Buy 'em & burn 'em?
Fed-up hunters are burning 'doe' licenses

Buzz of local taverns, coffee shops and sporting goods stores is the "buy 'em and burn 'em" movement for antlerless deer licenses.

Some hunters who believe the Game Commission is selling too many doe licenses have been trying to take wildlife management into their own hands. They're buying the permits and, instead of using them to hunt anterless deer, are destroying their tags.

Their mission is to allow the region's deer herd to rebuild, rather than be cut back, which is the Game Commisson's intention through its efforts to have more female whitetails killed by hunters.

Observers first noticed the trend in Management Area 2G -- which includes all of Cameron County and the southern half of Potter County -- where the doe license allotment of 26,000 was sold out earlier this week. That was an increase of 7,000 licenses over last year.

Allotment for Area 3A, which includes the portions of Potter, McKean and Tioga counties north of U.S. Rt. 6, is holding steady at 29,000 licenses this year. There were still about 9,000 left as of Wednesday.

The Game Commission advises hunters who want to buy a "doe" license that many management areas will sell out rapidly once it accepts applications from out-of-state hunters starting Monday.

The agency has given applicants an easy way to check on remaining supplies, by posting a "Doe License Update" section on its website, at pgc.state.pa.us.

Antlerless deer licenses cost $6.00 for Pennsylvania residents. Checks should be made payable to "County Treasurer."

On Monday, Aug. 27, the Game Commission will accept, only through first-class mail, applications for the first round of unsold antlerless licenses.

County treasurers will mail regular and first-round unsold antlerless licenses to successful applicants no later than Sept. 17.