RAYSTOWN LAKE, Pa. —The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Raystown Lake announces that they will not be enrolled in the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) for the 2013-2014 hunting season. The DMAP is administered by the PA Game Commission and allows additional deer harvest tags in designated areas to allow for greater forest regeneration. DMAP coupons will not be available for the eastern side of Raystown Lake also known as Area 89.
Field observations show the objectives of establishing adequate regeneration throughout Raystown’s forests has been successful. Deer populations are constantly changing so the Corps will continue to closely monitor Raystown’s deer herd using thermal infrared data and vegetative browse surveys to determine DMAP applicability for future seasons.
This decision also supports the intent of the PA Game Commission’s Executive Order regarding confirmed cases of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) found in Blair and Bedford Counties. CWD Disease Mgmt Areas #2 (DMA 2) includes all Corps owned property on the western side of Raystown Lake. Hunters should become familiar with the Executive Order’s restrictions for Disease Management Areas (DMA) such as prohibitions on feeding of deer, the use of urine-based lures while hunting, and transportation of specific cervid carcass parts out of the DMA. The potential for a decrease in deer populations from CWD exists so the Corps sees no need to further decrease the deer populations at Raystown until further results are found over the 2013-2014 hunting season.
All authorized hunting locations at Raystown Lake will continue to be open to normal hunting activities and hunters may continue to harvest does using a 4A tag and bucks using their antlered tag.
Release no. 13-018