WILD TURKEY GAME CHECK
1/30/2019 8:56:29 AM
From MDWFP
This spring, the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks (MDWFP) will begin a new era in wild turkey management with the implementation of the Game Check system. Game Check will require turkey hunters to report their harvest to the MDWFP by 10 p.m. on the day of harvest. This will be a huge step forward in the ability to understand upward and/or downward trends of the state’s turkey flock.
Ease of use has been the primary consideration in the system’s development, and it should take under a minute for you to meet your reporting obligation when you harvest a bird. You will have three options to choose from to report your gobbler: the MDWFP app, www.mdwfp.com/gamecheck, or by calling 1-800-BE-SMART. Of these three, if you have a smartphone, you should strongly consider taking advantage of the app, because it can serve as a one-stop-shop for all the steps in the harvest reporting process. The MDWFP app is available for free download from the Apple or Android store.
For hunters who do not use the mobile app, they will need a hardcopy harvest record. MDWFP has a hardcopy harvest record containing everything the hunter will need, which can be downloaded and printed. You may also create your own. However, no matter your choice – mobile app, official MDWFP hardcopy harvest record, or a homemade harvest record – you must be prepared to begin the harvest reporting process by documenting your kill on your harvest record BEFORE moving your bird.
For mobile app users, the entire process is started and completed at the point of harvest by clicking the ‘Report Turkey’ button within the app. Even if there is no cellular coverage at the time of harvest, the app will automatically upload your harvest when service is restored. Your phone will serve as your harvest record and return a corresponding confirmation number to you.
If you are using a paper harvest record, you will need to write your name and the date on the harvest record, and prior to 10 p.m. after your hunt has ended, log into the Game Check website at www.mdwfp.com/gamecheck or call the 1-800-BE-SMART number to complete the reporting process and receive your confirmation number. If you have questions about Game Check, visit the MDWFP website at www.mdwfp.com or contact us at (601) 432-2199.
