PA BOARD ELIMINATES USE OF BAIT IN SOUTHEASTERN COUNTIES
HARRISBURG –Based on a recommendation from staff, the Board of Game Commissioners today took action to eliminate regulations that allowed deer hunters to use bait in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, to increase hunter harvest in these largely-developed, high-conflict areas. The Board accomplished this by allowing the sunset provision to take effect, thereby automatically striking the option from regulations.
In 2006, as recommended in the Game Commission’s Urban/Suburban Deer Management Plan, the Board approved the use of bait. However, before giving the regulation final adoption, the Board included a sunset provision that required a future Board to revisit the issue by March 31, 2010.
“After evaluating the impact of baiting on hunting deer populations in these suburban/urban areas, the staff determined that there has been no positive impact,” said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. “With no benefit from the option to use bait, the staff recommended that the Board eliminate this regulation by simply allowing the sunset provision to take effect.”
Baiting has long been illegal for all big game, small game, waterfowl and migratory game birds in other parts of the state. The only legal use of bait is for trapping and hunting of furbearers.
