8/22/2005
HARRISBURG - As the Pennsylvania Game Commission prepares to begin accepting applications through the mail for the first round of unsold antlerless licenses Monday, Aug. 22, agency officials reminded hunters that three Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) have exhausted their allocation, and seven have fewer than 10,000. WMUs 1B, 2G and 2F are sold out. WMUs 2E, 3A, 3C, 4A, 4B, 4C and 4D have fewer than 10,000 antlerless deer licenses remaining.

Hunters may apply for only one unsold license during this round, but may apply for a second unsold antlerless license beginning Sept. 12.

"Hunters have purchased all antlerless deer licenses allocated for WMUs 1B, 2G and 2F," said Vern Ross, Game Commission executive director. "Hunters still looking to hunt antlerless deer in these WMUs should consider reviewing the list of properties enrolled in the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP). Landowners participating in DMAP receive a limited number of coupons - determined by acreage - that they will make available to hunters, who, in turn, may redeem them for a DMAP antlerless deer permit to hunt on the property for which they are issued. Hunters may use them during any established deer hunting season, but they may not be used to hunt antlered deer.

"Resident hunters must mail DMAP coupons in a regular envelope, along with a check for $6 made payable to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, to the address listed on the coupon to receive their DMAP antlerless deer permit. Nonresidents must include a check for $26. 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."

The list of Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) properties is available on the Pennsylvania Game Commission's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). Just click on "DMAP" in the "Quick Clicks" box in the right-hand corner of the homepage.

Forms and instructions for submitting applications for unsold licenses are available on page 52 of the 2005-2006 Pennsylvania Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, which is provided to each license buyer. Hunters planning to apply for one unsold antlerless deer license on Aug. 22 and Sept. 12 are encouraged to either make copies of the application or print one off from the "Doe License Update" on the Game Commission's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). Just click on "Download Application."

Additional "Official Antlerless Deer License Envelopes" may be obtained from most issuing agents (including county treasurers), Game Commission offices or by calling the Game Commission's License Division at 717-787-2084.

"Some of the problems being encountered with this year's applications are the same as we've seen in the past," Ross said. "Before dropping your antlerless deer license envelope in the mail, hunters should take a moment to review the check-off list of items on the back of the envelope. By taking an extra minute, hunters could make a correction to their application that may otherwise cause it to be rejected."

Ross noted that many of the mistakes being made include: failure to sign checks; failure to make checks payable to County Treasurer (checks are not to be made payable to the Game Commission); failure to complete the return address portion of the envelope; or failure to put postage on the return portion of the envelope.

Ross also reminded hunters that regular updates about antlerless deer license availability are posted on the agency's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). Click on "Doe License Update" under the "Quick Clicks" section on the homepage.

Of the 879,000 antlerless licenses originally allocated, 339,492 licenses remain. Following is a listing of the antlerless deer licenses remaining by Wildlife Management Unit as of 1:46 p.m. today, Aug. 19 (along with the initial allocation for each WMU):

WMU 1A, 13,905 (40,000);

WMU 1B, CLOSED (27,000);

WMU 2A, 33,260 (55,000);

WMU 2B, 61,894 (68,000);

WMU 2C, 13,247 (53,000);

WMU 2D, 12,405 (56,000);

WMU 2E, 1,603 (21,000);

WMU 2F, CLOSED (30,000);

WMU 2G, CLOSED (29,000);

WMU 3A, 3,933 (27,000);

WMU 3B, 12,774 (41,000);

WMU 3C, 4,173 (32,000);

WMU 3D, 12,410 (38,000);

WMU 4A, 8,867 (35,000);

WMU 4B, 8,923 (35,000);

WMU 4C, 8,124 (39,000);

WMU 4D, 1,810 (40,000);

WMU 4E, 16,465 (38,000);

WMU 5A, 17,792 (28,000);

WMU 5B, 32,579 (56,000);

WMU 5C, 56,028 (71,000); and

WMU 5D, 19,300 (20,000).

The timetable for remaining antlerless deer license applications is:

Monday, Aug. 22, the Game Commission will accept, only through the mail, applications for the first round of unsold antlerless licenses. Hunters may apply for and receive only one antlerless deer license during this first round in all WMUs, except for WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D, where hunters may apply for multiple antlerless licenses.

Applying for and receiving more than one unsold antlerless license prior to Sept. 12 - except in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D - is against the law and carries a fine. Receiving a second "unsold" license during the first round automatically voids the first "unsold" license.

On Monday, Sept. 12, the agency will accept, only through the mail, applications for the second round of unsold antlerless licenses. Hunters who applied for an unsold antlerless license during the first round may apply for and receive only one antlerless deer license during the second round. Those hunters who did not apply for an unsold license during the first round may make separate applications for and receive up to two unsold antlerless licenses during the second round. The separate applications may be submitted to one or two WMUs.

Regular antlerless licenses and first-round unsold licenses will be mailed by county treasurers to successful applicants no later than Monday, Sept. 19. Second-round unsold licenses will be mailed no later than Saturday, Oct. 1.

Also, beginning Monday, Sept. 19, applicants may apply over-the-counter at county treasurers' offices in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D. This is a change from previous years, and was made to ease the demand on county treasurers at the time they are mailing out antlerless deer licenses. On Monday, Nov. 7, hunters may apply over-the-counter for unsold antlerless licenses in all WMUs.

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