WA Hunt reporting

[Polishrifleman]

So, as a hunter in Wa. we are requested to input our hunting activity by the 31st of Jan. or we are charged $10 next time we buy our license.

The information requested is something like:
How many Days did you hunt?
What GMU (location) did you hunt?
Were you successful?

I figure this is to track information to help with their job ie. harvest stats, hunter activity, heavily hunted areas and also provide us hunters with informaiton on high success rate areas etc...

Evidently that isn't the case. I was late filling in my paperwork, my fault $10 no biggie but I still wanted to give my activity information so their records were more accurate. I called WDFW because it locks the online form for access after Jan. 31.

Basic statement from the state is pay the $10 we don't have a way to re-access the system. I have left a voicemail with the regional director to voice my thoughts but no word yet.

My question is why have it? and What are fellow Wa. hunters opinions of the system?

I want to concentrate on this one policy and not turn WDFW into a punching bag.

If the main goal is to raise $10 from those of us that forget why not just increase the license fee across the board.

If it really isn't about the money and it is about data collection then create a tool that doesn't allow any license until the proper information is filled out and charge a fee on top of it.

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[C&H]

Most likely, you didn't hear between the lines.
"...we don't have a way to re-access the system..."
If I heard that I would think that there is no provision in the system for a front-end employee to add information after the system has been locked. There are several possible operations reasons for this, though I can think of four scenarios off the top of my head...

1. Analysis of the input has begun and there just isn't enough staff or properly skilled staff on hand to deal with a changing data set.
2. Input has been shut-off to front-line employees because they don't want anyone making exceptions for someone with a good excuse by adding their feedback and cancelling the $10 fee. You'd be surprised at the badgering that phone staff have to deal with - and if you aren't, you know what I'm talking about.
3. The person you talked to just doesn't know a workaround to add the info without also automatically canceling the $10 fee, and therefore won't enter your information.
4. Their system just doesn't have a provision for charging someone the extra $10 if the requested data is present in the system.

 

[iusmc2002]

I'm sorry, I don't see the point of the penalty/reward purpose of this reporting. If you're a good boy and tell them what you did, you get some good boy points. If not, you get charged $10. They don't GIVE you $10 for reporting on time, but they'll sure as **** take it away from you!