Automated Wildlife Data Systems

"Bringing Agencies and Partners Together in Real-time"

In keeping up with modern trends in technology, outdoor activities are increasingly accompanied by hand-held GPS trackers, cell phones, and detailed satellite maps. These days, it’s hard to find someone who hasn’t "surfed" the web, sent an email, or visited a "Blog." Fish and Wildlife agencies, and their licensing techniques are also changing along with modern technology, particularly with fishing and hunting licenses. In fact, more than 40 state fish and wildlife agencies now offer the opportunity to buy a license online.

To help in keeping with the times, the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies created a program, Automated Wildlife Data Systems (AWDS), to help educate and assist fish and wildlife agencies in developing, implementing and improving online and automated license and data systems.

The driving force behind the AWDS program is to improve customer relations and make the purchase of licenses more convenient. However, this is not the only goal of AWDS. In addition to tracking license sales, it develop techniques and standards for sharing and using all related data. This is particularly useful as data can be used for administration, enforcement, resource management, customer service and marketing, to name just a few. All of these services are valuable to help maintain and increase participation in outdoor activities.

Subscribing to AWDS

Since 1997, AWDS has received all operating funds from grants awarded by the Multistate Conservation Grant Program.  However, programming changes within the Multistate Grant Program have caused AWDS to no longer be elligable for these funds. Today, the AWDS program is funded only through annual subscription fees paid by AWDS users. To be one of the many organizations and agencies successfully benefiting from AWDS, please subscribe today.