This is the first year I haven’t received a survey for every big game license I held during the year. They say those surveys are sent to a random sample of big game licensees, but I started to wonder how random it was when I got one for every license for more than 30 years. But this year, I only got one with my deer license, so maybe it truly is random.
Random or not, though, it’s important to complete those surveys when you get them. Wildlife biologists use the information those surveys collect to update the management of big game herds, determine the numbers of licenses they allot in each hunt area, and develop strategies to keep the game populations healthy.
Even if you didn’t get a chance to go hunting, or if you did go and didn’t get anything, it’s still important to fill out those surveys. They ensure that there are always plenty of animals for us to hunt.
And if keeping our herds healthy isn’t enough, you can also win great prizes if you complete the surveys. You can only complete one survey for each species, but if you get a survey for elk, deer, and antelope, you can have three chances for prizes. Go figure, this is the year I only got a survey for deer.
The companies offering the loot include Maven Optics, onX Hunt, Stone Glacier Hunting Backpacks, Hi Mountain Jerky, Huntin’ Fool, King’s Camo, and many more. There are also prizes offered from organizations including the Mule Deer Foundation, Muley Fanatic Foundation, National Bowhunter Education Foundation, National Wild Turkey Foundation, Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and the Wild Sheep Foundation.
Get those surveys completed. The deadline is January 28, so you still have a little time to get them done. Help keep our herds healthy and maybe even pick up some hunting gear while you’re at it.
