2012-13 HUNTING/FURTAKER LICENSES TO GO ON SALE JUNE 11
Deadlines announced for certain licenses/permits; Doe license process begins July 9
HARRISBURG
– Beginning Monday, June 11, Pennsylvania hunting and furtaker licenses
for the 2012-13 seasons will go on sale, according to Carl G. Roe,
agency executive director. Licenses
will be available through the Game Commission’s Pennsylvania Automated
License System (PALS), over-the-counter at all Game Commission region
offices and the Harrisburg headquarters, as well as the more than 600
in-state and out-of-state issuing agents. Licenses also are available through the PALS website:
https://www.pa.wildlifelicense.com
.
Roe
also emphasized senior lifetime hunting and furtaker license holders,
as well as senior combination license holders, must renew their licenses
at this time. While senior lifetime license holders need not pay a
license or transaction fee, they must obtain the current year’s license
and harvest tags.
While the 2012-13 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest
regulations booklets won’t be available until the week of June 18, a
complete version of the publication will be posted on the agency’s
website. Those who purchase
their licenses prior to delivery of the digests can return to the
issuing agent of purchase and obtain a copy once the digests arrive in
the store.
For the 2012-13 license year, all fees are the same as they have been since 1999. There
is a 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 PALS. Returning PALS customers are encouraged to provide their Customer Identification Number (CID) to speed up processing.
“PALS
enabled the Game Commission to modernize the licensing system and
improve security,” Roe said. “To ensure faster processing, personal
information is now recorded through a Pennsylvania driver’s license
scan. This eliminates data entry; provides a more secure, reliable and
accurate means to gather and store license holder records; and
eliminates license buyer duplicity.
“For
all these reasons – and more – the Game Commission has eliminated paper
applications. Nonresidents can purchase licenses through any of these
venues, but the system cannot scan out-of-state driver’s licenses.”
Roe
noted that all license-issuing agents now are part of an integrated,
real-time, cyber network that allows them to offer some specialty
licenses that prior to 2009 could not be provided by all issuing agents
under the old license system.
“All
license agents now can issue senior lifetime licenses; reduced fee
military licenses; Mentored Youth Hunting Program permits; elk drawing
applications; bobcat and fisher permits; even resident landowner
reduced-fee hunting licenses and Deer Management Assistance Program
Harvest (DMAP) permits,” Roe said. “Hunters also can purchase the
special spring gobbler license, which allows them to harvest a second
gobbler in the 2013 spring gobbler season.”
There are certain deadlines for some of these licenses and permits that hunters and trappers will need to keep in mind. Specifically,
the deadline to purchase a bobcat or fisher permit is Dec. 14; and a
2013 second spring gobbler license is April 26.
Bear
licenses must be purchased by Nov. 16 in order to participate in the
early bear seasons and the statewide firearms bear season; but licenses
will go on sale again from Nov. 22 to 25 for those seeking to
participate in the extended bear seasons that run concurrent with all or
portions of the first week of the firearms deer season in certain areas
of the state.
Also,
the application deadline to be in the public drawing for a 2012 elk
license is Aug. 26; the public drawing will be held on Sept. 14.
“Hunters
and trappers need to remember these deadlines if they’re not purchasing
these licenses or permits when they buy their general hunting or
furtaking licenses,” Roe said. “Otherwise they may miss their
opportunity to purchase one of these licenses or permits before the
deadline passes.”
Roe
also noted, as originally envisioned by the U.S. Congress and the
Pennsylvania General Assembly, PALS enables the agency to suspend
issuing licenses to those, who through court order, have had their
hunting license privileges revoked for failure to pay child support.
Roe reminded hunters that, under
state law, only Pennsylvania County Treasurers may issue antlerless
deer licenses. However, thanks to PALS, county treasurers now may issue
an antlerless deer license for any WMU, so long as its allocation isn’t
sold out.
