Deer hunters could find more hunting opportunities in state forest and parklands and a wealth of information designed to boost hunter success because of the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' participation in the Game Commission's Deer Management Assistance Program, or DMAP.

On August 4, DCNR will begin accepting DMAP applications by mail only. At 8 a.m. on August 18, the will begin accepting applications from walk-ins, and by mail, telephone, and its online application page.

The program, offering landowners the chance to request additional antlerless deer hunting permits be made available to hunters, enables DCNR and others to more effectively manage white-tailed deer and curtail damage to crops and forestland by requesting that the Game Commission issue additional deer hunting coupons.

"DCNR will offer additional deer hunting opportunities this year through its DMAP program," said DCNR Secretary Michael DiBerardinis. "In addition to 2.5 million acres of state park and forest land open to public hunting, DCNR has enrolled 870,517 acres in its DMAP program. On these tracts, along with an additional 88,881 acres of state parkland, hunters can harvest additional antlerless whitetails with a valid DMAP tag."

DCNR's DMAP strategy takes into account the shortened antlerless season in Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Management Units 2G, 2D and 4B, in the north central, western and south central sections of the state, respectively.

"We're concerned how the shortened antlerless season in some regions, where hunters can harvest bucks in these areas only during the first week of the traditional hunting season, will affect hunter participation and success in state forests," Secretary DiBerardinis said. "State forestlands enrolled in DMAP will provide hunters an additional week of antlerless hunting opportunities."

As a result, DCNR adjusted DMAP coupon applications in state forest districts where shortened antlerless seasons apply: For example, Sproul State Forest District will be seeking 1,650 DMAP coupons for 82,700 acres - up from 1,000 DMAP coupons for 50,400 acres in 2007-2008. Elk State Forest District is seeking 1,300 coupons for 131,500 acres - from 600 for 30,000 acres.

"Our DMAP program helps promote forest habitat health while providing hunters additional opportunities to hunt and harvest antlerless deer," Secretary DiBerardinis said. "Harvesting additional antlerless deer in these DMAP areas helps balance the deer population with available habitat, promotes healthy forest habitat, healthy deer and provides quality hunting experiences.

"Hunters are invaluable allies in forest management," Secretary DiBerardinis said, noting the Bureau of Forestry has ramped up its DMAP information to help boost hunter success. Clearly defined maps of DMAP areas that include habitat information, past hunter success reports, application procedures, comments from district foresters and other information is available at. DCNR’s DMAP webpage.”

Overall, 14,550 DMAP coupons are being sought for 870,517 acres of state forest and parkland. In addition, there will be five more state parks participating this year, with a total of 1,775 coupons being sought for park hunters across the state.

In 2007, DCNR requested the Game Commission to issue 17,541 coupons to hunters to pursue deer on 67 state forest sites totaling 861,415 acres, and 1,595 coupons in 16 state park sites totaling 80,312 acres. In 2006, DCNR sought 17,642 coupons for hunting in 63 state forest DMAP tracts totaling 802,346 acres.

Enrolled state park areas this year include: Bald Eagle, Beltzville, Blue Knob, Canoe Creek, Codorus, Cook Forest, Hickory Run, Keystone, Kings Gap, Moraine, Nescopeck, Ohiopyle, Oil Creek, Pinchot, Presque Isle, Prince Gallitzin, Raccoon Creek, Ricketts Glen, Ryerson Station, Shawnee and Tobyhanna.

Buchanan and Cornplanter state forest districts again will not be enrolled in the DMAP program. Managers of these districts point to reduced browsing pressure, improved forest regeneration and other factors, and believe additional doe harvests through the DMAP program are not needed.

"We're seeing some positive signs in habitat conditions across the state," said Bureau of Forestry Director Daniel Devlin. "Some districts, such as Tiadaghton, Moshannon and Tioga, saw reductions in DMAP tags or acreage because of what we're seeing on the ground in terms of forest habitat and the reduced need for deer exclosure fences. We're encouraged by this progress.

"There are many areas, however, that still show limited signs of recovery given existing deer impacts. Sproul and Elk state forests are just two examples of where DCNR is taking a more aggressive approach with DMAP this year," Devlin said.

DCNR first implemented DMAP in 2003 on a trial basis within its state forest system only, enrolling 38 tracts totaling 446,821 acres in 11 of its 20 state forest districts.

To obtain applications, maps and others details for state forest or parkland, hunters can visit DCNR’s DMAP webpage. For more DMAP details contact Roy D. Brubaker, Forest Resource Planning, Bureau of Forestry, 717-783-0382 or send email to: robrubaker@state.pa.us .

8/1/2008