Given final approval by the Pennsylvania Game Commission board of game commissioners was the proposal to ensure all Deer Management Assistance Program permits are available at the time new hunting licenses go on sale in June.

Moving the deadline to May 1 - a month earlier than in previous years for landowners to apply to take part in the program the PGC will speed up its distribution of application forms to landowners. Under the new timetable, forms are now available at each of the agency's regional offices and on the agency website, and will be available each year by mid-|February.By speeding up the application schedule, the commissioners hope to make all DMAP permits available at the time hunting licenses go on sale. With the later deadline, some applications were unable to be processed until after the start of license sales, meaning hunters who were interested in obtaining a DMAP permit for a specific property often had to keep checking to see if sales have begun and might miss their window of opportunity for getting a permit.Chris Rosenberry, who heads up the PGC's Deer and Elk Section, said the change will benefit hunters, but might cause some confusion for landowners. In an effort to reduce potential problems, letters and applications will be sent to landowners who previously participated in DMAP.DMAP permits can be purchased through the Pennsylvania Automated Licensing System, but because some properties make only a handful of permits available, securing a permit can be a challenge. For this reason many of the hunters who seek DMAP permits each year buy their hunting licenses on the first day of sales annually - the second Monday of June.*******Lehigh Valley Sportsman Show is underway today and Sunday in the Agri-Plex at the Allentown Fairgrounds. Show hours are 10 a.m.-9 p.m., today; and 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Sunday.For information, call (610) 395-5280 or access the website at

www.lehighvalleysportsmanshow.com.*******Sunday's edition of "Experience The Outdoors," hosted by award-winning Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association member Doyle Dietz, at 7 a.m. on 1410-AM WLSH, at 9:30 a.m. on Magic 105.5-FM and on the Web at

www.wmgh.com by clicking the link to the program, features New York State charter boat captain Greg Gehrig.*******Schuylkill Spurs Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will meet, Thursday, March 6, beginning at 7:30 p.m., at 633 Hancock St., McAdoo. For information, call Kevin Titus at 570-668-5903.*******"Tie One On II," a free event with experience fly tiers demonstrating a number of proven trout flies for fishing regional waters, will be held Saturday, March 8, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Deer Lake Pub and Restaurant, Route 61, Deer Lake. The event is hosted by outdoors writer and Pine Grove native Tyler Frantz.*******Schuylkill Spurs Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation will hold its Hunting Heritage Banquet, Saturday, March 8, beginning at 5 p.m., at the Community Fire Company, Landingville. For tickets and information call Jeff Post at 570-366-7783, or Mike Corbin at 570-929-1622.*******Schuylkill County Trout Unlimited is sponsoring a free fly-tying class at the Tamaqua Community Arts Center, 125 Pine St., Tamaqua, Sunday, March 16, from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Refreshments will be provided courtesy of Tom's Auto Marine Sporting Goods of Tamaqua. Registration is required. Contact John Bondura at

jgbond@verizon.net or call (570) 640-5300.