cahss evaluation report

8/10/2019 CAHSS Evaluation Report

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STATE CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE EVALUATIONS

SYNOPSIS REPORT

2014

Compiled by Margaret Everson; Updates by Paige Pearson


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BACKGROUND

The Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports (Council) was formed in 2009 as a non-profit, 501(c) 3, tax-exempt, educational organization by the leaders in the conservation andshooting sports community. The Councils purpose is to take a fresh look at the business ofrecruiting and retaining hunters and shooters and to develop new and sustainable strategies

and tactics to solicit, engage and support these groups, which are vital to conservation andAmericas heritage. The Councils Board of Directors consists of 29 members, including non-profit and conservation groups, firearms and archery industry leaders, and state fish andwildlife agencies.

Councils purpose: Ensure support for and active participation in hunting and theshooting sports for future generations.

Councils vision: An America where hunting and the shooting sports are an integralpart of mainstream culture and where hunters and shooters are widely recognized aspremiere conservation contributors.

Councils mission: Facilitate the promotion and growth of hunting and the shootingsports and the education of the public on the contributions that hunters and shootersmake towards wildlife conservation.

To help achieve its purpose, vision and mission, the Council applied for and received fundingthrough the Multistate Conservation Grant Program. This three-year grant (2013 to 2015) isintended to provide state fish and wildlife agencies with the personnel, resources, and tools toimplement Council-recommended enhancements to their digital outreach and social mediacommunications efforts. The project funded by the grant will also guide states in building theirinternal capabilities to support future recruitment and retention efforts, as well as help statesbuild capacity to collect customer information and design strategies in targeted outreachefforts.

As part of this grant, the Council produced customer experience evaluations for each state.

These evaluations were designed to help state fish and wildlife agencies evaluate how a statesells hunting and shooting opportunities through its website and other electronic media.

The premise of these evaluations was that a focus on exceptional customer experience asperceived by the customeris the best way to acquire, service, support, and retain customers.Furthermore, the Council believed that a refined, personalized and consistent customerexperience would result in lower costs of sales and marketing, lower support costs, greaterrevenues, and a group of lifelong customers.

This evaluation is the first step in establishing a baseline of digital sales, marketing andengagement capabilities for state agencies. Contained within the evaluations are examples ofgood customer experiences, as well as examples where improvement is needed. Specific

recommendations are included within each evaluation.


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Each state evaluation looked at 10 categories. They were:

1) overall digital engagement2) state government promotion of hunting and shooting3)

state agency promotion of hunting and shooting4)

digital services provided5)

customer service

6)

social presence7) mobile capabilities8)

hunter education9)

visual presentation10)

content richness and relevance

The scope of the evaluations was entirely digital media. The evaluation team did not look atprint materials such as magazines, postcards and letters or any other printed materials foundat outlets or other distribution points. The evaluation was conducted during the last two weeksof May 2012 through the beginning months of 2013. The members of the evaluation team werewithin the target 17 to 34-year-old demographic and included:

Team member A (male)an avid shooter of firearms with limited archery experience

and does not hunt Team member B (male)a part-time hunter that does not shoot for fun or sport and has

some archery exposure

Team member C (female)a college graduate who recently moved from a suburbanarea to a rural area (team member C has limited experience with firearms butparticipated in an Archery in the Schools program)

The members of the evaluation team worked from several specific and standard assumptions.In each case, the team member assumed that he or she had just moved into a state within thepast four to six weeks. Based on the individual team members own experience level, he or sheworked generally from the following statements/questions:

I want to learn to shoot and have no experience. What do I need to do to try it out? I think I want to hunt . What do I need to do and

what are the opportunities available to me?

Team members asked standard customer support questions on Facebook and recorded theirperception of the quality of customer service. They called general agency phone numbers toseek answers to questions on evenings and weekends. They each went through the process ofpurchasing a license up to the checkout page. The evaluation team used the standard starrating system with 1 star being poor and 5 stars being great.


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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

In 2013, the Council to Advance Hunting and the Shooting Sports (Council) produced anddistributed customer experience evaluations for each state. These evaluations were designedto help state fish and wildlife agencies evaluate how a state sells hunting and shootingopportunities through their websites and other electronic media. The purpose of theseevaluations was also to provide outreach efforts to the target demographic of digital natives

or 17 to 34-year-olds.

