2020 turkey check-in requirements

[mazzgolf]

In case people are wondering what you need to report when you harvest a turkey this spring now that we have automated reporting this year...

I just bought and printed out my turkey permits I got awarded through the lottery. I looked at the report/transportation card you get with it (the card you fill out after a harvest and attach to the bird). They ask for the normal date/time/county/twp of kill.

There are now two new things on here. One is a little measuring line for spurs and it says, "Use this 1/2 measurement to determine if your spur length is greater than or less than 1/2 inch." But no where on this form does it ask you to write down what the spur length is. And nothing is said about beard length.

Also, there is now a line here to fill in the confirmation number. But it doesn't say if you need that confirmation number BEFORE or AFTER you walk the bird out of the woods.

I just looked at the Digest to see what the requirements are (page 60).

It says you don't need the confirmation number right away while in the woods - you just need to report it by 3pm on the day of harvest (9pm for D-week).

For measuring requirements, the Digest says to go to https://njfishandwildlife.com/turkey_reporting.htm but when you go there it just says, "Recent upgrades to the Division's license website are enabling online harvest reporting beginning with the spring 2020 turkey season. Hunters will be able to register their harvests online in a process similar to what deer hunters use to receive a Confirmation Number. Detailed information will be found on this page when available."

But reading the Digest, it seems like you only need to know the sex (obviously, male only for spring), the age (juvenile or adult), and spur and beard length. Looks like you will not need to provide weight. And for spur/beard, it seems like you only need to know if the longest spur is greater than, equal to, or less than 1/2 inch and if the longest beard is greater than, equal to, or less than 6 inches. So I think it won't be asking for actual measurements, just if its over/under 1/2" spur and over/under 6" beard.

 

[BowhunterNJ]

Great heads up and info @mazzgolf!

[Lunatic]

Don't you use the bird weight in the NJWW contest? I wonder who will actually have a scale to do it?

[birdshotnj]

2 minutes ago, Lunatic said:

Don't you use the bird weight in the NJWW contest? I wonder who will actually have a scale to do it?

Simple luggage scale would do it

[Devil Horns]

Beard and spur lengths of 1/2" and 6" probably determine Jake or Tom. Probably all the info they need for reporting purposes.

[hunterbob1]

This automated stuff bites the big one. I miss the days of the check-in stations for deer and turkey. That was half the fun of the hunt. Trucks lined up on Route 206 at Simon Peters. Butts and bows camaraderie of guys and gals sharing their hunting story's.

F&W checking age of deer. Local mom-and-pop's contests. Metal deer tags. Feel sorry for the new generation will never experience the good old days.

[Lunatic]

7 minutes ago, hunterbob1 said:

This automated stuff bites the big one. I miss the days of the check-in stations for deer and turkey. That was half the fun of the hunt. Trucks lined up on Route 206 at Simon Peters. Butts and bows camaraderie of guys and gals sharing their hunting story's.

F&W checking age of deer. Local mom-and-pop's contests. Metal deer tags. Feel sorry for the new generation will never experience the good old days.

I don’t share your nostalgia. Thank God for automated check in!!!!

[mazzgolf]

11 minutes ago, Lunatic said:

I don’t share your nostalgia. Thank God for automated check in!!!!

I've only been doing this for less than a decade, but I already learned to hate the check-in stations - it grew old having to drive around for over a half an hour finding a check-in station that was open. Also not fun having shot a turkey at 7am and then having it sit in the truck for a couple hours waiting for a check-in station to open 2 hours later.

I probably would be more nostalgic about it IF there were more check-in stations closer to me AND that they were actually open during hunting hours. As it was last year, I only had one check-in station close to me (well, one that was under a half hour drive away). And it sucked when you shoot a turkey on a Monday only to find out the check-in station isn't even open at all on Mondays!

[hunterbob1]

8 minutes ago, Lunatic said:

I don’t share your nostalgia. Thank God for automated check in!!!!

