HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Game Commission has announced the expansion of its Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP), providing white-tailed deer hunters with increased hunting opportunities across the state. This initiative allows landowners, including the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and private property owners, to apply for permits aimed at controlling the antlerless deer population.
An imbalance in deer populations can significantly impact other wildlife and hinder forest regeneration, which is crucial for sustaining healthy ecosystems. “The Department recognizes the ecological importance and impacts of the white-tailed deer population on commonwealth forests,” stated DCNR Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn. She emphasized that state forest and park managers use continuous habitat assessment and forest health data to determine DMAP areas. The program is a tool to balance healthy forests and deer populations.
This year, the DCNR is offering hunters 30,328 permits across 101 units, covering more than 1.3 million acres. Permits are available for purchase from license issuing agents or the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s website, ensuring hunters have direct access.
The DMAP uses a rigorous, science-based approach to allocate permits. The Department employs a statistically based vegetation sampling protocol, with over 10,000 plots across 2.2 million acres of state forestland, to guide decision-making.
The program’s primary goals are to promote diverse and healthy natural habitats, provide additional hunting opportunities, support sustainable forestry practices, and encourage the growth of native plant communities. This year, 26 state parks and 18 state forest districts are participating in the DMAP.
Maps, tract locations, permit availability, and past hunter success rates are accessible through an interactive map on the DCNR’s website, providing hunters with all necessary information to participate in the program. This initiative underscores Pennsylvania’s commitment to balancing wildlife conservation with recreational hunting, ensuring a sustainable future for the state’s forests and wildlife.
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