GAME COMMISSION TO HOLD DRAWING FOR BOBCAT/ELK LICENSES

HARRISBURG – Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe reminded those interested in watching the agency’s public drawings for the 2009 elk hunting licenses and the 2009-10 bobcat season permits to check-out the agency’s live webcast beginning at 10 a.m. on Sept. 11. To view the drawing, a “Watch Drawings Live” icon has been posted on the agency’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) for individuals to click on and watch the drawing.


In order to watch the live feed, you will need to have Flash Player installed on your computer.  If you do not have Flash Player installed on your computer, please go to this link: http://www.adobe.com/software/flash/about/.  Once Flash Player has been installed, you will be able to properly view the live feed of the drawing.


“Each year, tens of thousands of individuals apply for an elk license or bobcat permit,” Roe said.  “Unfortunately, not all of them can make it to the public drawings and we are unable – due to financial limitations – to send everyone who applied a letter to let them know whether they were drawn, and we only notify those who were selected.


“By webcasting the public drawings, we hope to allow more people to view these events without having to travel to the agency’s Harrisburg headquarters.”


Beginning at 10 a.m., the agency will conduct the bobcat drawing.  Once the names are drawn for the bobcat permits, including those who automatically will receive a bobcat permit because they have earned the maximum of six preference points, the elk drawing will begin immediately afterward.


Roe also noted that those who have submitted applications can check to see if they were selected, by Sept. 16, thanks to the new Pennsylvania Automated License System (PALS).  


Presently, the status for all individual’s applications for elk licenses or bobcat permits is listed as “Pending.”  Once the database is updated, which is expected by Sept. 16, those who were selected for an elk license will see the status changed to “Awarded,” as well as the designation of the Elk Hunt Zone and whether they were awarded an antlered or antlerless elk license.  For bobcat permit recipients, they will see their permit number listed.  Those not selected will see the status changed to “Unsuccessful.”


To access the information, go to the Game Commission website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), and click on the blue box in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage.  Click on the “Purchase License Permit and or Application/Replace License and or Permit” option, which includes the ability to “Check on the status of any Lottery Application,” scroll down and click on the “Start Here” button at the bottom of the page.  At this page, choose one of the identification options below to check your records, fill in the necessary information and click on the “Continue” button. Click on the appropriate residency status, which will display your current personal information.  At the bottom of the page, choose the “Check on the status of any Lottery Application” button, and then hit “Continue.”


“While this may seem like a lot of clicking and box checking to get to the information, the system is designed to protect an individual’s personal information, while at the same time enabling that person to check on the status of his or her applications, as well as their antlerless deer license applications,” Roe said. “In the past, the only way to know for sure that you were awarded an elk license or bobcat permit was to attend the public drawings, wait for a letter in the mail or to call the Game Commission.


“This year, thanks to PALS, we will be able to update the data files for each license buyer shortly after the bobcat and elk public drawings are completed so that license buyers will be able to see for themselves if they were drawn for one of the 1,780 bobcat permits or 59 elk licenses.”





APPLICATION DEADLINE FOR BOBCAT/ELK GUIDE PERMITS IS OCT. 16

HARRISBURG – Anyone interested in applying to be a bobcat or elk guide for the upcoming seasons should submit a completed application to the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Bureau of Wildlife Protection by Friday, Oct. 16.  Guide permits cost $25 for residents and $50 for nonresidents, per species.  For those who wish to serve as guides for both bobcat and elk, permit fees are $50 for residents, $100 for nonresidents.


Bobcat guides may assist in all aspects of hunting or trapping bobcats, except for setting traps or harvesting bobcats.  Similarly, elk guides may provide assistance in locating or tracking elk, and calling for elk, but they may not harvest an elk.  Permit applications may be obtained from the Game Commission’s Harrisburg headquarters by calling 717-787-5740, or by contact any of the Game Commission’s six region offices.


The Board of Game Commissioners created the guide permit for bobcat and elk to allow experienced individuals, especially those who are familiar with or live in the WMUs open to bobcat harvest or the elk range, to serve as guides for those who receive a bobcat permit or elk license.  


