Chance to win special deer, elk or pronghorn tag: Report fall big game, turkey hunts by Jan. 31

Josh Schmalenberger of Etna, Calif. with the four-point buck he harvested in the Paulina Unit on a special tag he won for reporting his 2009 hunt results on time.

SALEM, Ore.—Josh Schmalenberger of Etna, Calif. harvested a four-point buck more than30 inches wide in the Paulina Unit on Nov. 16 on a special tag that he won because he reported his 2009 hunts on time.

Another tag winner, Dwight Finch of Boardman, took athree-point buck in White River Unit on Nov. 12 while the final winner, Joyce Henstein of Oregon City, is still elk hunting.

Many 2010 big game hunting seasons have already ended.ODFW reminds hunters to report the results for each big game and turkey tag purchased, even if you did not harvest an animal or go hunting.

Hunters that report by the deadlines will be entered into a drawing to win a fall 2011 big game tag of their choice (deer, elk or pronghorn). ODFW will give each hunter that reports one entry and award a total of three tags. Winners of the tags will be required to pay the standard tag fee but entitled to hunt during an extended season and in an expanded hunt area similar to auction and raffle tag holders.

Reporting hunt results has been mandatory since 2008. ODFW needs the information to assess harvest rates and help set hunting seasons.

While reporting rates have improved over the last two years, the 2009 rate still averaged only 37 percent of tags purchased.

“We’re entering our third year of mandatory reporting, and we really need all hunters to report their results,” says Tom Thornton, ODFW game program manager.

The deadline to report hunt results for 2010 fall big game (deer, elk, pronghorn, bear, cougar) and fall turkey tags is Jan. 31, 2011. For 2010 hunts with seasons ending between Jan. 1 and March 31, 2011, the deadline is April 15, 2011.

Hunters can report either by telephone or online. Call 1-866-947-ODFW (6339) for the automated phone system or report online at https://or.outdoorcentral.us/or/hunterreport

Be sure to have the following information ready:

• Hunter/Angler ID # (ODFW ID #) number located on licenses and tags
• The two-digit Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) number of the unit hunted. If the hunt area included more than one WMU, use the number of the unit hunted in most of the time. Online map of WMUs
• The total number of days hunted—including mentoring youth.
• The number of days hunted in the WMU hunted most often

Because not all hunters are reporting their results, some hunters may still receive a call from ODFW’s telephone hunter harvest survey. ODFW continues to rely on this information to determine harvest rates and help set tag numbers.

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Photos are available at the links below. Suggested caption: Josh Schmalenberger of Etna, Calif. with the four-point buck he harvested in the Paulina Unit on a special tag he won for reporting his 2009 hunt results on time.

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/news/images/2010/112310_1382_deer_hunter.jpg

http://www.dfw.state.or.us/news/images/2010/112310_1383_hunter.jpg