Do you ever fudge a bit on the numbers on the TPW dove survey? I'm a crappy shot. I know it. I don't really need them to know it too.

Are you talking about the HIP numbers? Those numbers mean nothing. Or did you receive a survey from TPWD?

I speak truth, not trash.

Think some one put the Bertram in the water a little early this year

Why would you lie on HIP or any other survey?

HIP is used to estimate total harvest and to find people to donate wings for the national wingbee. Why lie?

I got a snipe, rail, gallinule and coot survey in the mail for this season as well.

I got laughed at and paw pointed by my Brittany... Only had 1 fair day outta 12 cant make the birds fly,but I can be a better shot!!

Are you supposed to count the ones that went down but your bird dog could never find?

BigAL33,
It is not important. Just give an estimated number. The HIP numbers for each State are not used in harvest surveys. It is only used as a predictor of your current year's hunting activity and success based on the screening questions. From each State list the FWS sends secondary surveys. In the secondary survey the small group of active/very successful hunters at a high rate, the larger group of less successful hunters at a lower rate, and the very large group of hunters who rarely if ever hunt the species or species-group at a very low rate. So if your off by a few birds or a lot of birds, it makes no difference at all with the HIP numbers.

The way the screening questions categorize hunters, guys like Mudshark that intentionally give small numbers or zero are not likely to receive the survey that counts, and if they do receive a survey they are also not likely to be the kind of guys that turn it in or even open the letter. So the guys like him that intentionally give false numbers on the secondary surveys trying to discredit the survey are going to be very few and fall into the 1% allowed error allowance. He is wasting his time by doing so rather than throwing it in the trash. And if it was a secondary state dove survey that was part of a cooperative national survey they just did, the numbers again were not the main thing they were after anyway, it was hunter opinions and preferences. Especially related to non toxic shot.