The reports were comprehensive and contained information designed as a first step inestablishing a baseline of effective digital sales, marketing and engagement capabilities forstate agencies. Contained within the evaluations were general and state-specificrecommendations, as well as examples of where states are excelling and where they aremissing the mark.

As many of the recommendations were consistent throughout the individual state reports, itwas decided that a comprehensive review of the evaluations would be conducted to produce anoverview of the recommendations and identify 10 major areas where states can considerfocusing their resources.

It is becoming increasingly important to allocate resources to online and social mediacapabilities. According to HunterSurvey.com and AnglerSurvey.com, in 2012, the number ofhunters and anglers purchasing licenses online grew by 35 percent and 13 percent respectivelysince 2009. Today, 28 percent of all hunters and 29 percent of all anglers surveyed reportbuying licenses onlinei(also see Appendix 1).

Many states are already implementing some of these recommendations and have madesignificant and important changes since the evaluation team conducted the review in 2012. Therecommendations, both in the customer experience evaluations and in this report, were madewith a blind eye as to a states resource capabilities and statutory and regulatory authorities.We recognize that a state identified as an example of where programs are excelling may havedifferent capabilities then a state that has not implemented these recommendations.

Courtesy of WY GFD


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CAHSS REPORT

The following are the general items where the evaluation team determined a majority of statescould improve their customers experience. Based on these overarching areas,recommendations were developed that could be applied universally. Examples of where certainstates have excelled in these areas are noted. As mentioned previously, the followingrecommendations were made with a blind eye as to states resources and statutory and

regulatory authorities. Also, we recognize that a state used as an example may have differentcapabilities than a state that has not implemented these recommendations. Finally, theexamples provided are only a representative sample of where states are doing good work in theareas identified. These examples are by no means exhaustive.

1)

Real-time response to questions2)

Step-by-step guides to participation3)

Visual presentationDontjust tell us about it, show us4) Promote the Pittman-Robertson Act5)

Report-a-poacher capabilities6)

Minority and women participation7)

User-friendly license purchasing tools8)

Incentives

9)

Mobile-compatible websites and applications10)

Hunter education through online applications

Courtesy of SC DNR


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1)

Real-time response to questionsThe team consistently noted that a quick response time and interactive platforms wereimportant in retaining customers. The evaluations identified the importance of meaningfulinteractions between the customer and the agency. Several recommendations were madethroughout the reports with some states excelling in immediate responses to online questionseven after normal business hours. Specifically, a live chat capability on an agencyswebsitewas recommended to allow the agency to interact with and establish a relationship and trust

between themselves and the consumer. In the absence of this feature, states were encouragedto provide monitored social media pages, such as Facebook and Twitter, so they couldimmediately respond to questions.

Recommendations

Live chat: This type of communication usually offers real-time and direct transmission oftext-based messages. The type of service that reviewers identified as needed to bettercommunicate with agency customers is different than a one-time or regularly scheduledgeneral information session in a live-chat format, which some state agencies use. iiManycommercial and retail websites use a live-chat feature. Some websites offer live chat justduring business hours, while others have 24/7 coverage to assist customers in answeringquestions about products or to provide general information. For example, basspro.com hasa live-chat service available from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. CT, seven days a week.iii

Monitored social media pages: Many states agencies are utilizing Facebook and Twitter toprovide updates and information to individuals who subscribe and use these platforms. Thespecific recommendation by the report reviewers is for these social media outlets to bemonitored consistently and frequently so the target demographic will stay engaged andconnected. Again, after-hours monitoring of these social media pages was of particularinterest to the reviewers.

State examples

Alabama: One reviewer posted a question on the Outdoor Alabama Facebook page at 9p.m. on a Saturday. Within 45 minutes the question had been answered with an excellentresponse.This demonstrated to the reviewer that social media was being monitored by theagency. The quick feedback was a good example of what the target demographic isaccustomed to.

