"If you make it easier for people to register more people will register there deer without wasting gas, time (greener) for everyone," hunter Kyle Olinski wrote in a Dec. 24 email to the board. "'taking the fun out of deer hunting because they can't show off there deer at the registration station' What??? How about a picture on your cellphone and send it out to your friends and the world. Please pass this it makes sense."

Eric Lobner, a DNR wildlife supervisor coordinating the rules package, told the board Wisconsin was one of only three Midwestern and Eastern states that still register deer on paper, and that Wisconsin turkey and geese hunters already register their kills by phone. DNR officials have said, too, that they're pondering other ways of collecting deer data, including requiring random in-person registrations, requiring hunters to send in deer jaws or taking tissue samples from deer hunters to deliver to meat processors.

Stepp called the paper system "extraordinarily burdensome." She said she understands the tradition of in-person registration and the economic impact, but suggested taverns and stores could still pull in hunters with biggest buck contests and other promotions.