PA Game Commission Board Elects Weaner as Board President for 2011;

Board Approves Step to Protect Game Commission Shooting Ranges; Board Approves Measure to Limit Treestands on State Game Lands; Board Allows Use of Bait on 'Red Tag' Farms in Southeast; Board Adopts Changes to DMAP Program; Board Approves New Tool for Snow Goose Conservation Hunt; Board Takes Other Actions

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Board of Game Commissioners today elected new officers during its annual reorganization for 2011.  

Game Commissioner Ronald A. Weaner, of Biglerville, Adams County, was elected president.  First appointed to a full eight-year term on the Board in 2008, Weaner was elected vice-president in 2010, and was elected as board secretary in 2009.

Game Commissioner Ralph A. Martone, of New Castle, Lawrence County, was elected vice-president.  He was appointed to the Board in 2009.

Game Commissioner David J. Putnam, of Centre Hall, Centre County, was elected secretary.  Putnam was first appointed to the Board in 2009.

Other Game Commissioners are: Thomas E. Boop, Sunbury, Northumberland County; Gregory J. Isabella, of Philadelphia; David W. Schreffler, of Everett, Bedford County; James "Jay" Delaney Jr., of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County; and Robert Schlemmer, Export, Westmoreland County.

Game Commissioners are nominated by the Governor and confirmed by the state Senate to serve an eight-year term.  They receive no salary, but are reimbursed for expenses to attend Game Commission quarterly meetings and other functions.

For more information on Board members, visit the agency's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), click on "About Us" in the menu bar in the banner and then click on "Commissioners' Page" in the drop down menu listing.

BOARD APPROVES STEP TO PROTECT GAME COMMISSION SHOOTING RANGES

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave final approval to a regulatory change to require State Game Land shooting range users to possess either a valid Pennsylvania hunting or furtaker license or purchase a range permit. In doing so, the agency is taking a step toward accomplishing the twin goals of having unlicensed persons contribute toward the cost of maintaining the ranges, and better quantifying and controlling the use of the shooting ranges.

"Over the past few years, the Game Commission has made large investments into its 29 State Game Land shooting ranges across this Commonwealth," said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. "These investments have taken the form of lead remediation, safety barrier reconstruction, shooting range redesign and other related projects. These investments came at a high cost, but kept many shooting ranges open and available to the public.

"Historically, hunter and furtaker license dollars have provided most, if not all, of the resources for keeping the agency's shooting ranges open to the public. Additionally, the open use of State Game Lands for shooting activities by those not licensed has resulted in some situations where ranges and State Game Lands have been used for illicit activities."

The new regulation requires all users of State Game Land shooting ranges to possess either a valid Pennsylvania hunting or furtaker license or a Game Commission-issued range permit, which would cost $30 per year for residents and nonresidents. Exceptions to this permit requirement are those 16 years of age and younger properly accompanied by a licensed or permitted person 18 years of age or older, and each licensed hunter or range permit holder could have one guest.

For the first year, all permits will be effective from April 1, 2011, until June 30, 2012. After the first year, each permit issued will be valid from July 1 until June 30.

Permits will be able to be purchased through the Game Commission's "The Outdoor Shop" on the agency's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us).  Following the purchase, which will require payment by credit or debit cards, a downloadable permit will be provided and permittees may print it on a home computer.  The agency also will be able to sell the permits through its Harrisburg headquarters and six Region Offices. However, since the purchase will be processed through "The Outdoor Shop," only credit cards will be able to be used for payment.

The regulation also prohibits all other target shooting from taking place on State Game Lands, except at designated ranges. The regulatory change will not result in any increased cost or change in privileges for licensed hunters and furtakers.

BOARD APPROVES LIMIT ON TREESTANDS/BLINDS ON STATE GAME LANDS

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave final approval to a regulatory change to allow the placement of portable hunting treestands and blinds from two weeks before the opening of the first big game season to two weeks after the close of the last big game season within each respective Wildlife Management Unit, excluding the spring gobbler season.

"Hunters need to remember that locating a treestand on State Game Lands does not reserve a hunting area," Commissioner Weaner said.  "The first person to arrive in a certain spot has the right to hunt that area."