Pennsylvania: The evaluations identified the importance of meaningful interactionsbetween the customer and the agency. Pennsylvania was identified as having a good modelto receive user feedback, while clearly identifying programs for women. Specifically,Pennsylvania includes a survey at the bottom of a page, including the Womens Programssection asking, Did you find all of the information you were looking for? After thequestion it includes three answers and a space to explain what could not be found. Thereview team felt this approach was an excellent way to get feedback on the website andfor an agency to identify what changes should be made. iv

Wisconsin: The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources website provides a live chatwith customer service icon at the bottom of the homepage. vThe department provides acontact us webpage with options including chat, call and email. The customer serviceoption is available seven days a week, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., and includes bilingualservices.


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2)

Step-by-step guidesThe digital services review section of the evaluation looked at an agencystransaction servicesand how the process is helpful in assisting a customer determine what license or permit he orshe needs. A key aspect of the digital services section is clarity of information, which allowsthe customer to understand the rules, regulations and requirements and allows him or her todetermine what, when, where, why, and the cost for both hunting and shooting. The teamevaluated this information and identified where specific requirements were clear and concise.

One of the consistent recommendations in this section was to provide a step-by-step guide toget a person from interested to participating.

Recommendations

To provide hunting novices with guidelines for participation, the reviewersrecommended that agencies create and prominently display how to go huntingguides.These guides for each species should include what is needed (such as permits, licenses,stamps, tags, and check-in) and take a new customer through the entire huntingprocess.

A website should focus on a customer-centric atmosphere within the website andshould be provide detailed information for all hunting and shooting skill levels.

The guide should include every step from getting started suggestions (such aspracticing at shooting ranges and what the hunter education requirements are) through

suggested recipes for how to cook an animal. Agencies also should provide location-based information through a mobile device or

interactive map so an individual can identify the closest shooting range or huntingopportunity.

State examples

Massachusetts: The Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game website uses clearinformation that is easy to understand. One reviewer identified the Plain LanguageSummariesof the hunting regulations as a user-friendly way to organize this material.Most information can be found after a quick search using the search bar or choosingfrom any one of the links provided.vi

Illinois: The Illinois Department of Natural Resources created a Getting Startedwebpage, which provides information for an individual just beginning his or her

involvement with hunting or shooting sports. The Getting Started page includesinformation about how to check in a deer or turkey and purchase a license online, aswell as a map of events and activities.vii

Michigan: The information the Michigan Department of Natural Resources providesabout shooting sports is informative and helpful to someone new to the sport.Specifically, a list of department shooting ranges is available along with a departmentshooting range email list so customers can stay up to date on range information. It washelpful that an area dedicated to How to Get Startedfor those new to shooting wasprovided and included a video to demonstrate what sporting clay shooting is.viii


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3)

Visual PresentationDont Just Tell Us About It, Show UsEach state report contained a visual presentation review section. In this section, teammembers made general comments about the agencys visual presentation, including websites,fonts, logos, icons, general look and feel, andmost importantlyoverall presentation. Theteam members review included the agencys website and all associated social media outlets.The intent of this review was to help an agency understand if a website (from the reviewersperspective) is old, new, boring, exciting, static, or engaging. The team stressed the

importance of including visuals of hunting and shooting experiences with a greater focus on thetargeted age group (17 to 34), women, and minorities enjoying and participating in an activity.Almost every state could improve in this area.

Recommendations

Visuals used in websites should include pictures and videos of hunting and shootingexperiences.

Agency websites should provide the opportunity for individuals to share pictures andvideo of their own experiences through social media sites like Facebook and Instagram.

An agency should utilize YouTube to post videos that can be searched by subjectmatter, utilizing the sites playlist feature. Links of these videos can be usedthroughout an agencyswebsite.

Images should always compliment and strengthen the text on a webpage.

The visual presentation on an agencys homepage should showcase the products andservices the department has to offer without appearing cluttered.

Consumers want to view an engaging and clean homepage with clear, bold headers andeasy navigation. They do not want to read a document-type page or search through tinyfont to locate their desired information.

Encourage Facebook followers, especially women, to submit photos of themparticipating in outdoor activities, such as hunting and shooting sports. Thisengagement will increase appeal on visual level, especially for women interested inparticipating in hunting and shooting sports.

