Landowners looking to enroll in the Game Commission's Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP), which is designed to help landowners manage deer on their properties, have until July 1 to submit an application.

Eligible lands for DMAP are: public lands; private lands where no fee is charged for hunting; and hunting club lands owned in fee title so long as the club was established prior to January 1, 2000, and they provide a club charter and list of current members to the agency.

Coupons for DMAP antlerless deer harvest permits are issued to landowners at a rate of one coupon for every five acres in agricultural operations or one coupon for every 50 acres for all other land uses. Management plans are required only when an applicant for DMAP requests more than the standard rate for issuance of DMAP harvest permits.

Landowners must designate their boundaries in a manner approved by the Game Commission. Landowners will receive one coupon for each DMAP permit allocated for their property, and they may give up to two DMAP coupons per DMAP area to a licensed hunter, who will then apply to the Game Commission for DMAP harvest permits.

Landowners may not charge or accept any remuneration for a DMAP coupon. Hunters may possess up to two DMAP permits for a specific DMAP property in any given license year.

DMAP permit allotments will be made separate from the general antlerless deer license allocations, and will be $10 for residents and $35 for nonresidents.

After August 1, hunters can begin to apply for DMAP antlerless deer permits. Also on August 1, a listing of DMAP properties that have available coupons will be posted on the agency's website.

Those without access to the Internet can obtain listings by mailing a self-addressed, stamped envelope along with a letter indicating their county of interest, to the Game Commission Region Office responsible for that particular county.

4/11/2008