Pennsylvania Game News - July 2012 - 34

WCO DICK BODENHORN was honored with the Conservation Law Enforcement Chief’s “2011 Officer of the Year” award in recognition of his outstanding contributions to fish and wildlife law enforcement and protection. Serving Elk County for 27 years, WCO Bodenhorn retired in April.

manent	 the	 lawful	 use	 of	 crossbows	 in	archery	deer	and	bear	seasons.	The	 specific	action	taken	by	the	Board	was	 removing	 the	 sunset	 date	 provision	 inserted	 into	 the	 regulatory	 changes	 that	 permitted	 crossbows	 in	 2009.	 The	 sunset	 provision	 required	 the	 Board	and	agency	staff	to	review	the	 impact	of	expanded	use	of	crossbows	 on	the	deer	and	bear	resource	before	 June	30,	2012.	 Based	on	staff	input	to	the	Board,	 while	 there	 were	 increases	 in	 the	 archery	harvests	of	deer	and	bear	that	 could	be	attributed	to	the	inclusion	of	 the	crossbow,	the	agency	staff	did	not	 view	the	increase	as	unsustainable	and	 Board expands use of bait on ‘red tag’ farms in southeast the	increased	recreational	opportunity	 To	further	efforts	to	find	effective	 was	an	added	benefit. tools	to	manage	deer	on	agricultural	 Changes in beaver season follow lands	 in	 the	 southeast	 corner	 of	 the	 state,	 the	 Board	 approved	 a	 regulamanagement plan To	 comply	 with	 the	 recently	 ad- tory	 change	 to	 allow	 for	 the	 narrow	 opted	 Beaver	 Management	 Plan,	 legalization	of	the	use	of	bait	during	 the	 Board	 approved	 two	 regulatory	 all	 deer	 hunting	 seasons	 in	 Bucks,	 changes	 regarding	 the	 placement	 of	 Chester,	Delaware,	Montgomery	and	 traps	 statewide	 and	 the	 number	 of	 Philadelphia	 counties	 on	 approved	 properties	 enrolled	 in	 the	 agency’s	 traps	used	in	certain	WMUs. The	first	regulatory	change	expands	 Agricultural	 Damage	 Depredation	 the	15-foot	trap	placement	restriction	 Program,	commonly	referred	to	as	the	 near	beaver	dams	and	lodges	across	the	 “Red	Tag”	program. “This	 new	 regulation	 allows	 for	 state,	which	simplifies	regulations	and	 helps	protect	juvenile	beavers	in	the	 the	focused	use	of	bait	on	those	farms	 colony.	 This	 change	 impacts	 beaver	 most	in	need	of	deer	control	assistance	
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trapping	 in	 WMUs	 3B,	 3C	 and	 3D,	 where	trappers	previously	did	not	have	 to	abide	by	this	restriction. The	 second	 change	 limits	 the	 number	 of	 body-gripping	 traps	 used	 to	 10	 in	 WMUs	 with	 high	 relative	 harvest/complaint	 density	 and	 with	 a	bag	limit	of	40	beavers	per	season.	 The	purpose	of	this	change	is	to	lift	 the	two	body-gripping	trap	limit	only	 in	WMUs	with	high	beaver	harvests	 and	complaint	densities.	 “Because	of	the	high	efficiency	of	 body-gripping	traps,	these	devices	are	 being	limited	to	two	in	WMUs	with	 medium	 to	 low	 beaver	 harvest	 and	 nuisance	 complaint	 densities,”	 said	 Matt	 Lovallo,	 Game	 Commission	 Game	 Mammal	 Section	 supervisor.	 “Limiting	 body-gripping	 traps	 also	 creates	beaver	trapping	opportunities	 for	the	maximum	number	of	trappers.”
Pennsylvania Game News - July 2012

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - July 2012
