85% of Ohio's Deer Hunters Choose the Phone or Internet for Checking Game

Deer must be checked in by 11:30 p.m. the day of harvest

COLUMBUS, OH – More than 24,000 white-tailed deer have been checked through Ohio's new automated game check system, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), Division of Wildlife.

Hunters must still report their deer harvest, but they are no longer required to take their deer to a check station for physical inspection. Instead, hunters have three options to complete the new automated game check:

• On the Internet at wildohio.com.
• By telephone at 1-877-TAG-ITOH (1-877-824-4864). This option is only available to those who are required to have a deer permit to hunt deer.
• At all license agents. A list of these agents can be found at wildohio.com or by calling 1-800-WILDLIFE.

All three check-in methods are being used, with 50 percent of hunters using the phone method. Hunters checking in via the Internet are second at 35 percent followed by those traveling to a license agent's location (15 percent) to check in their game.

"The response to these new game check options has been really positive in both numbers and feedback we hear from the field," said Dave Lane, chief of the Division of Wildlife. "Our goal is to offer hunters both traditional and convenient methods of checking deer and turkey, so they could choose the option that is best for them."

Those hunters checking their deer on the Internet need to make sure they have access to a working printer so the game check receipt can be printed. Game check requires the hunter to print a receipt. If printing fails, the game check receipt is available at wildohio.com under the "Manage Your Customer Account" link. Hunters can use their customer identification numbers found at the top of hunting licenses and permits to access their account.

Hunters need to be aware that checking game on the Internet with a smart phone is available, but those hunters will eventually need to print out a game check receipt with a permanent tag number printed on it. The game check receipt is available at wildohio.com under the "Manage Your Customer Account" link.

Since the new automated game check system was built on a web-based platform making needed modifications to the system can be accomplished. Modifications were made prior to this fall's hunting seasons. The Division of Wildlife will continue to monitor the game check system and make changes as needed for customer convenience.

Game-check transactions are available online and by telephone seven days a week and during holidays. License agents' locations are available for turkey check-in during normal business hours. Please call the license agent for specific hours of operation. All deer must be checked in by 11:30 p.m. the day of harvest.