Section 135.103. Registration for controlled goose hunting areas

The following apply to reservations for controlled goose hunting areas:

(1) Applications are available in, and shall be submitted from, the current edition of Digest of Pennsylvania Hunting and Trapping Regulations supplied with each hunting license.

(2) Reservation requests on official application forms shall be submitted by mail. An application shall contain requested information, including the applicant’s current valid hunting license back tag number, including letter.

(i) Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area. Applications shall be received by the close of business on the second Tuesday in September. Applications received later than the close of business on the second Tuesday in September will be rejected.

(ii) Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area. Applications shall be received by the close of business on the second Saturday in September. Applications received later than the close of business on the second Saturday of September will be rejected.

(3) One official application per person to hunt on one controlled goose hunting area in this Commonwealth may be submitted. Anyone submitting more than one application for a reservation will have all applications rejected.

(4) Selections of mailed application forms will be made by random drawing from all eligible applications submitted. The Director will establish, no later than 20 days prior to the drawing, the number of applications to be drawn.

(i) Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area. The drawing will be held on the second Wednesday in September and shall be open to the public.

(ii) Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area. The drawing will be held on the third Saturday in September and shall be open to the public.

(iii) Disabled access blinds.

(A) A separate drawing shall also be held for the disabled access blinds for persons in possession of a disabled person permit issued under section 2923(a) of the act (relating to disabled person permits). A copy of the current disabled person permit shall accompany the application.

(B) Other provisions of this section apply to disabled access blinds.

(iv) Youth only day. The Director may designate 1 shooting day at the Middle Creek and Pymatuning Wildlife Management Areas as a youth-only day. Adults who accompany a junior hunter on this day may participate in the hunt by calling only. Applications received from junior hunters will be separated and drawn prior to the other applications on the established drawing date for the management area. Unsuccessful applicants for the youth shooting day will then be placed with all other applications and the drawing will proceed until all shooting days are filled.

(5) A reservation is not transferable. The person whose name appears on the reservation shall present the reservation in person at the wildlife management area registration center designated. A reservation shall entitle the applicant to bring not more than three guests with him. Guests shall be present and register.

(6) Except as otherwise provided in subparagraph (i), each person is permitted to hunt only 1 day per season on only one controlled goose hunting area as either a reservation holder or a guest of a reservation holder.

(i) Exception. In the absence of applications for unclaimed blinds from persons who have not previously been a registration holder or the guest of a registration holder on the morning of the designated shooting day, a person who has previously been a registration holder or the guest of a registration holder may apply for an unclaimed blind in the manner provided for in paragraph (8).

(ii) Penalty. Except as otherwise authorized by subparagraph (i), a person who files more than one application or hunts more than one time per season on one or more controlled goose hunting areas within this Commonwealth will be denied the privilege to hunt any controlled goose hunting area for 3 years.

(7) A reservation for 1 day is valid only up to 1/2 hour before the daily shooting time.

(8) Blinds will be assigned, by drawing, to reservation holders on the morning of the designated shooting day. A blind which is unclaimed will be assigned by drawing to persons present and applying for the unclaimed blinds on the morning of each shooting day, 1/2 hour prior to shooting time.

The provisions of this § 135.103 adopted June 19, 1987, effective July 1, 1987, 17 Pa.B. 2464; amended August 19, 1994, effective August 20, 1994, 24 Pa.B. 4197; corrected December 1, 1995, effective January 7, 1995, 25 Pa.B. 5508; amended August 13, 1999, effective August 14, 1999, 29 Pa.B. 4351; amended August 11, 2000, effective August 12, 2000, 30 Pa.B. 4250; amended July 15, 2005, effective July 16, 2005, 35 Pa.B. 3926; amended August 28, 2009, effective August 29, 2009, 39 Pa.B. 5119. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (312302) to (312304).

Notation

Authority

The provisions of this § 135.103 amended under the Game and Wildlife Code, 34 Pa.C.S. § § 322(c)(6), 721(a) and 2102(a).

Cross References

This section cited in 58 Pa. Code § 141.26 (relating to early Canada goose hunting season on Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area); and 58 Pa. Code § 141.27 (relating to early Canada goose hunting season on Pymatuning Wildlife Management Area).