Online Hunting License system won't be ready for April 1st??

[russm86]

So, I asked if licenses and tags will be ready to purchase prior to the start of the new licensing year and bear season, April 1st so that we don't have to wait for stuff in the mail and waste half of April especially since I have a grizzly draw this year and only get April and May. But apparently, the new online hunting licensing system won't be ready until at least mid-May now so if one wants to get a license and tags for the spring bear season opening, April 1st, in many areas, you will have to get the old booklet and sticker tags from a vendor or Service BC.

Now, instead of just scrapping the new system for this year they figure it's a good idea to roll it out in the middle of the season/year so then any tags bought once the system is ready to go online will be separate/individual tags that don't go in the booklet and any annual licenses purchased after it goes online will be digital/online only with no hard copies available. This is going to be a nightmare...

You will have some people like me, who will have the old booklet style license, with sticker type tags, as well as the separate/individual tags later in the year and no online/digital copy of the annual license as apparently the hard copy/booklet won't automatically be added/updated to digital once the system goes live. Then you will have people with no booklet, no sticker tags, and no hard copy annual license (digital only), only the new separate/individual species tags. Or if you like to buy everything at once early you could have only the old booklet and sticker tags inside it and no digital license and no separate species tags. Lastly, you could have some people with the booklet as their annual license (if they want to hunt small game before online system is ready) with no sticker tags but a bunch of separate species tags if they buy them closer to fall season. What a cluster f***... Gonna be fun for the COs...

Anyone else inquire into new hunting licenses/tags yet and hear about this?

[Wentrot]

Won't be nearly the cluster you make it sound to be. All shall be alright.

[russm86]

Finally got through to someone at FrontCounter BC to follow up/confirm this. She couldn't find the e-mail, so couldn't read it back to me, but her understanding from memory was that it was only the Vendor side of the online system that wouldn't be running until sometime in May but hunters could access the online system directly themselves on April 1st, however, with having to mail the tags out, you could still lose a week or 2. I didn't think to ask if the local Service BC branch would be able to do it starting April 1st (other than being closed cause it's a Saturday this year) or if they are also not able to access until mid-May.

[russm86]

Won't be nearly the cluster you make it sound to be. All shall be alright.

Biggest issue I think would be if they don't put the annual license (and copies of species licenses) online automatically then COs could pull up and look up your FWID and it doesn't show any annual license or tags bought so you have to explain you bought it early and show them the old school booklet and then they have to figure out if it's valid or not cause no one thought to tell them people could be using the old style booklet and tags still if they bought before season officially opened...

Just silly that hunters and COs may have to go back n forth between 3+ different sources to figure out if they are licensed/tagged properly etc... Seems like it could be confusing and a huge waste of time figuring it out...

[whitlers]

I think the whole thing is a waste of time and resources. I'm fine with the little booklet and buying it at a vendor. What was wrong that system??

[goatdancer]

Now what would you expect considering the whole thing is supposed to start April 1?????????????

[SWRO]

The message I got from the folks at the show:
Just to clarify, for anyone who buys a booklet style licence, it will be uploaded into the new system once it goes live. There should be no issues with the two separate licence types for the 2017/18 licence year. The Conservation Officer Service is aware that both licence types will be used this year, and they will be able to look up all licences on their mobile devices regardless of how the licences were bought. Hunters will not be affected by the roll out of the new system – they can buy as usual when they need to, starting March first. Beginning in April, they will have the opportunity to buy online if they choose. Orders take 5 to 14 days to arrive by mail. Should hunters require a tag sooner they can still go to vendors and Service BC for immediate purchase. Some hunters may have to carry a booklet and separate species tags for this one year only – they are the same size, so it shouldn't be too difficult. Vendors and Service BC will transition to the new system and licences mid-May.

[Bear Brawler]

The message I got from the folks at the show:
Just to clarify, for anyone who buys a booklet style licence, it will be uploaded into the new system once it goes live. There should be no issues with the two separate licence types for the 2017/18 licence year. The Conservation Officer Service is aware that both licence types will be used this year, and they will be able to look up all licences on their mobile devices regardless of how the licences were bought. Hunters will not be affected by the roll out of the new system – they can buy as usual when they need to, starting March first. Beginning in April, they will have the opportunity to buy online if they choose. Orders take 5 to 14 days to arrive by mail. Should hunters require a tag sooner they can still go to vendors and Service BC for immediate purchase. Some hunters may have to carry a booklet and separate species tags for this one year only – they are the same size, so it shouldn't be too difficult. Vendors and Service BC will transition to the new system and licences mid-May.

I'm OK with that I guess. Lets hope it goes as smooth as it can.

[Wentrot]

Getting closer to April. Anyone have any fresh details on the launch date?

[Ferenc]

Heard the system is down at least till mid week starting today...