It was a proud generation men and women from world war II Korea and Vietnam veterans. Never heard of them complaining about the old system. It was simple and it worked. All I see or here now is crying about the computers down, gave me the wrong tags gave me too many tags couldn't talk to a real person, could not check in my deer. On and on Wa,wa,wa.

[Lunatic]

3 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

I've only been doing this for less than a decade, but I already learned to hate the check-in stations - it grew old having to drive around for over a half an hour finding a check-in station that was open. Also not fun having shot a turkey at 7am and then having it sit in the truck for a couple hours waiting for a check-in station to open 2 hours later.

I probably would be more nostalgic about it IF there were more check-in stations closer to me AND that they were actually open during hunting hours. As it was last year, I only had one check-in station close to me (well, one that was under a half hour drive away). And it sucked when you shoot a turkey on a Monday only to find out the check-in station isn't even open at all on Mondays!

I guess when the season was 6 days and 1 doe day this was part of the fun. As for me I always hated it, deer and turkey. 

[Lunatic]

1 minute ago, hunterbob1 said:

It was a proud generation men and women from world war II Korea and Vietnam veterans. Never heard of them complaining about the old system. It was simple and it worked. All I see or here now is crying about the computers down, gave me the wrong tags gave me too many tags couldn't talk to a real person, could not check in my deer. On and on Wa,wa,wa.

I am sure your feeling on the subject is very genuine, as is mine.

[hunterbob1]

5 minutes ago, mazzgolf said:

I've only been doing this for less than a decade, but I already learned to hate the check-in stations - it grew old having to drive around for over a half an hour finding a check-in station that was open. Also not fun having shot a turkey at 7am and then having it sit in the truck for a couple hours waiting for a check-in station to open 2 hours later.

I probably would be more nostalgic about it IF there were more check-in stations closer to me AND that they were actually open during hunting hours. As it was last year, I only had one check-in station close to me (well, one that was under a half hour drive away). And it sucked when you shoot a turkey on a Monday only to find out the check-in station isn't even open at all on Mondays!

Yes I remember this from last year's post you posted. And your situation I am sympathetic. That's my point. Mom-and-pop shut down in this state, used to be a lot more checking stations back in my day gas stations, taverns, country stores. And they did it for free now one way or another you're going to have to pay. We were proud to check in our harvest in person now you have to hide everything the anti's are winning.

[vdep217]

1 minute ago, Lunatic said:

I guess when the season was 6 days and 1 doe day this was part of the fun. As for me I always hated it, deer and turkey. 

There were alot of check stations and to be honest I feel getting rid of them is part of the reason hunting is not seen in the same light it once was.  With check stations you had to go to a hunting store or yes a bar to check in.  From what I remember every one would come out to see your harvest and by you a burger or maybe a beer.  We were more in public spot light as normal people who harvested their own meat.  The comradery was there with the non hunting public now most of the interactions are in a negative light.  They call because they believe you cant hunt there to close to houses because your walking down the road with a gun.  I think the interactions at check stations gave them a sort of understanding what hunting is and who we really are..

  Maybe I'm off base but my experience at check stations was always positive

[Lunatic]

6 minutes ago, vdep217 said:

There were alot of check stations and to be honest I feel getting rid of them is part of the reason hunting is not seen in the same light it once was.  With check stations you had to go to a hunting store or yes a bar to check in.  From what I remember every one would come out to see your harvest and by you a burger or maybe a beer.  We were more in public spot light as normal people who harvested their own meat.  The comradery was there with the non hunting public now most of the interactions are in a negative light.  They call because they believe you cant hunt there to close to houses because your walking down the road with a gun.  I think the interactions at check stations gave them a sort of understanding what hunting is and who we really are..

  Maybe I'm off base but my experience at check stations was always positive

People are offended today by your window open while cooking meat so I assure you checking stations would not change one single anti. People you were interacting with back then were not antis. With so many significant issues contributing to decline of hunting, I personally don't think this one had any significant, if any, effect ,,,IMO  
 

[hunterbob1]

Well said vdep👍