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CheckStation Q&A -
1. What is CheckStation?
2. How does CheckStation work?
3. Why should I use CheckStation?
4. What kind of deer data do I enter into
CheckStation?
5. What kind of reports can I get from CheckStation?
6. You mentioned environmental information. How will
that help me?
7. I have several leases on my property. Can I use
CheckStation to keep separate records for each of my leases?
8. What if I manage more than 25 properties?
9. Is CheckStation easy to use?
10. Will CheckStation work on my old computer?
11. How much does it cost?
12. How can I order CheckStation or get more
information?
1. What is CheckStation?
CheckStation is a software product designed to provide
information to help landowners, hunting clubs, and wildlife managers make deer
management decisions.
2. How does CheckStation work?
CheckStation is a tool that allows a deer manager to input deer
harvest data and develop reports and graphs used to analyze herd health and
make informed management decisions. You record deer harvest and observation
information on data sheets or cards printed from CheckStation. After you input
the data into CheckStation you can develop a variety of reports and graphs that
can be used to determine if you are meeting your herd management objectives, or
help you decide if you need to make changes in harvest strategies to meet your
objectives.
3. Why should I use CheckStation?
Historically deer managers recorded data on deer harvest sheets
or jawbone cards, but then had to either summarize the information by hand or
enter it into a variety of spreadsheets or databases that did not offer ease of
use or quick reporting capabilities. CheckStation provides a user-friendly
format to enter deer harvest data, and a quick, easy method to develop all the
reports needed to make deer management decisions. CheckStation also features a
variety of graphs that can be developed with a few simple clicks of the mouse,
something no other software application can do with ease. The best part of all
this is a software package that anyone can use without having to be an expert
in developing spreadsheets or managing databases.
4. What kind of deer data do I enter into
CheckStation?
There are three kinds of data you input into CheckStation. One is
harvest data; age and weight (live or dressed) for all animals; lactation for
does; and antler points, inside spread, beam length, and beam circumference for
bucks. These criteria provide the best and most complete look at herd health.
Another type of data is observation data, which is the number of bucks, does,
and fawns observed while sitting on a stand. The third type of data is
environmental, which is the conditions present when a buck is harvested; moon
phase, temperature, wind speed, sky conditions (clear, cloudy, rain, etc.), and
time of day. This last set of information is more for hunting information than
herd management.
5. What kind of reports can I get from CheckStation?
There are three basic reports you can develop from CheckStation.
One is simply a listing of all the data for each deer harvested or each
observation. The next is a report that summarizes deer harvest data or
observations for the entire season; for example, if the harvest includes 10 3
½-year-old bucks, six 4 ½-year-olds, and three 5 1/2 –year-olds, the report
breaks down average weight, number of points, inside spread, and beam length
and circumference by age class . The third report is a 5 year harvest trend
report that will allow you to see trends in harvest data once you have 5 years
of information entered into CheckStation. You can also print a variety of
graphs providing a visual presentation of your data. For instance, you can
print a graph that allows you to see how many bucks you harvested in each age
class. You can also print a graph that shows buck harvest by age class for each
of 5 years. If you have a goal to reduce the harvest of young bucks, these
graphs will allow you to see very easily whether or not you are meeting your
goal. Finally, there are graphs that show the number of bucks harvested by a
variety of environmental conditions. These graphs allow you to easily see the
conditions when you most likely harvest bucks.
6. You mentioned environmental information. How will
that help me?
Environmental conditions is a feature we added to CheckStation
that really does not help in herd management, but is more for the fun of
keeping up with the conditions under which you most likely harvest bucks. With
CheckStation you can record the moon phase, wind speed, time of day, and sky
conditions (clear, cloudy, rain, etc.) and print graphs that show you the
conditions when you kill the most bucks.
7. I have several leases on my property. Can I use
CheckStation to keep separate records for each of my leases?
CheckStation comes in two versions. The single tract version is
for the landowner or wildlife manager who only needs to keep deer data on a
single piece of property. The multiple tract version allows a landowner or
wildlife manager to keep data on up to 25 different pieces of property. With
the multiple tract version, a landowner with several different leases or
pastures, or a wildlife consultant managing several different properties, can
not only develop reports for each individual tract or pasture, but can also
summarize data for all tracts combined so they can look at data across their
entire property.
8. What if I manage more than 25 properties?
Contact us and we will quote you a price based on the number of
properties you manage.
9. Is CheckStation easy to use?
Our goal while developing CheckStation was to provide a tool that
anyone could use, so making it user-friendly was one of the primary
considerations. While CheckStation was written by a professional software
developer, it was designed by a wildlife management consultant who uses the
program himself, and knows the importance of making it easy to use.
10. Will CheckStation work on my old computer?
CheckStation is designed to run on computers with Windows 98
operating systems or newer. It will not work on computers running Windows 95.
11. How much does it cost?
The CheckStation single tract version is $29.95. The multiple
tract version is $59.95. Shipping and handling cost is an additional $3.95 if
ordering a CD.
12. How can I order CheckStation or get more
information?
You can find out more about CheckStation and order the program
online by visiting the Natural Resource Systems, LLC website at www.nrsllc.com
and clicking on the CheckStation Deer Management Software button. You can
e-mail us at checkstation@nrsllc.com if you have questions or want more
information. If you have a high-speed internet connection you can download
CheckStation software directly from the website. If you do not have high-speed
internet you can print and mail an order form to receive a CheckStation CD. If
you do not have internet access you can simply write us at the address below to
receive a CheckStation brochure: CheckStation P.O. Box 628 Atlanta, TX 75551
You can also order the program directly by enclosing a check for $33.90 for
each single tract version ordered, or $63.90 for each multiple tract version,
and send it to the above address. You will receive your CheckStation CD within
2-4 weeks.
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