JULY 11 BEGINS 2011-12 DOE LICENSE PROCESS

HARRISBURG – 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.