The Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Division of Wildlife has entered into a contract with The Active Network, Inc. to build and implement a Web-based license sales and game check system. The new system will replace the existing hunting, fishing and trapping license/permit sales system on March 1, 2011.

The new system, which costs $16.3 million over 8 ½ years, will incorporate better management and integration of license sales information, hunter education, publication distribution and tracking, special permitting initiatives, controlled hunt allocations, arrest report tracking and improved game check processes.

The new system will cost $16.3 million over 8 ½ years. Funds to pay for the new system will come from the Wildlife Fund. Money generated from the sale of fishing, hunting and trapping licenses make up the Wildlife Fund. State tax dollars are not part of this fund.

 A proposed change to the Ohio Revised Code, currently in House Bill 1, would allow resident landowners the convenience of automated game checking that all other hunters in Ohio would have, but would require them to acquire a free deer or turkey permit in order to use the system.

 Any customer that would like more information can log on to the Division of Wildlife's web site at: wildohio.com. Once on the Division's home page, visitors should click on the “Proposed New License Sales and Game Check System” line under the Ohio Wildlife News heading. As the new system moves through development, the wildohio.com Web site will keep customers updated.