WV Farm Bureau Magazine March 2015 | Page 25

Electronic Licensing System and Game Check Comes of Age in West Virginia Faced with an antiquated mix of electronic and paper hunting and fishing license systems, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources has been working the last few years to come up with a state-of-the-art system that will be more efficient and convenient for both the public and DNR personnel. collection of license fees by the DNR more efficient. In addition, the DNR will no longer have to print licenses and stamps such as the Class A license, and Class N and RG stamps, which will save the time and cost of printing, packaging and shipping the stamps and licenses. Electronic Game Check The BIG change for hunters, and for trappers of Online Licensing System beaver, bobcat, fisher and otter will be the ability to The goWILD licensing system was developed check in game by phone or computer starting April 1, in-house by the DNR in 2002. Obviously, computer 2015. Those who still like to talk in-person about their software has improved by leaps and bounds since that hunting experiences will be able to stop by one of the time, and old programs are no longer sustainable. The approximately 180 official license agents and check in old saying goes -- if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Well, in their game. However, unlike past years, they won’t have this case, it was broken, and it had to be fixed. to bring the animal in with them. Hunters and trappers will still have to follow the time and transportation The new licensing system began January 1, 2015. The only folks who should notice much of a difference restrictions as listed in the regulations. To check game in are those who bought an old paper license with affixed by phone, hunters will have to know their unique DNR stamps at a license agent, which accounted for only 20 ID number which is valid for their lifetime. That number percent of license buyers. Licenses will still be sold at will be printed on the top of the license for those folks approximately 180 license agents around the state, but who buy a license each year. Lifetime license holders will need to log in to the system to obtain their DNR the agent will enter your information on a computer ID number, whic