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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Five Guys Burgers seeks plan approval ... Four injured in Grants Pass fifth-wheel explosion and fire ... Police chase stolen truck down I-5 from Myrtle Creek to Medford ... Five Guys Burgers seeks plan approval ... Four injured in Grants Pass fifth-wheel explosion and fire ... Police chase stolen truck down I-5 from Myrtle Creek to Medford ... SINCE YOU ASKED Since You Asked: Hunters getting into the swing of things with mandatory reporting Comment MailTribune.com Writer Posted Feb. 15, 2016 at 12:01 AM Posted Feb. 15, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News I was wondering how Oregon's hunters fared when it comes to mandatory reporting of hunting success. I know the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife makes a big deal about it and that there's financial incentives for hunters to report, but it this carrot-and-stick approach working? — T.T, Medford This carrot-and-stick approach that you refer to, T.T. — a $25 penalty for failing to report on last year's hunting success and a drawing for special tags among those who do report — improved the reporting among Oregon hunters to 85 percent, up 5 percent from last year. "That's good," says Michelle Dennehy, the ODFW's Wildlife Division spokeswoman. "I'm not sure why this year is different. Maybe it's because people are getting more into the swing of things." The good turnout comes in part because the agency has used social media to promote the program as we as sent postcards and even emails to hunters who had not reported by Jan. 1, Dennehy says. By the end of Jan. 31, 85 percent of deer-tag holders and 87 percent of elk-tag holders reported, as did 91 percent of pronghorn-tag holders and 94 percent of those who drew muzzleloader tags, according to the ODFW. The two worst groups in reporting were bear-tag holders (82 percent) and turkey-tag holders (81 percent), according to the agency. Deer and elk hunters who don't report their 2015 tags on time will need to pay a $25 penalty before they can purchase a 2017 hunting license. The one-year lag is because 2016 hunting licenses have been available since Dec. 1, and hunters who didn't plan on reporting could have bought licenses before the reporting deadline. Hunters must report on every one of the mandatory-reporting tags, even if they didn't hunt or weren't successful. That includes everyone who bought a SportsPac license packet for 2015. Every hunter who reports on time is entered to win one of three special tags the agency gives away every year. Winners can hunt anywhere in Oregon for an extended season. The Oregon Legislature enacted the $25 fine as a way to help ODFW biologists collect the data they need from hunters, according to the agency. Reporting had been mandatory for several years, but without the penalties, hunters were lackadaisical about complying. It's a one-shot fine per year of nonreporting, regardless of how many hunts the hunter did not report. Send questions to “Since You Asked,” Mail Tribune Newsroom, P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501; by fax to 541-776-4376; or by email to [email protected] . To see a collection of columns, go to mailtribune.com/youasked . We’re sorry, but the volume of questions received prevents us from answering all of them. MailTribune.com Writer Posted Feb. 15, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... Business Name address Location, ST | website.com Find Southern Oregon Attractions Bars Restaurants Beauty Salons Entertainment Doctors Medical Specialists Contractors Education Lawn Services Lawyers Shopping Travel Tanning Used Cars Wedding Services ▼ Add your business here + Events Calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2016 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501