State examples

Connecticut:One reviewer was pleased to see a link directly on the hunting webpage forshooting ranges. While four of the shooting ranges listed basic information, one range,

the Glastonbury Public Shooting Range, offered a more detailed webpage. It included apicture of the range which the reviewer believed to be beneficial. There was moredetailed information as well; including a mention of how the Pittman-Robertson Act hashelped to fund the shooting range.ix

Iowa: The Iowa Department of Natural Resources hunter education web pages, inparticular, are visually stimulating in the way they provide the content. The use of safetystatistics, images and videos is a great way to present information and appeal to youngercustomers.x


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4) Promote the Pittman-Robertson ActReviewers routinely suggested throughout the state summary reports that the process by whicha state receives funding through the Pittman-Robertson Act be prominently displayed.Furthermore, detailed explanation about how these dollars support an agency and conservationshould be provided. The agency also should say thank you though the website and license-buying process to customers for helping support the agency and conservation. While manystates have this information available, it was rare to find the information prominently and

clearly displayed.

Recommendations

A state should incorporate a visible, brief statement about the Pittman-Robertson Act onthe homepage or within the license-purchase process.

Many experienced and new hunters and shooters alike are unaware of the act and how itprovides money for conservation; an agency should never assume a customer is aware ofthe process.

Tell the whole story. Some states only provided part of the information about the Pittman-Robertson Act. For example, one site stated that the act provided a much needed fundingbase for wildlife studies and restoration. This provides a brief description of what the acthas done but does not explain the excise tax or funds generated and stops short ofrecognizing customerscontributions.

State examples

Illinois: On the Getting Started webpage, the department included this statement:Hunters play an important role in managing wildlife and it is their tax dollars paid throughthe Pittman-Robertson Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act and hunting licenses and feesthat pay for the majority of wildlife management by the Illinois Department of NaturalResources. This brief statement is a great example of explaining the act and how anindividual helps pay for conservation and wildlife.

New Hampshire: According to one reviewer, the New Hampshire Fish and GameDepartment had the best explanation of the Pittman-Robertson Act: Your purchase offishing tackle, firearms, ammunition, archery equipment, and motorboat fuels, along withlicense sales, helps fund sport fish and wildlife restoration in New Hampshire. This providesopportunities for hunting, fishing and other wildlife-associated recreation.This agencys

website explains where the department gets its funding and how it helps conservation.

Courtesy of NC WRC


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5) Report-a-Poacher CapabilitiesThe ability for an individual to report wildlife violations was mentioned throughout the staterecommendation reportsspecifically, the ability of an individual to report this informationeasily and though various means, including online and mobile applications. While many stateshave toll-free numbers or anonymous tip lines, several other states are broadening theirinformation-collection abilities through real-time reporting and reporting through social media.The reviewers also stressed the need for the target demographic to feel connected to the

reporting process and liked to see more information about how citizens efforts are working tostop poaching. Specifically helpful to this effort were states that provided updates on violatorsand successful adjudication of cases.

Recommendations

The reports recommend for reporting poachers should be as streamlined as possible byplacing Report a Poacher and a consistent graphic links in a noticeable location onthe homepage. Ideally, the graphic and placement would be uniform among all states.

Mobile platforms and social media pages should be set up to allow easy and convenientwildlife-violation reporting at any time on any electronic device.

As actual influence and issue resolution are important to the target demographic,states would be well served to provide updates on examples of successful prosecutionsof poachers identified by citizen tips.

State examples

Maine: One reviewer identified the Maine Operation Game Thief webpage (theOperation Game Thiefconcept is used in several states) as the best example of howto report poaching in an easy and streamlined way. An individual can file reportsthrough a toll-free number or online, thereby providing a quick and easy way tosupport the department. Another feature the reviewer liked was the Case Filestoriesabout poachers who had been prosecuted.xi

Louisiana: The Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries offers an application forreporting poachers. To report poachers, there is an Operation Game Thiefpage underEnforcement. This page provides information about who the department is and how tocontact it. To make a report, individuals can call the 24-hour phone line or send a textmessage to tip411 (847411). There is also a LADWF Tips iPhone application in the

iTunes App Store that is free. Reviewers found this tool to be unique to Louisiana andresponsive to the real-time reporting recommendation.

