A more serious issue: Check Station Questions:

[Old Ironsights]

From a Doctor I know in Indy:

Last year was first year of 'rifle' season for deer in Indiana. The deer check-stations had forms which didn't list 'rifle' as an option, and with our three family deer (all taken with rifles) each time we had to insist they write in 'rifle' rather than just check 'shotgun' (and one time they said they would do so, but didn't until we pointed to where they had just checked 'shotgun' and stood there until they changed it). They also seemed confused that land owners don't have to buy deer tags, but this has always been the case for the decade I've hunted deer.

THIS year I assumed it would be different; after all, they've had a year to 'prep' for the rifle season, and get it right.

NOPE.

First off, they did the 'you HAVE to have a TAG' thing, and that was annoying. My property taxes cost a heck of alot more than a few dozen deer tags would! Secondly, they asked 'shotgun or handgun?' and my son said '.44 Magnum RIFLE' - and the guy says 'you mean Muzzleloader?' and he says 'no - Rifle' - the guy looks confused, and checks 'shotgun.' THEN he asks my 14 year old son for his driver's license. He says 'Uh, Dad?' at which point I offer mine, unsure what the deal is. Then they ask who shot the deer. My son says 'I did,' but the guy says 'Since he doesn't have a driver's license, I'll have to put it in your name.'

SO....

The people who use our tax money to make decisions on game hunting rules, and are likely supposed to be evaluating whether or not the new 'rifle' season has helped more youth hunters, will NOT see:

"14 year old gets deer with .44 Mag Rifle" but will instead see "50 year old gets deer with shotgun"

Now WHAT in the heck is my tax money going for, and WHY do we even bother with "deer checking?" - we know they DON'T do any checking for CWD, or any checking to see about the other health or age of the deer.

Not only that, but after I got home late from work, and took the deer down packed it in the truck and hauled to town and back, then re-hung it, all in the rain, and I was already feeling like I was getting the flu, they REPRIMANDED me for not having the deer into the checking station within 24 hours. It had been about 28 hours. Oh yeah, and the web site for the DNR, as well as the current season's printed regulations, state "48 hours."

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Another forum member here has seen similar things.

How is the DNR reconsiling the data when it seems that the CHeck Stations both do not have the correct forms AND/OR are inventing their own rules?

Couldn't someone technically get busted for "Double Bucking" bychecking in his kid's Buck if there is no other clarifying information (kid's license #) taken?

[buster]

First of all, I would try to find another check station if this one is annoying your friend this bad. Maybe he was having a really bad day.
If having the number of deer taken with a rifle was such a big issue for fish and wildlife, they would have added 'rifle' to the weapon box...don't lose any sleep over that one. Some check stations write in 'rifle' while others just check 'shotgun'. Either way is okay.
In evaluating whether or not the rifles had helped the youth hunters, those numbers would be gleaned from the data from the deer killed during the YOUTH SEASON in SETEMBER, not from firearm season.
As far as the landowner issue goes, you are supposed to make out your paper tag immediately upon killing your deer and are required to place said paper tag on the deer prior to leaving it unattended or transporting it out of the field. That is the tag that the check station operator was looking for. You would probably lose sleep over that one if you were caught transporting your 'family deer' without paper tags on them.
Your buddy's tax money has no influence on the inept check station operator. Seems that this particular check station has some issues of their own. This should be brought to the attention of the local CO that monitors that check station.
I would be most worried about having 2 bucks checked in under my name more than anything, and that, I assure you, would be something to lose sleep over! Might want to have your buddy call the local CO first and explain the situation before he tracks him down in a few weeks.
The check stations gather information primarily for harvest numbers and sex (buck/doe) ratios. They use these numbers to estimate what the deer herd is doing as far a growth is concerned, and to assist in antlerless county quotas for the following season. Having the wrong box (shotgun or muzzloader) checked by the check station operator is not going to have any negative impact on what they are doing with the numbers.