|
 LITTLE
ROCK - There has been some confusion over whether spring turkey hunters
will be required to use a tag from the new licensing format. The
confusion arose from an article in the March 24 issue of the Arkansas
Democrat-Gazette. The article said that spring 2005 turkey hunters
would be required to use the new tagging system. That article was
incorrect.
The new tagging
system is set to be in place by the end of July 2005. Since the new
format does not go into effect until the fall hunting seasons of 2005,
hunters will not be required to use license tags for spring turkey
season 2005. The new format for an annual big game license will have
seven tags attached to it. Three tags will be used for the upcoming deer
season, two for fall 2005 turkey season and two for spring 2006 turkey
season. Other hunting licenses will have a varying number of tags
depending on harvest limits connected specifically to the license.
Here's the correct way to check a turkey for the 2005 spring season:
Checking
a turkey at a check station -
Step 1.
Immediately upon killing a turkey and before moving it, punch out the
hole next to the appropriate printed line of your hunting license. Then
fill out the information in ink. Write the zone number in which the game
was taken, not the zone where the turkey is checked. If the
turkey was taken on a wildlife management area, use the WMA zone number.
Hunters under 16 and Lifetime License holders do not complete Step 1.
Step 2. Within 24 hours of taking a turkey, check your own turkey
at an official wildlife check station. Leave the carcass intact,
although entrails may be removed before taking it to the check station.
Step 3. The check station prints its station number on your
license. Check stations do not do this for hunters under 16 or for
Lifetime License holders. The check station will provide a
transportation tag that must remain on the turkey until final processing
and storage by the hunter.
Step 4. If another person has possession of all or part of your
turkey, they must also have in their possession the following
information in writing from you: your name, address, type of game,
number of animals, date of kill and your hunting, fishing or driver's
license number. Hunters under 16 may substitute a Hunter Education card
number or date of birth for the license number.
Checking
a turkey on the Internet -
 Turkeys
may be checked online. The computer takes the place of the check
station. This option is not available for those WMA permit hunts that
require checking game at locations stated on the permit.
After completing Step 1 (above), proceed to Step 2. Within
24 hours of taking a turkey, log on to www.agfc.com and follow
the instructions from the Web site. Until the game is checked online,
leave the carcass intact, although entrails may be removed.
Step 3. The Web site will provide information to you. Record the
game check identification number provided by the Web site on the back of
your license in the space provided for the check station number.
Step 4. If another person has possession of all or part of your
turkey, they must also have in their possession the following
information in writing from you: your name, address, type of game,
number of animals, date of kill and your hunting, fishing or driver's
license number. Hunters under 16 may substitute a Hunter Education card
number or date of birth for the license number |