Applications
for the regular round of antlerless deer licenses for residents begins
July 9, and nonresidents can apply beginning July 30. An
antlerless license application will be printed with every general
license purchased, and an application also will be available in the
2012-13 Hunting and Trapping Digest for the first and second round of
unsold antlerless deer licenses. The first round of unsold antlerless
licenses will begin, for residents and nonresidents, on Aug. 6, and the
second round of unsold antlerless licenses will begin on Aug. 20.
Except
for Wildlife Management Units (WMU) 2B, 5C and 5D, hunters may only
apply for one license during each application period. Hunters
applying for antlerless licenses in WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D may apply for an
unlimited number of antlerless deer licenses – however, the
longstanding limit of three applications per envelope remains in effect.
“Hunters
must use pink envelopes to mail antlerless deer license applications to
the county treasurer’s office of their choice to process the
applications and mail back antlerless deer licenses,” Roe said. “Hunters
will have the option of listing their first, second and third WMU
preferences for doe licenses on their applications. Treasurers will fill
the highest WMU preference listed by the hunter. This option will
eliminate reapplication for a doe license if your first WMU preference –
or second – is sold out. However, hunters do not need to list
alternative WMUs if they only plan to hunt in one specific WMU.”
A
list of the mailing addresses for the 65 county treasurer offices that
issue antlerless deer licenses is included in the 2012-13 Digest, which
is provided to each license buyer. (NOTE: Philadelphia and Lehigh
counties have opted out of issuing antlerless deer licenses.) More
details on the new procedures for applying for a doe license can be
found in the Digest, which will be posted in the right-hand column of
the agency’s website (
www.pgc.state.pa.us
) by June 11.
A
change in state law removed the requirement that hunting licenses be
displayed, so licenses can be folded and placed into a wallet along with
a secondary form of identification, which is required of all hunters
and trappers.
Licenses
are printed on a yellow strip of 2.5-inch by 3.5-inch, water-resistant,
tear resistant material. The harvest tags are attached to the license
and are preprinted with a hunter’s name and address, and have perforated
holes to make it easier to attach to the carcass of the harvested
animal.
Roe reminded hunters that the Game Commission accepts online harvest reports for deer, wild turkey, bobcat and fisher. In
addition to reporting deer and wild turkey harvests within the
prescribed time limits, those who possess a DMAP, bobcat or fisher
permit are required to report, regardless of whether they harvested an
antlerless deer, bobcat or fisher, respectively. Each online harvest report costs the Game Commission 50 cents.
Hunters
and trappers also can use the agency’s toll-free telephone reporting
system. The Interactive Voice Response (IVR) harvest reporting system
telephone number is 1-855-PAHUNT1 (1-855-724-8681).
“This
is one more way that the Game Commission is 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 this new system and become more active in
wildlife management.
“Hunters
who use the toll-free number to submit a harvest report will receive a
confirmation number. They should write down this number and keep it as
proof of reporting.”
Roe
noted that hunters should have their Customer Identification Number
(hunting license number) and field harvest tag information with them
when they call, and that multiple harvests can be reported in a single
call. He also stressed callers should speak clearly and distinctly when
reporting harvests, especially when providing the Wildlife Management
Unit number and letter.
A
hard-copy of the postage-paid report card still will be available in
the 2012-13 Digest, but the agency is hoping hunters will report online
or via the toll-free telephone system to save on the cost of postage and
data entry. Using these reporting methods also will ensure a harvest
report is not lost in the mail.
Waterfowl
and migratory game bird seasons are not included in the 2012-13 Digest,
as those seasons won’t be established until mid-August. Once
seasons are set, the Game Commission will post the annual Guide to
Migratory Game Bird Hunting brochure on the agency’s website (
www.pgc.state.pa.us
). However,
applications and directions for the public drawing to waterfowl hunting
blinds in the controlled hunting areas at the Game Commission’s
Pymatuning and Middle Creek wildlife management areas are in the 2012-13
Digest.