Indiana: The arrests section of the Turn in a Poacher webpage provides idealresources that would attract the target demographic and encourage this group tosupport what it sees as a good cause.xii


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6) Minority and Women ParticipationThroughout the state reports, the issue of outreach to women and minorities was a reoccurringtopic. The reports note states generally are not doing a good job of featuring diverse (gender,age, ethnicity) representations of people participating in the hunting and shooting sports.While AFWA committees have provided recommendations to states in the past, much work stillneeds to be done with diverse visual representations on states websites and social mediaplatforms. In fact, historically and statistically, social media skewers slightly favorably towards

women, and recent studies suggestxiii

that almost three-quarters of internet female users areactive on one or more social media sites, compared to slightly less than two-thirds of men.Typically, women are more likely to use Twitter (which has a 62 percent female populous),Facebook (58 percent women) and Pinterest (70 percent women).

Also the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) just released a reportxivthat showed thatthe percent of African-Americans, Hispanics, and Asians in the overall population is notreflected in their involvement in the shooting sports. This finding doesnt mean that thesegroups are not interested in shooting; of the respondents surveyed, 45 percent of African-American, 51 percent of Hispanic, and 39 percent of Asian respondents said they had firearmsin their homes. Those groups, however, are underrepresented in shooting sports programs andon shooting ranges. Changes to the visual representations of participants shown on an agencyswebsite and social media platforms can begin to address this outreach effort.

Recommendations

Agencies that are not active on Pinterest should consider the benefits of creating anaccount, not only to reach out to female consumers, but also to expand and strengthen theagencyssocial presence.

A state should be direct in inviting women, minorities and young adults to participate inhunting and shooting programs.

An agency should reach out to women, young adults and minorities by inserting appealinglinks and icons that promote programs directed at these demographics and provide moredetailed information on how to participate.

An agency should encourage its Facebook followers, especially women and minorities, tosubmit photos of themselves hunting and shooting.

Where the program is offered, provide updated information on the Becoming an Outdoors-

WomanProgram.

State examples

Michigan: The Michigan Department of Natural Resources facebook page provides photosfrom the Becoming an Outdoors-Woman and the Shots from the Field albums, whichprovide photos of both male and female hunters of various ages.

Pennsylvania: The Womens Program section on the Pennsylvania Game Commissionswebsite provides ideal resources for women interested in participating in hunting andshooting sports. It included links to a calendar for shooting events and for special hunts,the website for the Women Hunters Organization and the website for the Safari ClubInternational Foundation. It also provides access to information on the National WildTurkey Federations Women in the Outdoors Program and National Rifle Associationsprograms, including Women on Targetand Refuse to be a Victim.xv


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7) User-Friendly License Purchasing ToolsDuring the review process, each team member went through the process of purchasing alicense up to the checkout webpage. Members looked at several components of the process,such as ease of use, time required to complete the purchase and how they could receive theactual documentation needed to participate in their chosen activity. Another issue the reviewteam evaluated was the transactions security, both actual and perceived.

All 50 states allow consumers to create a personalized user account that provides the ability tostore personal payment information for future purchases, simplifying and shortening theprocess for repeat customers.xvi Ideally, such accounts also would be used to personalize theexperience for individuals. Several agencies, however, require extra steps to establish aprofile, which lengthens the process and may prevent customers from establishing anaccount.xvii While states can do a better job at streamlining the online buying experience,online license sales are a relatively new alternative to the traditional brick and mortar point-of-sale system also still in use today.

Recommendations

States should have the capabilities to save user name and account information for easy signin and quick checkout for returning customers.

PayPal or other trusted online money transfer services should be considered as an option to

collect payment. Websites generally should consider providing information in languages other than English.

This multilingual option is particularly important during the license buying process.

Some states now offer the ability to print some of their licenses on a personal computer.Team members identified this as an important consideration for the target demographic.

Taking the print-at-home option one-step further, a recommendation was made that statesshould consider recognizing digital license copies. Members commented having the abilityto show a digital representation or confirmation code would be an added convenience tothe license owner and also would cut down on paper resourcesnot to mention that itwould appeal to the digital-native demographic.

A link to a wildlife agencys license sales website should be provided on the states mainhomepage where possible.

Site security and protections that have been put in place to secure the customers

information should be clearly posted throughout the buying process.

