Pennsylvania Game Commission Awards 65 Elk Licenses

HARRISBURG, Pa., Sept. 14, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Pennsylvania Game Commission officials today held a public drawing to award 65 elk licenses for the 2012 season.  The event also was webcast via the agency's website, drew more than 550 viewers, and served as a means to enable more people to view the public drawing. All 65 hunters selected to receive a license will be mailed a confirmation letter within about a week.

"Over the past few years, we have been pleased to enable the tens of thousands of individuals who apply for an elk license to find out via our webcast if they had been drawn," said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. "Given our financial limitations, we can't afford to send everyone who applied for an elk license a letter letting them know whether they were drawn; we only notify those who were selected.

"By webcasting the public drawing, we reached far more than the two dozen people who attended the event at the agency's Harrisburg headquarters."

Roe noted there were 18,613 individuals who applied for the drawing. An additional 707 applicants only purchased a preference point for this year, and were not included in the drawing.

"While state law prevents the agency 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. 21, thanks to the Pennsylvania Automated License System (PALS)," Roe said. 

Presently, the status for all elk license applications is listed as "Pending."  Once the database is updated, which is expected by Sept. 21, 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.  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 was to attend the public drawings, wait for a letter in the mail or to call the Game Commission."

Of the 19 antlered elk licenses, 18 were awarded to Pennsylvania residents, and one was awarded to a hunter from Virginia.  Of the 46 antlerless elk licenses awarded, 44 went to Pennsylvanians and one went to hunter from Florida and one to a hunter from Vermont. 

Roe noted preference points played a significant role in determining those drawn.  According to results, 19 of the individuals selected for an elk license had ten; 14 of the individuals selected for an elk license had nine; eight had eight preference points; six had seven preference points; one had six preference points; one had five preference points; five had four preference points; one three preference points; and eight had two preference points.  Only two had applied for the first time.

All 65 elk license recipients will receive in the mail two copies of the Game Commission's elk hunter orientation DVD, which they must view prior to the elk hunt, and update materials.  The second copy is to be previewed by their guide, if they choose to use a guide.  Elk license recipients are not required to use a guide.

All elk license recipients must obtain a general hunting license prior to purchasing their elk license.  Elk licenses cost $25 for residents and $250 for nonresidents.

Note to Editors: If you would like to receive Game Commission news releases via e-mail, please send a note with your name, address, telephone number and the name of the organization you represent to: [email protected]

SOURCE Pennsylvania Game Commission

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