Pennsylvania Game News - July 2012 - 35

through their enrollment in the ‘Red Tag’ program,” said Roe. “Presently, farmers applying to enroll in the Red Tag program need to include in their application justification for the need to use bait. What this regulatory change does is allow hunters on these properties to use bait during any legal deer season in addition to the ‘Red Tag’ seasons for antlerless deer, which are from Feb. 1 to May 15, and July 1 to Sept. 28.” Farmers enrolled in the “Red Tag” program are provided with a specific number of antlerless deer permits, which are red. Farmers then give these permits to hunters to harvest antlerless deer from Feb. 1 to Sept. 28 each calendar year, excluding Sundays, from dawn to dusk only. The permits are not valid from May 16 to June 30, and may not be used to take bucks. The listings of farms enrolled in the “Red Tag” program are maintained by the respective region offices. In other action, the Board: • Approved a technical change to make Game Commission regulations (Title 58) consistent with recent changes in the Vehicle Code (Title 75) in relation to all-terrain vehicles, which are prohibited for use on State Game Lands, except for hunters with a valid permit to use a vehicle as a blind on certain roads on select State Game Lands; • Proposed to allow the use of drawlock devices. This change also eliminates the minimum draw weight of 35 pounds for bows, as it was deemed no longer necessary and redundant to other sections of the regulations; • Proposed to define decoy as “any artificial representation or facsimile of a bird or animal used to attract other birds and animals. This term shall not be construed to include living birds or animals.” The use of electronic or batJULY 2012

tery operated decoys remains illegal; • Proposed to clarify that the prohibition on the use of “meat and animal products” in relation to furbearer trapping includes the use of “artificial representations or facsimiles thereof.” This is necessary to avoid attracting birds of prey to sets; • Proposed to require license holders to notify the agency within 30 days of any change of residency status, which will cost $6. The regulatory change will, however, preclude the license holder from having to acquire a new license for the license year in which the change in residency has taken place. For example, if an individual purchases a resident license, but then moves out of state, they will have to notify the agency of the change in residency status and pay a $6 fee, but they may continue to hunt for that license year using their resident license. The following year, however, they will need to purchase a nonresident license; • Established dates of the Board’s two upcoming meetings as: June 2526, at the Harrisburg headquarters; and Sept. 24-25, tentatively set to be held in Franklin. The Board also set the dates for the first meeting of 2013 to be Jan. 27-29, at the agency’s Harrisburg headquarters and • Announced the next Working Group Meeting of the Board will be held on Tuesday, May 29, at the agency’s Harrisburg headquarters. Board approves two purchases to enhance five State Game Lands The Board approved two land purchases that will enhance two State Game Lands in Clarion and Venango counties and three in Blair and Bedford counties. As part of the first purchase, the Board approved buying two tracts from Timbervest Partners II Pennsylvania, LLC. The
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Pennsylvania Game News - July 2012

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