State example

Maryland: The Maryland Department of Natural Resources online license purchasingprocess was recognized as one of the most advanced and visually appealing systems acrossthe states. The site allows customers who purchase licenses online to use their own emailaddress and create a personal password; a convenient tool for returning customers. Thereis also a pre-welcoming page with information about getting started. Initial sectionsprovide information about how to buy a license, reprint a license, report a harvest, or signup for a lottery. Another section provides helpful links such as license information andfees, hunting guide and regulations, hunter education, public hunting areas, gamemanagement, wildlife and heritage service, and the black bear lottery.


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8) IncentivesOne suggestion made throughout the state reports was to increase customer retention by offingcertain incentives. While incentive opportunities were not reviewed within each state as aseparate category, opportunities were identified to connect the target demographic to huntingand shooting sports. These incentives need not be tangible or monetary, but should offer pointsof engagement to the target demographic and others through website and Facebookpromotions. Having a reason to come back to the website; read the Facebook, Twitter or other

social media updates; and make a personal connection to the potential participant could beuseful tools in repeat website and social media use.

Recommendations

States should incorporate deals, incentives, reminders, contests, and events to enticecustomers to participate in hunting and shooting sports within their websites and on allsocial media platforms.

Incentives need not be tangible. Many states motivate customer support and retention bydemonstrating an individuals direct role in conservation whether trough habitatrestoration made possible through license dollars or the conviction of a wildlife law violatorthat was made possible through an online tip.

States examples

Wisconsin: The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources offers first-time licensebuyers discounted rates. Certain hunting and trapping licenses are sold at a reducedfee to residents and non-residents who have not been issued that same type of license,or a conservation patron license or sports license, in any of the previous 10 years.xviii

Mississippi/Texas: Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks provides anopportunity for participants to win a cash prize for completing the annual huntersurveys. Texas Parks and Wildlife has a similar program that is funded by a sportsmensgroup.

New Jersey: Within the New Jersey Division of Fish and WildlifesLicense and PermitInformation page, a statement reads, Today the revenues derived from these salessupport, in whole or in part, the operations of the agency. This work includes theoperation of two fish hatcheries and associated stocking programs, a pheasant farm,enforcement of fish and wildlife regulations, habitat protection, fish and wildlife

research, wildlife management area maintenance and improvement, education, andother programs and activities. The number of licenses sold also figure in the amount offederal grants money the state receives from the federal Sport Fish and WildlifeRestoration Programs. Reviewers werepleased to see an agency providing informationand a direct connection about how sportsmen and women contribute to programs runby the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife. By incorporating this type ofinformation, a customer feels he or she is supporting a cause as opposed to just beingforced to purchase a necessity.

Courtesy of GA DNR


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9) Mobile Compatible Websites and ApplicationsThe evaluation team looked at each agency website and analyzed how it looked on asmartphone or tablet, as the team concluded that to remain relevant and customer friendly,states must embrace mobile innovation and accessibility. Based on the review conducted forthe Council and a similar review by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation, only fivestates reported offering any sort of mobile-friendly webpage in mid-2012. And of those five,just two had license pages that allow customers to make a purchase using a smartphone, tablet

computer, or other mobile device.xix

This finding is significant, as an October 2012 surveyconducted by RadiumOne, found 55 percent of mobile-owners in the 18 to 34 demographicreported having made at least one purchase on a mobile platform in the past six months. Thisbuying trend continues as another survey by the same company has just been released (2014)and shows 61 percent of mobile-owners having made a purchase from their device in the pastsix months, a 12 percent increase.xx

Recommendations

Format sites to be used with smartphones and tablets. The majority of state agencywebsites that were analyzed during this review had not yet been formatted to conformto mobile devices and, therefore, was not viewed as user friendly. While these changesare highly recommended, states that are converting agency websites should also bemindful of the mobile platforms that are being used. For example, Apple mobile

products cannot use Flash and, therefore, this platform should be avoided. States should monitor what customers are saying on the Apple iTunes store about an

agencysapp (if it has one) as an agency can address issues raised from a commenter.

Websites formatted for mobile technologies should contain simple and direct links towhere licenses can be purchased.

