YORK, Pa. — Pennsylvania hunters, who are thinking about fall this summer, have another chance to buy a deer license next week.
The third round of antlerless deer tags go on sale Monday, Aug. 12 at 8 a.m. Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) permits are also available Monday.
Hunters can buy one license per round in the first three rounds or three licenses in the third round if they've yet to buy any.
The PA Game Commission sells licenses in rounds to help with population control.
"It protects against the overselling of licenses or having higher deer harvests than would be ideal in certain parts of the state. It is all connected to deer management goals and the scientific management of deer populations," said Travis Lau, a spokesperson with the PA Game Commission.
Hunters can get two to four harvest permits per DMAP unit. According to the PA Game Commission website, if the landowner provides coupons to hunters, a hunter can purchase up to four permits. Otherwise, a hunter can purchase up to two permits.
DMAP harvest permits must be purchased from a license-issuing agent or through here. A DMAP harvest permit costs $10.97 for a resident and $35.97 for a nonresident. Each DMAP harvest permit is good for taking one antlerless deer on the property for which the DMAP harvest permit was issued.
Certain state parks and forests offer DMAP hunting opportunities. The program helps conserve healthy and natural habitats and allows landowners to manage deer on their property. You can search for DMAP properties here.
Lau expects DMAP permits to be sold quickly.
"Especially with DMAP properties where there aren't very many to begin with, it is first come, first serve and only those who get in first are going to get their permits," Lau said.
DMAP also helps the Game Commission increase chronic wasting disease samples. Chronic wasting disease, a contagious and always fatal brain disease, has been found in Pennsylvania deer since 2012.
"We offer free testing for the deer that they harvest. They can either take them to a cooperating deer processor and the processor can submit that deer for testing or if the hunter does their own processing, they can drop off the head in a CWD collection bin," Lau said.
A fourth and final round of antlerless licenses go on sale Monday, Aug. 26. Hunters can have a personal limit of six.
The Game Commission has information on all the rounds and license sales here. Watch the full interview with Travis Lau below:
