How do they determine the harvest stats for general tags?

[alexanderg23]

So I bought a general tag for ID mule deer. What I'm trying to determine is how do they know the harvest #'s and # of hunters per zone? Do I have to declare what zone I'm hunting in?

How do they know if someone hunts in that zone, but doesn't harvest a deer?

 

[sdfuller]

Because the government is always watching you!








In NV you have to fill out a hunt questionnaire that asks things like days scouted, days hunted, unit of kill, weapon type, etc. I'm sure Idaho does something similar

 

[Idahohillboy]

When you call in to buy another tag they interview you over the phone or at the vendor. Or your supposed to report or they call you after the season and do a survey. Those stats are not the end all be all but should be a decent indicator. However this years deer numbers in central to south Idaho are down statewide.

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[mtnkid85]

In Montana they call after the season and ask all those questions. Its all voluntary so I'm sure some guys get missed.

 

[idelkslayer]

You are supposed to go online within 10 days of harvest or within 10 days of the end of the season and fill out a report stating which units you hunted in and how many days in each unit. They also do random phone surveys after the season is over.

 

[OZapo]

Not sure how they do it in Idaho but in Colorado I've given 2 hunt reports for 6 seasons. I was called after an archery season to give them my hunt report and two years ago I was emailed a link to fill out a post hunt survey. That tells me that they randomly survey hunters and make an educated guess on harvest numbers. I think Colorado also does flyovers to get an idea of herd numbers, maybe not every year but maybe every other year.