State examples

Kentucky: The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources homepage hasbeen formatted for mobile devices. Additionally, simple buttons guide a user in twoclicks to the states license sales page as well as to season dates, telecheck and to theagencysFacebook and Twitter pages.xxi

Arkansas: The Arkansas Game and Fish Commission has provided QR codesxxii on thephysical copies of its Rules and Regulations booklet available at retailers. If a

customer saw the QR code in a store and did not want to carry the booklet around, heor she could scan the code with their mobile phone and view them online at a latertime.

Georgia: The Georgia Department of Natural Resources embraces mobile innovation byoffering two separate mobile applications for the iPhone and Android smartphones.These applications provide location-based functionality, making it easier for thecustomer to engage or acquire information.

Courtesy of AFWA


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10) Hunter Education Through Online ApplicationsIn the past several years, state fish and wildlife agencies have been evaluating the hunter-education requirement to ensure it is not an impediment to recruitment or retention. Thereview team focused not on the broader issue of recruitment and retention, but rather if anagency that requires hunter education is doing a good job explaining the requirements, whothey apply to and how user-friendly obtaining the required certifications are. The teamreviewed requirements, opportunities, ease-of-access convenience, and levels of trust. The

evaluation also looked at specific aspects of the course, such as its duration, the cost, theability to enroll online, and the target age of the program.

Recommendations

Agencies should consider implementing an online registration platform such as Register-Ed.com. This approach would provide a cleaner-looking calendar and a more standardizedregistration system. Also, it would provide a more convenient option for students whocannot easily visit a departmentsoffice.

Information on how to acquire a hunter education certification should be stated in a clearand easily accessible manner. Clarify specific requirements for both the traditional courseand the online course. A link to this information should be provided on the homepage.

States should implement an online course for students with time constraints wheneverpossible.

Explore incorporating hunter education into the public school curriculum. Reviewers feltthis would provide a much more convenient way for young people to partake in theprogram.

State examples

Colorado: The Colorado Division of Wildlife offers a Hunter Education CRASH course.This one-day, abbreviated hunter education course is intended, primarily, for non-resident hunters (residents can take the course as well) who wish to hunt in Coloradobut do not have a valid hunter education certificate/card from their state of residence.CRASH courses are taught during one eight-hour day of intensive instruction, within oneweek of the opening of a regular, big-game rifle season. This compressed instructionand scheduling enables non-resident hunters to come to Colorado, take and pass thehunter education course, and huntall in concert with their trip. Successful completion

of the course earns a temporary Colorado Hunter Education Certificate, valid until theend of the calendar year in which the course was taken and passed.xxiii

Kansas: The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism provides a huntereducation webpage that features a video with great information on why the course isimportant. It has somber undertones, but overall provides a great reason to participatein the course. Kansas also offers a Crash Course, but unlike Colorado, its course islimited to non-residents.xxiv

Wisconsin: The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources offers high school credit tostudents who successfully complete Hunter Education. Reviewers saw this approach asa great incentive to add to the already informative program Wisconsin offers.


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Endnotes

iSouthwick Associates, press release, January 3, 2013,http://www.southwickassociates.com/blog/2013/01/03/online-sporting-license-sales-grow/ii https://fishandgame.idaho.gov/content/article/chat-live-fish-and-game-about-2013-licenses

iiihttps://basspro.custhelp.com/app/chat/chat_launch/session/L3RpbWUvMTMyNzU5Mzc0NS9z

aWQvd3loNVc2UGs%3Div http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=1223013&mode=2vhttp://dnr.wi.govvi http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/laws-regulations/plain-lang-sum/

vii http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/pages/gettingstarted.aspx

viii http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,1607,7-153-10363_56074---,00.htmlix http://www.ct.gov/dEEP/cwp/view.asp?a=2700&q=439010&deepNav_GID=1633x http://www.iowadnr.gov/Hunting/HunterSafetyEducation.aspxxi http://www.maineogt.orgxiihttp://www.in.gov/dnr/lawenfor/2745.htmxiii http://www.mediabistro.com/alltwitter/social-media-men-women_b40738xivUnderstanding Diversity in Hunting and Shooting Sports, National Shooting Sports

Foundation and Market Decisions Corporationxvhttp://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt?open=514&objID=1223013&mode=2xviThe Connected Angler: Six Ways to Improve Anglers Online License Experience March,

