July 11 Begins 2011-12 Doe License Process; Hunters Can Purchase DMAP Permits

HARRISBURG, Pa., June 14, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- With general hunting license sales underway, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe reminded hunters that county treasurers will begin accepting antlerless deer license applications from resident hunters starting Monday, July 11 and from nonresidents beginning Monday, July 25.

For the 2011-12 license year, antlerless deer license fees are the same as they have been since 1999, except for the 70-cent transaction fee attached to the purchase of each license and permit, which is paid directly to Active Outdoors, the Nashville-based company that runs Pennsylvania Automated License System (PALS).  This transaction fee means that residents will need to write checks made payable to "County Treasurer" for $6.70, and nonresidents for $26.70.

By state law, antlerless deer licenses will continue to be sold only by county treasurers, so hunters will need to prepare and mail separate applications for antlerless deer licenses. A list of the mailing addresses for the 65 county treasurers that issue antlerless deer licenses is included in the 2011-12 Digest, which is provided to each license buyer.

A listing of antlerless licenses allocated by WMU, as well as the remaining allocation, can be viewed on the Game Commission's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), by clicking on "Doe License Update" in the "Quick Clicks" box in the right-hand column of the homepage.

Roe noted that hunters must use the official pink envelopes, which are provided to each license buyer by the issuing agents. For those who order licenses via the Game Commission's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), a new digest and two pink envelopes will be included in the package, along with the licenses, which will arrive in seven to 10 business days from the date of their transaction.

"As county treasurers are set up with PALS, hunters will be able to submit an application to any county treasurer," Roe said. "Additionally, hunters have the option of listing up to three choices, in order of preference, for a specific Wildlife Management Unit antlerless deer license. If an applicant's first choice of WMU has exhausted its allocation of antlerless deer licenses, the PALS system will move to the second preference – and third, if necessary.  

"This process will nearly eliminate the chance that a hunter will not be able to receive at least one antlerless deer license during the processing of regular antlerless deer licenses. However, hunters are not required to list more than one choice of WMU."

Also, Roe said that the early start to the antlerless deer license application process will help ensure that county treasurers will be able to mail antlerless deer licenses back to hunters prior to the opening of the archery season.  The first such season opens with the antlerless archery season in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D on Sept. 17.  The opening date of the general statewide archery deer season is Oct. 1.

Under the 2011 timeline, residents will apply for regular antlerless deer licenses on July 11; nonresidents will apply for regular antlerless deer licenses on July 25.  After this, residents and nonresidents will apply for the first round of unsold antlerless deer licenses on Aug. 1, and residents and nonresidents will apply for the second round of unsold antlerless deer licenses on Aug. 15.  

County treasurers will have to mail regular and first round of unsold antlerless deer licenses no later than Sept. 12, and second round of unsold antlerless deer licenses no later than Sept. 26.

Beginning Aug. 1, for WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D only, there is no limit to the number of unsold antlerless deer license applications an individual can submit until the allocations are exhausted.  This must be done by mail only, and there is a limit of three applications per pink envelope.

Beginning Aug. 22, county treasurers will begin accepting applications over-the-counter for WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D, and may immediately issue antlerless deer licenses.  Hunters may apply over-the-counter to county treasurers for any other WMU with antlerless license allocations on Oct. 3.

Roe noted that hunters may file harvest reports online for antlered and antlerless deer, as well as fall turkey, spring gobbler, bobcat, fisher and Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) permits through the agency's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us).  

Additionally, hunters can call the agency's toll-free telephone reporting system to file a harvest report.  The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) harvest reporting system telephone number is 1-855-PAHUNT1 (1-855-724-8681).

"Online and telephone harvest reporting are examples of the Game Commission doing its part to make it easier for license buyers to report their required harvests and help the agency better manage wildlife," Roe said. "We have found that harvest reporting rates have been declining for years, and we're hoping hunters and trappers take advantage of the online and telephone reporting systems to become more active in wildlife management."

Pre-paid postage report cards still are available in the digest, but the agency is encouraging hunters to report either online or through the telephone system to improve accuracy of data entry, and to save on the cost of postage and data entry.

Elk and bear hunters still will be required to present their harvest to check stations.

Roe noted that antlerless deer licenses, as well as general hunting licenses, still will need to be displayed by hunters.

HUNTERS CAN PURCHASE DMAP PERMITS

As hunters prepare for the upcoming antlerless deer license application period, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today announced that Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) antlerless deer permits are available through the Pennsylvania Automated License System (PALS).

DMAP is the Game Commission's program designed to help landowners manage deer numbers on their properties. Eligible landowners include those owning: public lands; private lands where no fee is charged for hunting; and hunting clubs established prior to Jan. 1, 2000, that are owned in fee title and have provided a club charter and list of current members to the agency.

"While more than 700 DMAP units have been entered into the database so far, Game Commission staff continues to update the list as more landowner applications are reviewed, approved and added to the website," Roe said. "We expect to have all of the eligible landowners applications approved and entered by July 1.

"Hunters may obtain up to two DMAP antlerless deer permits per property, and DMAP permits do not impact a hunter's eligibility to apply for and receive antlerless deer licenses issued for Wildlife Management Units (WMUs)."

DMAP permit fees are $10.70 for resident hunters, and $35.70 for nonresident hunters.  The permit can be used to harvest one antlerless deer on the specific DMAP area.  Maps for the properties are to be provided to hunters by the landowners. Landowners may not charge or accept any contribution from a hunter for a DMAP permits or coupons.

Hunters may not use DMAP permits to harvest an antlered deer.  Hunters may use DMAP permits to harvest an antlerless deer anytime antlerless deer are legal, including during the entire statewide two-week firearms deer season (Nov. 28-Dec. 10).  DMAP permits also may be used in WMUs 2C, 2D, 2E, 2G, 3C, 4B, 4D and 4E during the two-week firearms deer season (Nov. 28-Dec. 10), however, WMU-specific antlerless deer licenses may be used only during the last seven days of the season, Dec. 3-10.

All DMAP permits will be available through PALS. For DMAP unit numbers, the Game Commission has posted a listing of all public landowners and those private landowners who did not request DMAP coupons.  

Those private landowners who requested DMAP coupons to present to hunters to redeem for DMAP permits will not appear on the website. However, these landowners generally have a limited number of coupons available and already have identified a sufficient number of hunters to receive their allotted coupons.

The website provides an alphabetical listing of DMAP properties for each county in which DMAP properties are located. Each listing will provide the following information: DMAP property number; contact information, including name, address, telephone number and e-mail address (when available); total number of acres for the property; and total number of coupons issued for the property.

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SOURCE Pennsylvania Game Commission