Get HIP!

Get With the Program

North America is home to millions of ducks, geese and other waterfowl. It is also home to thousands of waterfowl hunters.

State agencies can keep good records of local deer populations through surveys, game tags and harvest check-in. Keeping track of waterfowl numbers and harvest is much more difficult because it must be done on a national level.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service developed the Harvest Information Program to gather nationwide waterfowl harvest estimates. The information gathered from the survey helps biologists make sound decisions on hunting seasons based on scientific evidence.

Registration Mandatory

Anyone 16 and older who wants to hunt any migratory bird (dove, ducks, geese, rails, woodcock and other waterfowl) must register with HIP. Hunters can register at any regional office or license dealer, at www.agfc.com or by calling (800) 364-GAME (4263). Registration is free and takes only a few minutes. Hunters will receive a HIP registration number that must be carried with them while hunting. The registration must be renewed every year. Hunters must register with HIP in each state they hunt.

Survey Says

Many hunters think the responses they give when registering for HIP are used to generate estimates for migratory birds. Those responses are just the beginning of the survey process. They are used only to identify which types of bird the hunter usually pursues.

The USFWS mails the actual surveys to a randomly selected sample of the appropriate hunters. Surveys about dove harvest are sent to hunters who usually hunt doves, while most waterfowl harvest surveys are sent to hunters who usually hunt ducks and geese. These hunters are asked to complete a detailed survey of their hunting activities and are given a form for recording their harvest. From these surveys, the USFWS can generate accurate estimates of total waterfowl harvest and detailed information about harvest by flyway, state and species

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