A portable treestand is one that is not permanently attached to a tree.  They include climbing, hang-on and ladder treestands, as well as those constructed and lashed to trees.  Treestands nailed or bolted to trees are illegal on State Game Lands.  

As approved, hunters will be able to place their treestands on State Game Lands two weeks prior to the archery deer season, and then have to remove the stands two weeks after the late flintlock deer seasons.  

BOARD ALLOWS USE OF BAIT ON 'RED TAG' FARMS IN SOUTHEAST

To further the Game Commission's efforts to find effective tools to manage the deer populations on agriculture lands in the southeast corner of the state, the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave final approval to a regulatory change to create a focused, limited authorization permitting the use of bait for deer hunting in WMUs 5C and 5D on approved properties enrolled in the agency's Agriculture Deer Depredation Program, commonly referred to as the "Red Tag" program.

"In 2010, the Game Commission's three-year evaluation of the effectiveness of permitting the use of bait for deer hunting across the southeast Special Regulations Areas counties expired," said Carl G. Roe, Game Commission executive director. "The agency concluded that broad scale and widely accessible baiting did not establish viable increases in harvest rates to justify an extension of the experimental program.

"Under this new regulation, the agency is focusing the use of bait on those farms most in need of deer control assistance during the 'Red Tag' deer harvesting timeframe. Farmers applying to enroll in the Red Tag program would need to include in their application justification for the need to use bait."

Farmers enrolled in the "Red Tag" program are provided with a specific number of antlerless deer permits, which are red in color.  Farmers then give these permits to hunters to harvest antlerless deer from Feb. 1 to Sept. 28 each calendar year, excluding Sundays, during the hours of dawn to dusk only. The permits are not valid from May 16 to June 30, and can't be used to take bucks.

The listings of farms enrolled in the "Red Tag" program are maintained by the respective Region Offices as those landowners enrolled in the program change from year to year.

BOARD ADOPTS CHANGES TO DMAP PROGRAM

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave final approval to a regulatory change to enhance accountability for the public landowners seeking to enroll in the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP).

Under the new regulations, which were requested by Game Commission Thomas Boop in April, all public landowners will be required to provide an approved deer management plan along with their DMAP application. The regulation also advances the application date one month earlier to allow staff adequate time to review and process DMAP applications in a timely manner, as well as notify applicants about permit availability prior to the issuance of regular antlerless licenses.

BOARD APPROVES NEW TOOL FOR SNOW GOOSE CONSERVATION HUNT

To give waterfowl hunters another tool to assist with efforts to address overabundant snow goose populations, the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave final approval to a regulatory change to allow the use of electronic decoys during the Snow Goose Conservation Hunt.  If published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, the official compendium of Pennsylvania regulations, the regulatory change could be in effect for hunters participating in the 2011 Snow Goose Conservation Hunt (Feb. 21-April 16).

"Snow goose populations have reached levels that are causing extensive and possibly irreversible damage to the arctic and sub-arctic breeding grounds they and other nesting birds use," pointed out Kevin Jacobs, Game Commission waterfowl biologist. "For some populations of snow geese, their nesting habitats can no longer support these large numbers. What's more, these geese are beginning to impact habitat and crops in Mid-Atlantic States and Quebec.

"It's likely that North America has never had as many snow geese as it does now.  They have become a huge and unexpected problem for themselves and other wildlife that shares the wintering and breeding grounds these waterfowl occupy. In addition to extending hunting hours and allowing the use of electronic calls for the Snow Goose Conservation Hunt, electronic decoys should provide hunters additional opportunity to harvest snow geese."

BOARD TAKES OTHER ACTIONS

In other action today, the Board of Game Commissioners:

