FORT A.P. HILL, Va. -- Hunters, fishers and trappers who use Fort A.P. Hill will soon be able to buy a permit and check-in and out of areas on their home computers or smart phones thanks to a new web-based program called iSportsman.
The new system will be activated on Tuesday Sept. 2.
Fort A.P. Hill Senior Wildlife Biologist Ben Fulton said iSportsman will make it easier for hunters and fishers to sign up for their permits and sign in for hunting areas; gone are the days of driving to the check-in station at Outdoor Recreation early in the morning and waiting in line to sign in.
"It will benefit sportsmen and hunters in that they now can purchase their permits at home," Fulton said. "They can go online to check-in and out of areas by smartphone, on the computer, by telephone or at the kiosk by the Visitor Control Center."
Fulton said iSportsman also makes it easier for someone to move to another area using their cellphone or smartphone. Hunters with a smartphone can pull up an electronic map and see which areas have passes available--they'll be color-coded on the map, red for closed areas, green for open.
There's no physical check-in and out, it's done by phone, he said. It saves the 30-40-minute drive back to the check station that they had to make in the past when they wanted to change areas.
Fort A.P. Hill Game wardens can track who has checked in and out on their laptops, something they were unable to do in the past.
Fulton said the ability to track users gives the installation the ability to contact them in case of emergency, bad weather or some other urgent situation.
We can send a text or some kind of message through the mass notification system, he said.
Those who don't have a smartphone or a computer can register at the iSportsman Kiosk located next to the Fort A.P. Hill Visitor Control Center. The kiosk features a touch screen, a keyboard plus a slot to swipe a credit card. Fulton said users must pay with a credit card under the new system, it won't accept cash or checks.
Complete instructions to register and more information on iSportsman can be found at: https://faph.isportsman.net/.
Related Links:
The official website of Fort A.P. Hill
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