For the first time, California anglers and hunters can now file required harvest reports online rather than by mail.

The California Department of Fish and Game has unveiled a new Internet service that allows hunters and fishermen to report how many fish they caught or the results of a deer or bear hunt.

The data is required for certain wildlife species to help state officials manage populations and set harvest quotas in future years. But until now, hunters and anglers could only submit the reports using forms or tags sent in the mail.

DFG officials say the new system is faster and easier, though reports can still be submitted by mail.

Such reporting is required for species including bear, antelope, elk, bighorn sheep, deer, abalone, lobster, steelhead and sturgeon. In many cases, rules require reports for these species to be submitted even if none were taken.

The new service can be found online at www.dfg.ca.gov/licensing/ols.

Hunters and anglers must enter their name, date of birth and driver's license number. Then they will find an option to enter harvest data.

For more information, visit www.dfg.ca.gov/ licensing/harvestreporting.

38 deer checked

Thirty-eight deer and six bears passed through a DFG checkpoint last weekend on Highway 168 below Shaver Lake.

Saturday was the general deer opener in Zone D7, which encompasses most of eastern Fresno and Madera counties.

DFG wildlife biologist Dan Fidler said the largest deer was a nontypical 5x5 taken near Wishon Reservoir with an 18-inch spread. The largest bear weighed about 250 pounds.

Saturday is the opener in Zone D8, which includes most of eastern Tulare County and portions of Fresno County south of the Kings River.