• Gave final approval to a technical change to remove conflicting language in the regulations (Title 58) that resulted when the law (Title 34) was changed to permit hunters or trappers to harvest furbearers with a firearm having a light mounted on it;
• Gave final approval to a measure to apply the regulatory protections afforded to State Game Lands to State Game Farms, where the agency raises pheasants;
• Gave final approval to expand the non-toxic shot authorization to both fall turkey and spring gobbler seasons. The Board previously had approved the use of types of non-toxic shot that could be used for small game;
• Gave final approval to a regulatory change to prohibit the use of fishing hooks or snagging hooks or any other device that is not a lawful trap, firearm, bow or crossbow from being utilized during licensed trapping activities;
• Gave preliminary approval to allow the use of single projectile muzzleloaders and shotguns for bear hunting in Special Regulations Areas counties (Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia);
• Gave preliminary approval to remove language from Title 58 (Game Commission Regulations) related to the now defunct baiting provisions that expired on March 31, 2010;
• Gave preliminary approval to technical changes to fluorescent orange regulations for clarity and consistency.  No substantive changes were made to the requirements;
• Gave preliminary approval remove three redundant and outdated definitions, as well as add two definitions for consistency with recent changes in Title 34 (Game and Wildlife Code);
• Gave preliminary approval make Title 58 (Game Commission Regulations) consistent with recent changes in Title 34 (Game and Wildlife Code) related to fines, penalties and reporting periods;
• Gave preliminary approval to a variety of amendments to define and clarify the standards relating to certain trapping activities. Among the changes are the clarification that the 20 trap or snare limitation is a statewide total - not a WMU, watercourse or waterway limitation – and that add definitions for "artificial cubby" and "foot encapsulating trap" as part of the definitions of what is legal for trapping;
• Approved two State Wildlife Grants (SWG). The first, for $143,700 to Indiana University of Pennsylvania, will be used to identify "best management practices" (BMPs) for golden-winged warbler breeding habitat on public lands in Pennsylvania. The second, for $156,500 to Penn State University, will be used to conduct research the effects of Marcellus Shale exploration and development on Wildlife Action Plan species of greatest conservation need, such as Scarlet Tanager, Blackburnian Warbler and Black-Throated Green Warbler, and to quantify the effects on wildlife habitat, thus enabling predictions regarding shifts in species composition at different levels of drilling intensity. The two projects will not require any net reduction in the Game Fund, since all are cooperator projects and the Game Commission will be reimbursed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Federal Aid program for all SWG-eligible costs;
• Approved a project to restore habitat for Great Lakes piping plovers, a federally endangered species, and other Pennsylvania species of greatest conservation need. This project will not require any net reduction in the Game Fund. The Game Fund will be reimbursed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service with funds from the Endangered Species Great Lakes Restoration Initiative Grants Program;
• Based on a motion by Game Commissioner Ralph A. Martone, approved a policy directive to set the process for review and acceptance of wildlife management plans and future strategic plans for the agency;
• On Monday, Jan. 31, received a report on the agency's deer population estimating methodology and release of deer population estimates, which is consistent with the Wildlife Management Institute's recommendations on the Game Commission's deer management program, as outlined in the "The Deer Management Program of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, A Comprehensive Review and Evaluation," which is commonly called the "Deer Audit."  Release of this information was proposed by Game Commissioner James J. Delaney at the Board's October meeting.  The report can be viewed by going to the agency's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) and clicking on the "White-Tailed Deer" icon in the center of the homepage, then selecting "Monitoring Deer Populations in Pennsylvania" in the "Research Publications" section;
• On Monday, Jan. 31, recognized state Rep. Edward G. Staback (D-Lackawanna), Democrat chair of the House Game and Fisheries Committee for sponsoring House Bill 1859 (now Act 54 of 2010), that increased the fines and penalties to crack down on chronic poaching.  Under the new fines and penalties, which took effect in September, convicted poachers now face felony charges and jail time for certain poaching violations;
• On Monday, Jan. 31, presented Dana and Lucy Grove, parents of Wildlife Conservation Officer David Grove, with the Game Commission Medal of Valor.  WCO Grove was killed in the line of duty, on Nov. 11, 2010, while apprehending individuals suspected of poaching.  WCO Grove is the first recipient of the agency's Medal of Valor; and
• Established the dates of the Board's meeting schedule for 2011 as follows: April 11-12, at the agency's Harrisburg headquarters, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, just off the Progress Avenue exit of Interstate 81; June 27-28, at the agency's Harrisburg headquarters; and Oct. 3-4, at a location to be announced at a later date.  The Board also set Jan. 29-31, as the first meeting of 2012, which will be held at the agency's Harrisburg headquarters, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, just off the Progress Avenue exit of Interstate 81.

Note to Editors: If you would like to receive Game Commission news releases via e-mail, please send a note with your name, address, telephone number and the name of the organization you represent to: [email protected]

SOURCE Pennsylvania Game Commission

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