FORT RUCKER, Ala. -- Hunters on Fort Rucker will soon be utilizing a new system to sign in an out of hunting areas on post, as well as obtaining all recreational permits on the installation.
The Fort Rucker iSportsman service will go live Sept. 30 and HunTrac will be going away, and although there is plenty of time to switch to the new system, John Clancy, Fort Rucker Outdoor Recreation manager, suggests people make the switch early for a smooth transition to the new system.
"People need to sign up with the new system as soon as possible," he said. "HunTrac will be phased out and people must be registered with the new system in order to be able to hunt on post."
People can register by visiting https://fortrucker.isportsman.net/, or visiting outdoor recreation if they need help registering with the new system.
Although the site is not yet fully functional, Clancy said people can go ahead and register to prepare for when the system goes live.
With the new system, people will be able to sign into hunting areas using their phones and will be able to keep track of which areas for hunting are open.
"When people come on Fort Rucker to hunt, they must sign into the area that they wish to hunt in, so that installation officials know how many hunters are in an area at any given time," said Clancy. "There are limits to how many hunters can be in an area at any given time; therefore, if an area is full, hunters will be able to see that with the new system.
"We need to know who is in the woods and what weapons they are using," continued the ODR manager. "The game wardens or [military police] need to know in case [hunters] get lost or there is an issue, and that way they will know where they are and what kind of weapon they should have in hand if they have to approach them."
With nearly 56,000 acres of hunting area on Fort Rucker, the new program is a boon for safety of the hunters, as well, since they will be able to track where each hunter as last signed into in case of an emergency.
"The game warden will carry a tablet with him and he'll be able to see where someone signed in, so if anything comes up, he can see the last place someone was," said Clancy.
The program is not just meant for tracking hunters, but also will be where people will obtain their permits for things like hunting, boating and fishing. They will also be able to take courses online, such as the boater's safety course through the program, as well, said the ODR manager.
Before hunting, Clancy said that people must be sure to have all their permits, paperwork and licenses in order.
For people to be able to hunt on post, hunters must first complete the hunter's education course, have an Alabama State Hunting License and purchase a post permit.
Although the bulk of paperwork will be done online, Clancy said people must visit ODR before hunting to have all of their permits verified.
There are areas that are designated for hunters of all types, including rifle hunting, shotgun hunting and bow hunting. Also, as of Aug. 31, there will be no more hog hunting at night, but raccoon hunting at night will still be allowed.
For more information, call 255-4305 or visit https://rucker.armymwr.com/us/rucker/programs/hunting-and-fishing.
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