TRENTON — The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Division of Fish and Wildlife is informing deer hunters that the Automated Harvest Report System (AHRS), first used during the 2012 Winter Bow Deer Season, is now in effect for reporting deer during all deer hunting seasons. The system replaces the deer check system, which required hunters to bring their deer to an official check station.
Under the new system, hunters must still report every deer harvested either by calling a toll-free number or via the division's license sales/harvest reporting website. Upon completing the reporting process a confirmation number is assigned for each deer being reported. That number is used to label deer brought to a butcher or taxidermist.
An online "Deer Hunting Location Viewer" will enable hunters to pinpoint their hunting location, providing them with zone, county, township and deer management unit information. Hunters are being urged to have this information available before going to their hunting location to speed the reporting process when they access the AHRS, whether by phone or online.
Detailed information about the system and how to use it is available on the division's Web site. Hunters should familiarize themselves with the system as well as this year's deer regulations which now include making the head of a harvested deer available to division law enforcement staff (if requested) within 48 hours of reporting a deer.
For introductory information on the AHRS, go to www.njfishandwildlife.com/news/2012/ahrs_intro.htm.