Hunters-please fill out your harvest survey
Written by broebling on October 16, 2018
Press Release – The Wyoming Game and Fish Department wants to know how your Wyoming hunt went this year. Many hunters have received, or will begin to receive, a harvest survey via e-mail or the Postal Service. The survey gathers harvest information and feedback on the 2018 hunting season. Hunters’ responses about their season are used in making future wildlife management decisions.
“This harvest survey is the best way to gather large amounts of data from the public. We use the responses to estimate harvest, hunter success and hunter effort,” said Tim Woolley, statewide wildlife and habitat management supervisor. “Hunter feedback is important information and is a valuable tool for monitoring populations and setting future quotas, season dates and other regulations. We appreciate every response.”
All license holders for moose, bighorn sheep, mountain goat, black bear, mountain lion, fall wild turkey, spring wild turkey, furbearer, sandhill crane and light goose conservation order are included in the survey process. Because of the volume of antelope, deer and elk license holders, a random sampling of those licensed hunters are surveyed; not all license holders of those species will receive a request to complete a harvest survey.
Hunters who do receive and complete an antelope, deer or elk harvest survey will be entered in a drawing to win one of several donated prizes as a thank you. Prizes are donated from Ducks Unlimited, Maven Optics, National Wild Turkey Federation, Hi Mountain Jerky, Montana Decoy, onXmaps, Huntin’ Fool, Muley Fanatic Foundation, Whitetails Unlimited, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, Jackson Hole Shooting Experience, National Bowhunter Education Foundation, Whitetails Unlimited, Inc., Wild Sheep Foundation, Hi Mountain Jerky and Cheyenne Frontier Days.
“In Wyoming, it’s not a requirement that all hunters fill out a survey,” said Emily Gates, Game and Fish’s harvest survey coordinator. “But, if you get one, we really appreciate your input. It’s important to fill out the survey even if you didn’t hunt or harvest because that information is helpful for season planning and population monitoring.”
You can help Game and Fish complete hunter surveys efficiently by providing an e-mail address when you purchase a license.
“Sending hunter surveys through e-mail is more cost effective,” Gates said. “We survey approximately 100,000 hunting license holders annually, so hunters who provide an e-mail address and complete their surveys online help us reduce costs, by about $2.50 per response.”
Some hunters may receive a survey before their season ends; but, Game and Fish asks hunters to wait until they are finished hunting or their season is over before filling out the survey. The surveys are conducted by Tetra Tech, the survey research firm that won the competitive bid to conduct the large surveys for antelope, deer and elk.
Hunters who have questions about the antelope, deer and elk surveys can contact Tetra Tech’s survey team directly at 1-800-216-0477. For all harvest surveys, hunter’s can also contact Emily Gates, harvest survey coordinator, for assistance at (307) 777-4567.
