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Archery season reminder: baiting of deer is illegal

By Thomas A. Fazi pa. Game Commission 2 min read
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BOLIVAR — Football season has begun and that means that the fall hunting seasons are just around the corner. Archery season for antlerless deer in WMU 2B, which includes parts of Allegheny, Beaver, Butler, Washington and Westmoreland counties began on Saturday, Sept. 20. The statewide archery deer season — antlered and antlerless — opens on Saturday, Oct. 4.

Pennsylvania Game Commission Southwest Region Director Pat Anderson wants to remind all sportsmen that the use of bait to entice white-tailed deer (or other wildlife) for hunting purposes is illegal.

“Bait” is defined as any artificial or natural food, hay, grain, fruit, nuts, salt, chemicals or minerals, including their residues, that is used or has been used in the past 30 days as an enticement to lure game or wildlife. Hunters are responsible for ensuring that the area they intend to hunt has not been baited. Normal agricultural practices are exempt from this definition — for example, it is legal to hunt near a cultivated cornfield, but it is not legal to place corn in a feeder to attract deer and then hunt in the vicinity of that feeder. Additionally, the placing of salt or mineral blocks or spreading apples near your tree stand, then hunting from that tree stand, is illegal.

“We ask that archers who encounter areas they believe may be baited while doing pre-season scouting to call the Southwest Regional Office at 724-238-9523 to report the area and avoid hunting there,” Anderson said. “Our Wildlife Conservation Officers are increasing their efforts this time of year to stop illegal hunting activity and unlawful baiting during archery season continues to be a major problem encountered by our WCOs.”

The feeding of deer is not illegal in Pennsylvania except within an area where chronic wasting disease has been detected and a disease management area (DMA) has been defined, but feeding deer to attract them for the purpose of hunting is unlawful. If you have any questions consult the digest of hunting laws and regulations or contact the Southwest Regional Office.

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