Afield: PA’s new antlerless deer license system had rocky start. What are possible solutions?

Back in early June, I received a call from my friend Dwight Kline, manager of Valley Ace Hardware in Milesburg.

“You might want to write about the new license system that the Game Commission is starting on June 26,” Kline said. “You could come and interview hunters and take photos of the long lines. I think that the system will be a disaster.”

Kline was referring to an end to the old “pink envelope” system of buying your hunting license (at one of 650 issuing agents or online), and then filling out the application and mailing it in your pink envelope, along with a check made payable to “County Treasurer” and a stamped pink return envelope. The application eventually made its way to a treasurer’s office, where they used a license printing machine to print your license and mail it back to you. If the wildlife management unit for which you applied was sold out, your check and application would be returned and you could choose to apply again.

This year, for the first time, hunters could purchase their hunting license and antlerless deer license at the same time — again online directly from the Pennsylvania Game Commission, or from a local issuing agent, such as Walmart, Valley Ace Hardware and many others. This change eliminates the cumbersome pink envelope system and, in theory, makes the process more convenient for hunters.

For many, at least for this first run, it was far less convenient and made the old system look like a pink dream.

According to Kline, on June 26, people were already lined up outside the store at 6:30 a.m.

“By 8:00, our parking lot was full and there were cars and pickups lining both sides of Old Route 220,” Kline said. “I would estimate that there were as many as 200 people there hoping to buy a hunting license. It was a freakin’ nightmare.”

Starting at 8 a.m., the store had successfully processed (or at least Kline thought) about 15 licenses before the system went down and stayed down for nearly three hours.

A similar scene played out at Miller’s Gun Shop in Mill Hall, at Ace Hardware in Tyrone and most issuing agents. At the North Atherton Walmart, it was reported that a line of customers snaked from sporting goods halfway through the store.

Was the process easier online? A friend from Mifflintown signed into the license-buying portal at 8:05 a.m. on June 26. He was informed that he was number 41,711 in the queue. His brother signed on at noon and was number 125,994 in the queue. I get a little frustrated when I call my doctor and I am number 11 in the queue — I cannot imagine having tens of thousands of people waiting ahead of me. My friend works from home, so he patiently waited his turn and, at 5:45 p.m., he got his licenses.

I know absolutely nothing about the complexity of the computerized system of selling licenses or the capacity that is needed to process thousands of licenses in a short time. I do know that the current system was not up to the task on June 26. I also know that if something is not changed for the better, the Game Commission will lose issuing agents.

I want to be positive here. I think that the new system will be an improvement once all of the bugs are worked out. I offer four suggestions for improvement. My suggestions are common sense and not technical in nature.

Suggestion 1: Make hunting licenses available two weeks before antlerless licenses go on sale. I realize that this circumvents the one-stop-shop idea, but at least it would spread business out for the retailers and put less strain on the computer system. Hunters not buying a doe license for one of the popular WMUs could still choose to wait and purchase both together.

Suggestion 2: Begin antlerless license sales for only WMU 2G three days before they go on sale for other management units. WMU 2G sold out of its doe permits at 11:35 a.m., on the third day of sales. As this is being written on July 21, all other WMUs still have licenses remaining. After three-and-a-half weeks of sales, WMU 4D, which includes all of Centre County south of I-80, as well as large adjacent areas of Blair, Huntingdon, Mifflin, Snyder and Union counties, plus smaller areas in four other counties, still had over 46,000 licenses remaining for sale. Obviously, there’s no rush needed for WMU 4D and most other units.

Suggestion 3: At least during the early going, limit the number of licenses that one person can purchase for their friends and relatives. This suggestion comes from Kline, who has the perspective of an issuing agent.

“We have a fair number of people who come into the store with the CID numbers for other people — and they can legally purchase multiple licenses,” Kline said. “It is one thing to have three people ahead of you in line, and entirely different if those three people are also buying licenses for their friends and five uncles.”

Suggestion 4: Make no mistake, part of the problem was caused by hunters needlessly rushing to get their license on the opening day. Unless you need a license for WMU 2G, there is absolutely no reason to try to get a license during the first hour or even the first week.

I also know people who signed in on following days and finished the process in 5 minutes. A news release from the Game Commission stated, “By 11 p.m. on the first day the waiting was over and customers began enjoying a quick and convenient buying experience the new process can offer.” However, this was not my experience.

I stopped in Ace Hardware in Tyrone, the closest issuing agent to me, on July 13. I was pleased to see that there was just one person ahead of me. I quickly discovered that there was a delay. We waited for the machine to print his licenses and tags, but some were missing. A person lined up behind me. The agent tried again — long wait — and again the machine did not print all the tags. Fourth time was the charm. Then it was my turn. Again, the system failed to print all licenses and tags. Finally, after 50 minutes, I had everything that I wanted. Next person — more problems? I did not stick around.

So, the store paid an employee for an hour just to sell three licenses and make a couple of bucks — a losing proposition for the store.

One more thing. On July 20, Kline received an email stating that his antlerless deer tag had not printed and they would mail him one.

Hunters, if you already purchased your licenses, check to make sure that you have all of the licenses and tags for which you paid.

The second round of doe license sales for all hunters begins July 24. At this time, hunters may purchase a second antlerless tag. This presents another possible rush on issuing agents. Deer Management Assistance Program permits, which entitle the purchaser to one antlerless deer on a specific property, go on sale starting Aug. 14, both online at www.huntfish.pa.gov and at retailers. Since this includes areas within WMU 2G, Kline sees this as another potential problem.

Mark Nale, who lives in the Bald Eagle Valley, is a member of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association and can be reached at MarkAngler@aol.com .