The DNR's electronic licensing system is ready to accommodate hunters this weekend as deer archery season gets underway.
That same system ran into issues concerning bear tags earlier this year, and complications this summer stemmed from surplus tags.
Those are made available on a first come, first serve basis, explains the Department of Natural Resources Jason Moeckel.
"The challenge with that is that it creates this what we call a scarcity event," he says. "It's like going to some of those big sales after Thanksgiving, right? You know, a whole lot of people are trying to get into a crowded space for a limited number of supply and that just essentially overloaded our system."
The difference with deer tags is there's no surplus, and they use a lottery system.
"Everybody that enters the lottery, we go through and we validate that those are all legitimate entries, and they're eligible, and all that kind of verification stuff," Moeckel explains. "And then we run the lottery, and that's what awards those tags.
So far, the DNR says things are running smoothly.
"The vast majority of people that are buying licenses through the new system have been experiencing no problems at all," adds Moeckel. "In fact, I had somebody last night share with me that they were super slick. They were super impressed. They were able to do everything they needed to do right on their phone."
The DNR is encouraging hunters to apply for their licenses early to avoid any last minute complications.
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