to disregard the law and take more than their legal number of deer, or fail to check them in by phone, but the vast majority of outdoorsmen (and women) will choose to do the right thing and follow the law. 

This new check-by-phone method will not change that.


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

BigV said:


> I believe this new call in system is a great move by the ODNR!!
> This same process is followed my many other states and it works well for them.
> 
> I hunt in a rural section of Ohio and the nearest check-in station is almost 30 minutes away. This will allow me more time in the woods hunting instead of driving into town.
> ...


Your not gonna come out of the woods to run into town to check a deer unless you have allready killed, besides you have untill 8pm the following day with the exception of the last day of season to check the deer anyhow.

I agree this new method dosnt change those allready disregarding the laws. I just feel like there will be lots of people that kill small bucks will call in a doe so they can keep thier buck tag. Unless I misunderstand how this works, there really isnt anyway to keep people from doing it. I believe thats a very similar problem in PA and I know its a problem in KY. I have buddies who hunt in KY and they say people do it all the time.


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## fakebait (Jun 18, 2006)

Well Bubbagon the Pa deer herd has taken big hits due to out of state as well as in state over bagging and poaching. When every hunter in Pa bags only bucks and the doe populations goes decades untouched. There is more to the story than you will ever know. It is all right that you disagree but ; to come across so nasty with such attitude is what keeps getting posted on here about controlling your behavior. You have no right to come at me the way you have. Simply say you disagree. I do not know if your the type we want roaming our woods with weapons! This is why people are leaving this site because of adult bullys like yourself. Control yourself and agree to to diagree.


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## BassBlaster (Jun 8, 2006)

fakebait said:


> Well Bubbagon the Pa deer herd has taken big hits due to out of state as well as in state over bagging and poaching. When every hunter in Pa bags only bucks and the doe populations goes decades untouched. There is more to the story than you will ever know. It is all right that you disagree but ; to come across so nasty with such attitude is what keeps getting posted on here about controlling your behavior. You have no right to come at me the way you have. Simply say you disagree. I do not know if your the type we want roaming our woods with weapons! This is why people are leaving this site because of adult bullys like yourself. Control yourself and agree to to diagree.


Same could be said for you, just say you disagree and move on. You didnt, you chose to give your opinion as did he. He never "came at you", he just has a different opinion than you. How does his opinion on deer management determine his safety as a hunter. The only personal attacks Ive read are the ones you just posted.


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## fakebait (Jun 18, 2006)

Well Bassblaster I agree with you I was wrong to reply to his post. I just do not like being invited to leave my home state because of my views to hunt elsewhere.


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## lil goose (Oct 16, 2009)

Fakebait, you are right outlaws will be outlaws ethical hunters will be ethical hunters! What is stopping anyone now from shooting a small buck and tagging it with a doe tag? The last time a check in station actually placed the tag on any of my deer was 3yrs ago anymore they hand you the band and say congrats! or shoot a small buck bring it home and cut it up without tagging it at all? Like i said outlaws will be outlaws! I am not defending pa. deer management that is something else altogether but they are making some progress with the antler restrictions from what i hear!


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## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

I talked to WildOhio via phone today. Everybody I talked with was very cordial and professional(and I was transferred several times). I have an updated list of current check stations.

The last guy got a chuckle when I complained about the convoluted doe tag system. I told him I "...needed a lawyer and accountant to figure out which tag to use...".

He said many outlets are opting out due it costing money or time away from their normal duties.

By the way... If you miss *ONE* number when dialing the 800 number, you get a sultry sounding lady who wants to give an erotic massage...


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## Bonecrusher (Aug 7, 2010)

fakebait said:


> It seems to me to be a big waste of time and money anyways. When I lived in PA. there were no check in places. You just mailed in your harvest report card to Game Commission after you harvested a Deer or Turkey. If someone going to cheat the system they will anyways no matter what you put in place. More wasted time and money by ODNR. The bad reporting would not be big enough skew in the numbers to change most outcomes. Quit wasting or hard earned dollars and place into to land or worth while projects!



I agree with a lot of this statement. For the last 5 years every year I have called in at least 3 poachers in the county I hunt. Some of these guys are people I used to hunt with until I got sick of the illegal ways they went about hunting. This ranged from Trespassing to not tagging deer to night hunting. I have been keeping a close eye on these guys and not once has anything been checked up on by ODNR or a game warden. I do believe that when Ohio goes to the automated check system in 10 years our heard will look about the same as the PA heard. 

How ever in ragrds to the check stations that I have gone through in 24 years of hunting they have always banded the deer. I have never been handed a band and heard congragulations. I think the check stations are neccesary and they serve an excellent purpose. The problem is the station is only compensated a minimal ammount. It does not seem worth it to them to go away from normal buisness to check a deer. 

Just a thought here but maybe some people that are on disability or workers comp from jobs that are considered strenous could be employed for minimum wage to sit at a station and check deer.


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## Bonemann (Jan 28, 2008)

There are a couple of places near me that still sell
licenses and tags but no longer check deer. The 
owners told me that they need to put extra people
on and that the hunters (sometimes) fill the parking
lot and regular customers don't want to stop if the
place looks too busy. And they make nothing for
doing the tagging and also get hassled if they make 
a mistake. All in all it's a loosing situation for them.

I also agree that no matter what system is in place
if your going to cheat your going to cheat.

Also from what I've read there will still be places that
check deer it's not going to be call in or internet only.


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## Carpn (Apr 5, 2004)

I am all for the telecheck. If anything it will allow us to police our own ranks...I know in KY you have access to the check in log. For example you hear that old man Smith shot a pretty nice buck opening day...You can log into the check in records for your county and see if Mr Smith checked in a deer...Or you can see if Mrs Smith checked in a deer on the same day that you heard about Mr smith shooting a nice buck.


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## Bubbagon (Mar 8, 2010)

Well, I didn't think I was exactly attacking you Fakebait, but I apologize if you took it that way. I thought I was just vehemently disagreeing.
I'm WELL aware of the PA situation and how they got to where they are. I've made it my business to study it for several years now. And what you say about the overharvesting of bucks and virtually non-harvest of does is very true. It's also something that can very much be controlled by the PA game Commission.
But there has also been ample opportunity for the Commonwealth to step in and regulate the situation, instead they just promoted that old school "I got my buck" mentality. Gary Alt tried to fix the situation and got run out of town...death threats...the whole deal.
They are screwed.
Conversely, The ODNR has a wonderful reputation for properly managing Ohio's deer herd through regulations and bag limits. They are severely underfunded and are very mindful of wasting tax dollars.


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## I Fish (Sep 24, 2008)

I always hated the fact I had to drive 45 minutes round trip to tag in deer, but that was/is the law. I understand why businesses don't want to mess with it anymore, however, most got a good boost in business due to the extra people coming in with no other reason than to check in deer. Usually, these hunters would end up buying something in the process.

Yes, I have been handed a tag with a congatulations. I know of several people who will put the tag in, but not close it completly, just make it look good. Then, cut that deer up and put it in the freezer and re-use the tag the next day or two. Like has been said, outlaws will be outlaws.

I guess the problem I see with the new system is what happens when the DNR's computers crash, or there are more calls than the system can handle? Have you ever called the 800 number on a lottery ticket the night of a drawing? With most check stations no longer available, if you are in a camp or at a place with no cell service, then what? 

I wish they would just do this by mail. It could be so much easier. Just have a business reply card with each temporary tag. When you get a deer, fill out the card, put a stamp on it, drop it in the mail. Not much simpler than that.


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