NEWS RELEASE

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 114, Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Terry Brady
DCNR Deputy Press Secretary
(717) 772-9101

NEW ACCESS, OPPORTUNITIES, AWAITING DEER HUNTERS IN STATE FOREST SYSTEM

HARRISBURG (November 28, 2005) — The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is opening more forest roads to make hunting easier and to support the state’s wildlife management and forest stewardship efforts.

“Hunters help Pennsylvania manage its wildlife and forest stewardship endeavors,” DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis said. “Giving hunters easier access to the more remote areas of the state will give them better success in harvesting a deer, perhaps two, this season, and they will help us better maintain deer’s natural habitat.”

More than 2-million acres of state forest await hunters for the start of the deer hunting season next Monday, and more than 90 percent of all state forestland is now within a half mile of an open road, the secretary said.

DiBerardinis noted hunters will have access to more than 500 additional miles of state forest roads this season. Some 6,500 miles of roadway are located in 16 of the state’s 20 forest districts.

“Many of these roads will expose hunters to the more than 907,000 acres of state forest and parkland that DCNR included in the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Deer Management Assistance Program,” DiBerardinis said. “DMAP permits were offered in 19 of our 20 state forest districts and hunter support has been fantastic. Supplies were exhausted in all but six districts by mid-November.”

DMAP coupons are still available in Delaware, Tiadaghton, Tioga and Wyoming state forests. To apply for coupons or check availability, visit www.dcnr.state.pa.us/forestry/dmap/index.aspx.

Hunters may not be able to get a coupon and redeem it for a DMAP permit in time for the rifle season, but the coupon can provide additional harvest opportunities for the late flintlock muzzleloader and archery seasons.

DMAP gives landowners the chance to have sportsmen hunt for an additional deer. It also enables DCNR and others agencies to more effectively manage white-tailed deer on property and curtail damage to crops and forestland.

“In some areas targeted for additional harvest through DMAP, some early indicators of habitat recovery are visible, and deer body sizes should be responding,” said Bureau of Forestry Wildlife Biologist Merlin Benner. “These management changes will continue to change the nature of the hunt, however, and hunters must adapt their strategies accordingly to be successful.”

Benner said hunters can expect to see fewer deer in some state forests and parks but they are likely to be larger and sporting impressive antlers. He suggested hunters check with district forest or park offices for suggestions on likely places to hunt, and how to best access targeted land.

“Antler restrictions implemented by PGC for the past several years have really begun to pay off for hunters, as evidenced by the reports from this year’s archery season and many field reports from DCNR staff,” Benner said. “Very large buck are being seen in most areas, and the buck to doe ratio has shifted in favor of buck in many archery hunter reports.”

DCNR officials said some of the additional roads will be open only during deer season at the discretion of the district forester. Others will be opened for the second week of the traditional rifle season only because they cannot withstand the expected heavy traffic of the first week. Two- or three-month long openings will be in effect only where there is minimal threat of damage or deterioration to road surfaces or forest surroundings.

Listings of open roads, effective dates and district office telephone numbers, as well as DMAP details, can be obtained at DCNR’s web site at www.dcnr.state.pa.us (select State Forests).

This year, DCNR has asked the Game Commission to issue 21,593 DMAP coupons to hunters for 52 areas of DCNR land totaling 907,875 acres. In 2004, 23,863 coupons were issued to hunt 80 DMAP tracts totaling 713,015 acres.

Also, the Bureau of State Parks, which provides hunting on almost 300,000 acres of state parkland, has enrolled almost 43,000 acres at 16 parks, some of which are included in the forestry areas where they were surrounded by state forestland. Enrolled are: Elk, Parker Dam, Sizerville, Clear Creek, Cook Forest, Presque Isle, Ohiopyle, Whipple Dam, Promised Land, Greenwood Furnace, Little Pine, Lyman Run, Bald Eagle, Oil Creek, Prince Gallitzin and Tobyhanna.

For more DMAP details contact Merlin Benner, wildlife specialist, Bureau of Forestry, 570-724-8140; jobenner@state.pa.us.

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