New Requirement for Turkey Hunters in 2016

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEW REQUIREMENT FOR TURKEY HUNTERS IN 2016: IMMEDIATE REPORTING OF HARVEST

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. (March 1, 2016) – Planning on getting a gobbler this year?  Hunters heading to the woods for the upcoming turkey season will have something new to remember, the reporting of all harvested turkeys, according to the Georgia Department of Natural Resources’ Wildlife Resources Division.

All turkey hunters, including those under 16 years of age, landowners, honorary, lifetime, and sportsman license holders, must obtain a free harvest record each season.  Before moving a harvested turkey, hunters are required to immediately enter the date and county on the harvest record, and within 72 hours, must complete the reporting process through Georgia Game Check.

“The reporting of turkey harvests on the Georgia Game Check system will provide nearly instant access to basic harvest information during and after the hunting season,” said Tina Johannsen, Program Operations Manager with the Game Management Section of the Wildlife Resources Division.  “This data will provide county level information for hunters and land managers, assists conservation rangers in enforcing game laws, and informs management decisions made by professional biologists.”

Access to a free harvest record is available online through the Wildlife Resources Division license system (www.georgiawildlife.com) or through a license vendor or by phone (1-800-366-2661).  Deer hunters already are familiar with obtaining a new harvest record each year, and the new harvest record meets the requirement for hunting both turkey and deer for the 2016 season.  Hunters will need to enter the information from their harvest record through Georgia Game Check within 72 hours.  Alternately, hunters who have cell service can use the new Outdoors GA app (available for free from the Apple or Google Play store) or go online to report their harvest and complete the harvest record and Georgia Game Check requirement at one time.  If you are uncertain of cell service availability, it is recommended to have a backup paper harvest record.

For more information on the harvest record or the Georgia Game Check System and how to enter your success, visitwww.georgiawildlife.com/HarvestRecordGeorgiaGameCheck.