The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners on Saturday took preliminary action to restructure the state’s process for obtaining antlerless deer licenses.

Until recently, state law had required antlerless licenses be issued only by county treasurers. Hunters seeking antlerless licenses would send applications and receive licenses by mail in what was considered an outdated and inflexible process.

Earlier this month, a new law took effect that enables all license-issuing agents to sell antlerless deer licenses, meaning hunters in the 2023-24 license year will be able to purchase them online or anywhere else licenses are sold.

This weekend the commission outlined the process:

• Antlerless licenses would be purchased online and at issuing agents; there would be no application by mail.

• Antlerless licenses would go on sale during the first day of license sales, the fourth Monday in June.

• Only residents could apply initially.

• Application by nonresidents wouldn’t begin until the second Monday in July.

• A hunter could get only one license in the first round. A second round would begin the fourth Monday of July (Residents and nonresidents would be eligible).

• A third round would begin the second Monday of August.

• Then, in what’s being identified as the fourth round, a hunter could buy additional licenses until reaching their personal limit of six. Additional licenses, if available, then could be purchased as the hunter harvests antlerless deer and reports them.

• In each round, antlerless license sales wouldn’t begin until 8 a.m.

Adjustments might be made before a final vote, which is scheduled for the April meeting.

Land acquisitions

The commission approved:

• About 588 acres in Penn Forest Township, Carbon County.

This property connects two tracts of State Game Lands 141. Funding comes from Wildlands Conservancy and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service funds through the Pittman-Robertson Act. There will be no cost to the Game Commission.

• About 5 acres in Lehigh Township, Northampton County, an interior to State Game Lands 168. Funding comes from the Game Fund.