PA BOARD EXPANDS 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 agricultural lands in the southeast corner of the state, the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave final approval to a regulatory change to allow for the narrow legalization of the use of bait during all deer hunting seasons in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties on approved properties enrolled in the agency’s Agricultural Damage Depredation Program, commonly referred to as the “Red Tag” program.
“This new regulation allows for the focused use of bait on those farms most in need of deer control assistance through their enrollment in the ‘Red Tag’ program,” said Carl G. Roe, agency executive director. “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 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.