2013, p 9.xviiThe Connected Angler: Six Ways to Improve Anglers Online License Experience March,

2013, p 10.xviii http://dnr.wi.gov/permits/firsttimebuyers.htmlxixThe Connected Angler: Six Ways to Improve Anglers Online License Experience March,

2013, p 7.xx

http://www.radiumone.com/assets/download/Mobile-Marketing-Survey-Report.pdfxxiwww.fw.ky.govxxiiQR code definition: A machine-readable code consisting of an array of black and whitesquares, typically used for storing URLs or other information for reading by the camera on a

smartphone.xxiii

http://cpw.state.co.us/learn/Pages/HE-CrashCourses.aspxxxiv http://kdwpt.state.ks.us/Services/Education/Hunter/Non-Resident-Crash-Course

Courtesy of CLfT
http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/laws-regulations/plain-lang-sum/http://www.ct.gov/dEEP/cwp/view.asp?a=2700&q=439010&deepNav_GID=1633http://www.maineogt.org/http://kdwpt.state.ks.us/Services/Education/Hunter/Non-Resident-/http://kdwpt.state.ks.us/Services/Education/Hunter/Non-Resident-/http://kdwpt.state.ks.us/Services/Education/Hunter/Non-Resident-/http://kdwpt.state.ks.us/Services/Education/Hunter/Non-Resident-/http://www.maineogt.org/http://www.ct.gov/dEEP/cwp/view.asp?a=2700&q=439010&deepNav_GID=1633http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/dfg/dfw/laws-regulations/plain-lang-sum/


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APPENDIX 1

Media Consumption of 18 to 34-year-olds who hunted or shot last year.

Media Type 18 to 34

Magazines 70.2%

Websites 65.0%

Television 47.5%

State regulation guides 43.6%

Social media 42.6%

Newspaper 20.9%

Books 18.5%

Radio 3.0%

Other 1.6%

Did not use any media related to fishing,

hunting or shooting in the last three months6.2%

Total N=165


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Current Board of Directors

Industry Representatives

Archery Trade Association, Jay McAninch, President/CEOBohning Archery, Mike Barnes, Vice President

Freedom Group, Wally McLallen, Vice ChairmanHoyt Archery, Todd Erickson, Vice PresidentNational Shooting Sports Foundation, Steve Sanetti, President

O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., Joe Bartozzi, Senior Vice President

Primos Hunting Calls, Jimmy Primos, COO

Non-Governmental OrganizationsAssociation of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, Ron Regan, Executive Director

Boone & Crockett Club, Becky HumphriesCongressional Sportsmen Foundation, Jeff Crane, CEO

Ducks Unlimited, Dale Hall, CEO

Izaak Walton League of America, Scott Kovarovics, Executive DirectorNational Field Archery Association, Bruce Cull, PresidentNational Rifle Association, Chris Cox, Executive Director

National Wild Turkey Federation, George Thornton, CEO

Pheasants Forever, Howard Vincent, CEO

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, David Allen, CEOSafari Club International, Melissa Simpson, Director of Government Affairs

USA Archery, Denise Parker, CEO

Wildlife Management Institute, Steve Williams, President

State Representatives

Arizona, Larry Voyles, DirectorGeorgia, Dan Forster, Director

Indiana, Mark Reiter, Director

Kansas, Keith Sexson, Assistant Secretary

Massachusetts, Wayne McCallum, DirectorSouth Dakota, Jeff Vonk, Director

Virginia, Bob Duncan, Director

West Virginia, Curtis Taylor, Director

Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies, Carol Bambery, Board Counsel

U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (ex officio)Dan Ashe, Director


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Contact Information:

John Frampton:

President/ CEO

Paige Pearson:Director of Marketing & Communications

Ashley Salo:

AFWA MSCGP Manager / Industry-Agency Coordinator

Address:444 North Capitol Street, NW Suite 725

Washington, DC 20001

Phone: 202 624-3600

Fax:202 624-7891

Email:[email protected]

Website:www.shootingcouncil.org

Facebook: www.facebook.com/thanks4hunting/

Twitter:www.twitter.com/thanks4hunting

Pinterest:www.pinterest.com/thanks4hunting


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Courtesy of ATA

Courtesy of NE GPC

cahss evaluation report

Documents