Guides are not required for those who only plan to accompany a bobcat permit holder or elk license recipient, or those who plan to aid a successful elk hunter to remove an elk from the field.


Since only properly licensed hunters may take part in the hunt, and since the agency is awarding only a limited number of bobcat permits and elk licenses, the guide permit enables those who receive a bobcat permit or elk license to take someone along to participate in the hunt without violating the law.


Those seeking elk guide permits also should consult with the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources concerning special guiding permits and requirements on state forest or state park lands.

GAME COMMISSION CALLS WEBCAST ‘GOOD FIRST STEP’

Nearly 800 people tune in to view public drawing for bobcat permits/elk licenses



HARRISBURG – Following today’s live webcast of the agency’s bobcat permit and elk license public drawings, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe called the event a good first step toward improving public access to the agency’s quarterly Board of Game Commissioner meetings and other events.


“We are striving to improve public access to Game Commission events and informational programs, and webcasting certainly is the best avenue we have to do so in an inexpensive manner,” Roe said.  “We recognize that many who are interested in the agency’s activities are unable to travel to Harrisburg to attend Board meetings, or attend open houses on various programs, such as deer management.


“By seeking ways to maximize the use of our website with our present level of funding, we hope to better open the channels of communication between the public and its wildlife management agency.”


Roe noted that today’s webcast was initiated as a means to enable more people to view the public drawings for awarding bobcat permits and elk licenses.


“Each year, tens of thousands of individuals apply for an elk license or bobcat permit, and unfortunately, very few are able to attend public drawings,” Roe said. “And, due to financial limitations, we can’t afford to send everyone who applied for a bobcat permit or elk license a letter to let them know whether they were drawn, and we only notify those who were selected.


“By webcasting the public drawings, we were able to reach far more than the 45 people who were able to travel to the agency’s Harrisburg headquarters. In fact, according to the free webcasting service we used for today’s broadcast, we saw that there were nearly 800 people tuned in at one time.”


Roe acknowledged that, while viewing the drawing for the 59 elk licenses seemed to go smoothly, there were some limitations to today’s webcast that made it difficult to view the names and hometowns of the 1,780 individuals who awarded bobcat permits.  But, he pledged that the agency’s staff would seek ways to improve webcasting of future drawings.


“We will review the process and see how we can make improvements to the broadcast for next year,” Roe said. “And, while state law prevents us from publishing a list of today’s winners, thanks to another of the agency’s technological leaps forward, those who were in today’s drawings can check on the status of their applications, by Sept. 16, thanks to the new Pennsylvania Automated License System (PALS).”  


Presently, the status for all individual’s applications for elk licenses or bobcat permits is listed as “Pending.”  Once the database is updated, which is expected by Sept. 16, those who were selected for an elk license will see the status changed to “Awarded,” as well as the designation of the Elk Hunt Zone and whether they were awarded an antlered or antlerless elk license.  For bobcat permit recipients, they will see their permit number listed.  Those not selected will see the status changed to “Unsuccessful.”


To access the information, go to the Game Commission website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), and click on the blue box in the upper right-hand corner of the homepage.  Click on the “Purchase License Permit and or Application/Replace License and or Permit” option, which includes the ability to “Check on the status of any Lottery Application,” scroll down and click on the “Start Here” button at the bottom of the page.  At this page, choose one of the identification options below to check your records, fill in the necessary information and click on the “Continue” button. Click on the appropriate residency status, which will display your current personal information.  At the bottom of the page, choose the “Check on the status of any Lottery Application” button, and then hit “Continue.”


“While this may seem like a lot of clicking and box checking to get to the information, the system is designed to protect an individual’s personal information, while at the same time enabling that person to check on the status of his or her applications, as well as their antlerless deer license applications,” Roe said. “In the past, the only way to know for sure that you were awarded an elk license or bobcat permit was to attend the public drawings, wait for a letter in the mail or to call the Game Commission.”



#    #    #