LITTLE ROCK — Successful hunters will have much less frustration confirming their harvest and getting back to the celebration this turkey season, thanks to a new game checking option the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission is offering through its website.
Kyle Curry, assistant chief of information technology for the AGFC, said Express Check is a simple way to get your bird checked without the trouble of trying to remember passwords to log into your license account.
“If you have the smartphone app, you can use it like always, and you can still check harvested turkeys through the website by logging in, but we know about 30 percent of our hunters still try to use the telephone checking system to bypass all the passwords and login requirements,” Curry said. “On opening morning or other high-traffic hunting times, you may end up on hold for a few minutes before an operator is available. A couple of minutes seems like an eternity when you’re on the side of a mountain with a single bar or two of service, so we’re trying to give people an easier way.”
Verifying your harvest through Express Check is as simple as going to www.agfc.com, clicking on Game Check in the top right corner of the webpage, and entering your turkey tag number, your last name and your date of birth. If your turkey tag is valid, you’ll get a confirmation number and your checking process will be complete.
“We’re planning to use the Customer Identification Number in the future, but for now, we’re using the eight-digit tag number issued to each turkey tag,” Curry said. “This number is available only on the turkey tags issued through the license system, so people who purchase through a vendor need to make sure they get the turkey tags from the vendor in addition to their hunting license.”
