Mississippi Requires Gobbler Check In

[Prospector]

New this season in Ol Miss is the mandatory check in of harvested turkeys. This is done via website or app. Not sure how I feel about it. I hear from friends that you have the registered kills numbered by counties... now, that may be info I’d like to have but not sure it’s info I’d like to give- know what I mean? I’m not sure this is wildlife/hunter beneficial. Thoughts?

[Longspurs]

A lot of states require hunter harvest check in and they have more turkeys than Mississippi and better hunting. I’m for anything that hinders poachers/thieves etc. Mississippi is obviously trying to get a handle on the turkey decline everyone has been crying about. And I don’t think anything will increase hunter pressure not a County harvest record or anything else it’s about saturated with people already.

[OLE RASPY]

We gotta check ours in. What’s wrong with it?

[Prospector]

A lot of states require hunter harvest check in and they have more turkeys than Mississippi and better hunting. I’m for anything that hinders poachers/thieves etc. Mississippi is obviously trying to get a handle on the turkey decline everyone has been crying about. And I don’t think anything will increase hunter pressure not a County harvest record or anything else it’s about saturated with people already.

Thankyou for your reply. I do have a query though:how is a check in going to in anyway hinder poachers? Poachers and those that overshoot are going to do so anyway and either only check the limit or not at all. If info was desired on harvest then asking for it to be volunteered by concerned hunters would accomplish as much. Anyway, yes, turkey numbers are down here but I doubt hunting lawful or otherwise is the biggest factor.

[Gar Commander]

I will say this I have seen a much greater presence of game wardens patrolling this year than in years past. Previously, they all camped out at the major boat landings of the big 4 reservoirs and wrote tickets to idiots bringing out fish under 12 inches in length. I hope they make us check deer also going forward. Cant do anything but help in my opinion.