NEWS RELEASE

COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
Department of Conservation
and Natural Resources
Commonwealth News Bureau
Room 308, Main Capitol
Harrisburg, PA 17120

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT: Terry Brady
DCNR Deputy Press Secretary
(717) 772-9101

DCNR PARTICIPATING IN THE DEER MANAGEMENT ASSISTANCE PROGRAM ON 38 STATE FOREST TRACTS ACROSS STATE
Drawings planned at district forest offices to distribute more than 16,000 requested permits to deer hunters this season

HARRISBURG (August 8, 2003) — Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) Secretary Michael DiBerardinis today announced that DCNR has enrolled 446,821 acres of state forest in the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP).

The program, offering landowners the chance to request additional antlerless deer permits to be made available to hunters, enables DCNR and other landowners to more effectively manage deer on their property and curtail damage to crops and forestland.

“The impact of the overabundant whitetail has taken a heavy toll on Pennsylvania’s forest communities, affecting both tree regeneration and the quality of forest habitats for all wildlife – deer included,” Secretary DiBerardinis said. “DMAP gives our forest managers needed tools to address specific areas of over-browsed forests, and, hopefully, allow those areas a chance to begin the process of recovery.”

DCNR has implemented DMAP proceedings this year on a trial basis within its state forest system. It plans to monitor the success and effectiveness of the program for possible future adaptation and application in other areas.

“Deer overpopulation also is a pronounced problem in many of our 116 state parks across the state,” DiBerardinis said. “We have responded by continuing to open new areas to hunting in the parks. Hunters will have access to eight new areas in 2003, including almost 4,000 acres at Cook Forest and Clear Creek state parks in the northwestern section of the state.

“DMAP allocations may be a future consideration for our state parks. Right now, we are concentrating on the state forests, enrolling large and small areas, with varying rates of permits per acre to assess what works best on our lands.”

The DCNR secretary said his department would work with the Game Commission’s Deer Management Section to suggest further modifications, if necessary, to make this program more practical and effective. There may be other tools needed in the future to manage deer in our more remote and inaccessible areas, he said.

The DCNR secretary said surveys of state forest and parkland shows the painted trillium and other woodland plant species either are missing from most of their former range or are found only in limited numbers. Deer also can be linked to declining populations of the snowshoe hare, Appalachian cottontail, and ruffed grouse.

Under the first-ever DMAP program, a total of 38 tracts in 11 forest districts have been selected, and 16,312 permits are being sought to steer hunters where they are needed to hunt and control antlerless deer. Individual areas range from 2,287 to 73,575 acres.

Hunters are limited to one permit per area. To obtain them:

First, decide the district forest DMAP area(s) where you will apply. Next, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to the state forest district office for each area being applied to. On the envelope in the lower left corner, indicate the current hunting license back tag number and the DMAP area number. A drawing will be held the week of Sept. 2.

Successful applicants will receive a “coupon” and a map of the area. Unsuccessful applicants will receive a note explaining that all coupons for that area already have been distributed. If additional coupons remain available following the initial drawing, they will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. Upon receipt of the coupon, hunters must send it with a $6 check to: Pennsylvania Game Commission, DMAP Permit, 2001 Elmerton Ave., Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797.

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Map of Deer Management Assistance Program Areas

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following is a list of state forest districts participating in the DMAP; counties and total acreage of tracts involved; and number of permits requested from the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

FOREST DISTRICTS PARTICIPATING IN DMAP

Bald Eagle: Union, Centre, Mifflin counties: one 16,667-acre tract, 273 permits requested;

Delaware: Pike County: four tracts totaling 42,826 acres, 2,314 permits; Monroe County: one 6,650-acre tract, 347 permits;

Elk: McKean: one 18,935-acre tract, 378 permits; Cameron, Potter: one 4,880-acre tract, 199 permits; Elk: one 4,000-acre tract, 80 permits;

Lackawanna: Lackawanna: one 7,000-acre tract, 140 permits;

Michaux: Cumberland: two tracts totaling 7,912 acres, 158 permits; Cumberland/Franklin: one 3,502-acre tract, 70 permits; and Adams/Franklin: one 8,645-acre tract, 172 permits;

Moshannon: Clearfield, Elk: one 19,779-acre tract, 395 permits;

Rothrock: Huntingdon, Centre, and Mifflin: one 73,575-acre tract, 1,470 permits;

Sproul/Susquehannock: Potter, Clinton: one 26,848-acre tract, 1,074 permits;

Susquehannock: Potter: three tracts totaling 36,194 acres, 1,444 permits;

Tiadaghton: Potter, Lycoming and Tioga: one 14,322-acre tract, 726 permits; Lycoming, Clinton: one 17,652-acre tract, 891 permits; Lycoming, Sullivan: one 35,489-acre tract, 1,815 permits; and Lycoming: six tracts totaling 53,668 acres, 2,785 permits;

Tioga: Tioga: five tracts totaling 22,938 acres, 456 permits;

Tuscarora: Mifflin, Juniata: one 4,460-acre tract, 42 permits; Mifflin, Huntingdon: one 5,806-acre tract, 110 permits; Perry, Cumberland and Franklin: one 10,600-acre tract, 763 acres; and Perry, Cumberland: one 4,503-acre tract, 210 permits.

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2003