Forgetting to return your card by the date specified doesn't make you a poacher in my book. In 30+ years of fishing you are bound to forget at least once especially when they keep changing the dates. It should be required in order to purchase a new one but most License agents will not take your old punch card. Now that it's one card it is easier to keep track.

"How would we feel if the WDFW provided false statistics to us? Or, more specifically, how about if they lied to us about statistics in order to improve their position?"
Actually, they were providing false/flawed data for years and finally admitted so several years ago.