Pennsylvania Hunting Licenses To Go On Sale June 10th

Hunters, trappers can purchase new tags beginning June 10.

It’s that time again.

Hunting and furtaker licenses for Pennsylvania’s 2013-14 seasons go on sale Monday, June 10. And once again in the 2013-14 license year, all license fees remain unchanged since 1999.

Licenses can be purchased online through the Pennsylvania Automated License System (PALS) website,https://www.pa.wildlifelicense.com.

Licenses also can be purchased over the counter at all Game Commission region offices and the Harrisburg headquarters, as well as through more than 600 in-state and out-of-state issuing agents.

 A list of issuing agents is available at the Game Commission’s website, www.pgc.state.pa.us. The 2013-14 hunting and furtaker licenses are effective July 1, when the licenses that now are valid expire. The new licenses are valid through June 30, 2014.

The launch of license sales for the upcoming seasons also serves as a reminder for Pennsylvania hunters who hold senior lifetime hunting or furtaker licenses, or combinations of those licenses. While those hunters need not pay a license or transaction fee, they must pick up new licenses and harvest tags.

Licenses purchased through PALS are subject to a 70-cent transaction fee for each license or permit, and that fee is paid directly to the Nashville-based company that runs PALS.

Through PALS, hunters can purchase not only their general hunting and furtaker licenses, but add-on licenses needed for archery or muzzleloader hunting, specialty licenses to hunt bears or set out after second spring gobbler, permits to hunt and trap bobcats and fishers, and more.

In short, what can be purchased from an issuing agent, can be purchased online.

Hunters also can use PALS to apply for the elk-license drawing or purchase Deer Management Assistance Program permits.

Many specialty licenses or permits have application or purchase deadlines, or launch dates for sales.

Fast approaching is the launch date for the sale of antlerless deer licenses. Applications for antlerless deer licenses must be sent by mail using official pink envelopes available from issuing agents or Game Commission offices.

County treasurers statewide on July 8 will begin accepting antlerless license applications from Pennsylvania residents. Nonresidents can apply starting July 29. Beginning Aug. 5, treasurers will begin selling the remaining unsold licenses for any wildlife-management unit for which licenses remain available. A second round of unsold license sales will begin Aug. 19.

Except in Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) 2B, 5C and 5D, hunters may only apply for one license during each application period. In those WMUs, hunters may apply for an unlimited number of licenses, however, the longstanding tradition of limiting applications to three per envelope remains in place for all applicants.

Over-the-counter antlerless license sales in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D begin Aug. 26.

Meanwhile, the deadline to apply for a 2013 elk license is Aug. 25. Those wishing to hunt bears during the early seasons must purchase licenses by Nov. 22, with bear licenses going back on sale from Nov. 28 to Dec. 1. The deadline to purchase a bobcat or fisher permit is Dec. 20. And those wishing to purchase a second spring gobbler license must do so by May 2, 2014.

Harvest permits through the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) will be available for sale beginning June 10, but hunters should be advised that permits for some properties might not become available until after that date.

DMAP permits will be available once landowner applications are approved and landowners are notified by the Game Commission. If permits for a particular DMAP unit have not gone on sale, hunters can continue to check back until sales begin.

Hunters purchasing their licenses early also might not be able immediately to get a copy of the 2013-14 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest regulations booklet. Some issuing agents won’t receive the booklets until late June. A complete version of the publication is posted on the agency’s website.  And hunters who don’t receive a printed copy of the booklet initially may return to the issuing agent and pick one up after the booklets are delivered.