Fish and Game Runs Its First Online Chat

About 158 waterfowl hunters contributed 75 online questions during Idaho Fish and Game's first online chat on Friday, October 12. Fish and Game's enforcement chief Jon Heggen and waterfowl biologist Jeff Knetter responded to questions covering a wide range of waterfowl-related topics, including Idaho's hunting rules, waterfowl biology and management during the live, two-hour chat. "We anticipated there would be some interest," Heggen said. "Duck hunters brought a flurry of questions, and overall, this was a great event to visit with them." In addition to receiving answers to their questions, participants responded to polls, completed quizzes on their waterfowl knowledge and were able to view the results in real time. They were also able to see how their answers compared with others. Based on the amount of interaction and positive feedback received, Fish and Game will use what they learned to help plan future online chat events. "We want to provide customer service in a new and interactive way," Knetter said before the event. For a replay of the chat, visit Fish and Game's home page at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov, and look for the waterfowl chat link.