Deadline nears for PGC DMAP
Landowners looking to enroll in the Pennsylvania Game Commission Deer Management Assistance Program designed to help landowners manage deer on their properties, have until June 12 to mail an application to the appropriate PGC Region Office. Applications will be accepted by U.S. mail only, as postmarks will be required to establish processing priorities.
In addition, a map delineating the property boundaries must be enclosed with the application. Landowners may obtain DMAP applications from the PGC Web site at
www.pgc.state.pa.us by clicking on "D.M.A.P." in the "Quick Clicks" box in the right-hand column of the homepage. Applications also can be obtained from any agency Region Office or Harrisburg headquarters.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 Jan. 1, 2000, and it provides 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 when an applicant for DMAP requests more than the standard rate for issuance of DMAP harvest permits, or when the property acreage falls below the minimum for the standard issuance rate.Landowners must designate their boundaries in a manner approved by the PGC and will be allotted one coupon for each DMAP permit allocated for their property, and they may provide up to two DMAP coupons per DMAP area to a licensed hunter. Landowners may not charge or accept any remuneration for a DMAP coupon, and permits are $10 for residents and $35 for nonresidents.Hunters can purchase DMAP antlerless harvest permits as soon as coupons are available, and those without Internet access can obtain listings of eligible DMAP properties by mailing a self-addressed, stamped envelope along with a letter indicating their county of interest, to the PGC Region Office responsible for that particular county.Region Office contact information for the Northeast and Southeast, and a listing of counties in their jurisdiction, is as follows:Northeast Region Office, Box 220, Dallas 18612; 570-675-1143. Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne and Wyoming counties.Southeast Region Office, 448 Snyder Rd., Reading 19605; 610-926-3136. Berks, Bucks, Chester, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia and Schuylkill counties.**********Today's guest of Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association member Doyle Dietz on "Experience the Outdoors," from 7:30-8 a.m. on Oldies 1410-AM is Alaskan fishing guide and outfitter Chick Kishbaugh. A rebroadcast will be heard Sunday from 9:30-10 a.m. on WMGH, 105.5-FM, and is available on the Web at
www.wmgh.com by clicking on the "Experience the Outdoors" link.**********A 3-D course is open for public use from dawn to dusk at Bear's Head Sportsmen's Association, Delano, located off Exit 134 of Interstate 81, daily through Saturday, Oct. 23. Donations are accepted and for information call the clubhouse at 570-467-0331 or e-mail
docblazer@verizon.net**********A series of regional public meetings to gather comments from anglers on smallmouth bass management in the Susquehanna River and its major tributaries is being sponsored by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission. Attendees will be asked a series of questions on smallmouth bass regulations, and fisheries biologists will be available to provide information on water quality, bass health and answer questions.Regionally, meetings will be held Wednesday, June 2, 6:30-9 p.m., Wertz Student Center, Jane Schultz Room, Lycoming College, 700 College Place, Williamsport; Saturday, June 5, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., River Rescue and Emergency Services, 1119 S. Cameron St., Harrisburg; Wednesday, June 9, 6:30-9 p.m., Sheehy-Farmer Campus Center, Snyder Room, King's College, 133 N. River St., Wilkes-Barre.Additional information on smallmouth bass management in the Susquehanna River is available at
http://fishandboat.com/susquehannabass.htm**********A trap shoot will be held, Thursday, June 3, beginning at 6 p.m., at Orwigsburg Gun Club, Gun Club Road, off Route 443 East, Orwigsburg. For information, e-mail
jafone@comcast.net**********Schuylkill Spurs Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation meets, Thursday, June 3, July 1, Aug. 5, beginning at 7:30 p.m., at West Penn Archery, South Tamaqua. For info, call Kevin Titus at 570-668-5903.**********Schuylkill County Youth Field Day will be held Saturday, June 5, beginning at 8 a.m., for ages 10-15 with adult chaperon, at Friedensburg Fish and Game Association. For registration and information, call "Porcupine Pat" McKinney at 570-622-3742, or e-mail
porcupinepat@yahoo.com mailto:porcupinepat@yahoo.com .**********Frog Hollow Fun Day, for ages 3-9, will be held Saturday, June 5, from 1-3 p.m. For information, call Pat McKinney at 570-622-4124, ext. 113, e-mail
porcupinepat@yahoo.com mailto:porcupinepat@yahoo.com or access on the Web at
http://www.schuylkillonthemove.com/ .**********Schuylkill Spurs Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will sponsor a "Jakes Day," Saturday, June 12, beginning at 9 a.m., at Silverbrook Rod and Gun Club.Programs are specifically designed for youth between the ages of 8-16 and there is no charge to attend. Activities include seminars on the basics of turkey hunting and calling, shotgun, rimfire rifles, archery and trapping.An adult must accompany all participants, who will receive a complimentary Jakes NWTF membership and other prizes, and one will win a guided spring gobbler hunt at Silverbrook on the Pennsylvania Game Commission's 2011 Youth Day, Saturday, April 23. For information and registration, call Kevin Titus at 570-668-5903.**********National Fishing and Boating Week will be celebrated with a Water Safety Festival, Saturday, June 12, at the Dry Brooks Day Use Area of Blue Marsh Lake, located off Route 183, Bernville. Organized by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and other organizations, activities will be held beginning at noon and are scheduled to conclude at 5 p.m.In addition to celebrating National Fishing and Boating Week, the date is also National Marina Day and National Get Outdoors Day. Dam Control Tower Tours will also be offered throughout the afternoon, and there will be games of skill for children and adults. These include a rod-and-reel casting contest for kids, kayaking and canoeing and Water Safety Scavenger Hunt.**********First Frontier Militia, the muzzleloader arm of Bowmanstown Rod and Gun Club, will hold a muzzleloader shoot Sunday, June 13, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bowmanstown Rod and Gun Club is located on Gun Club Road, off Route 248, Bowmanstown. For information, call Roger Fisher at 610-377-2812.**********Beltzville State Park will hold its annual Get Outdoors PA Demo Day, Saturday, June 19, with the assistance of staff from Northeast PA Kayak School. They will offer a skill-building and safety course for kayakers of all levels and a second course specifically for experienced paddlers.Staff from Eastern Mountain Sports will be at Pine Run boat launch with a variety of kayaks for participants to try and will give a free demonstration on kayaking gear. Pre-registration is required, and for information; contact Stephanie Strub at sstrub@state.pa.us mailto:sstrub@state.pa.us or 215-453-5015.**********Schuylkill County Trout Unlimited meets Tuesday, May 25, beginning at 7 p.m., at Yorkville Fire Company, South 20th and West Norwegian Sts., Pottsville. For information, call Randy Emerich at 570-622-1252 or access on the Web at
http://www.schuylkilltu.org/ .**********This year's Empire State Lake Ontario Tournament dates have been announced. Here is the schedule: Summer, Saturday, June 19-Sunday, July 18; Fall, Friday, Aug. 20-Monday, Sept. 6. For information and registration, access on the Web at
http://www.loc.org/ or call (888) 733-5246.**********Schuylkill Trout Unlimited will hold a pig roast, Sunday, July 24, from 2-7 p.m., at Bulls Head Road, Pottsville. For reservations, call Bruce Schneck at 717-647-4362 or Randy Emerich at 570-622 1252.