Those who kill golden and bald eagles will face stiffer penalties under Pennsylvania law.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave final approval to a measure that increases to $2,500 the replacement costs for killing bald eagles or golden eagles.

The heightened penalty will take effect in the coming months.

The bald eagle had been classified as a state-threatened species until early 2014, when it was removed from the Pennsylvania’s threatened-species list because its recovery met objectives outlined in the state’s bald-eagle management plan.

While golden and bald eagles both remain protected by federal and state law, the fact that neither bird was classified as threatened meant that killing a golden or bald eagle resulted at the state level in $200 in replacement costs. Replacement costs are restitution for unlawfully killed wildlife, and typically are paid in addition to fines.

Commissioners said the $2,500 replacement cost emphasizes that although golden and bald eagles are recovered in Pennsylvania, they still require further protection.

Rabbit, dove seasons to open to mentored youth

Mentored Youth hunters will see new opportunities in the 2015-16 license year.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave final approval to measure that adds rabbits and mourning doves to the list of species mentored youth hunters may pursue.

The changes likely will become effective in mid-November, after a mandatory review process.

A news release will be issued when the new opportunities for mentored youth become effective under the law.

The Mentored Youth Hunting Program was established in 2006 as a way to give youth under the age of 12 an opportunity to experience hunting in a tightly controlled setting under the close supervision of an adult mentor. In the interest of safety, the adult mentor and mentored youth, together, may possess only one sporting arm between them while hunting, and the adult must carry it at all times while moving. The mentored youth then may hold the sporting arm once the pair takes a stationary position.

These safety measures will be applied as well to the hunting of rabbits and doves by mentored youth.

Since its inception, the Mentored Youth Hunting Program has proven successful and safe, and the list of species that can be pursued by mentored youth hunters has been expanded over the years.

In casting their vote, the commissioners pointed out that sporting organizations and other interested groups have continued to encourage the Game Commission to expand mentored youth hunting opportunities and, particularly, to add rabbits and mourning doves to the list approved for mentored youth.

When the measure takes effect, mentored youth hunters also will need a migratory game bird license to hunt and harvest mourning doves.

Requiring the license facilitates the Harvest Information Program (HIP), a cooperative state and federal program designed to improve the information collected regarding the harvest of migratory game birds. The license costs $3.70 for residents and a mentored youth permit costs $2.70.

Changes to DMAP to

be further reviewed

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners will continue work on a proposal to make changes to the Deer Management Assistance Program, commonly known as DMAP.

DMAP provides private and public landowners an additional tool to meet deer-management goals on their properties through hunting. Landowners who apply may receive a number of DMAP permits they then can issue to antlerless-deer hunters for use during open deer seasons. The number of permits a landowner receives often is based on a formula of one permit per 50 acres, and the allocation may be increased due to heavy deer impact.

The board today voted unanimously to table a measure to limit the size of DMAP units on public parcels to 15,000 acres, and require DMAP coupons for public parcels be allocated based upon current conditions relative to goals and objectives outlined in an approved management plan.

Commissioners said that, in recent months, they’ve had several productive meetings with public landowners enrolled in DMAP, and they want to continue those conversations before considering changes to the program.

Commissioners noted that DMAP was designed specifically as a tool to deal with localized deer-impact issues rather than issues across a broader landscape, and added that hunters have expressed concerns DMAP might have too great an impact on deer herds, especially on state-owned lands.

By limiting the size of DMAP units on public lands, deer can be managed at a more distinct local level, the commissioners have noted.

Commissioners also noted they want to make sure DMAP deer-management plans are tied closely to forest-regeneration objectives for those properties, and when regeneration is occurring at or above the levels identified by the objectives, DMAP permit allocations are reduced.

Antlerless allocations, deer-urine use are topics

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today addressed some of the issues to be explored further in the coming months.

Much of the discussion centered on antlerless deer license allocations.

The number of antlerless licenses statewide, and in many of the state’s 23 wildlife-management units, have been reduced significantly in recent years.

Commissioner Brian Hoover said the reductions came at the recommendation of hunters who wanted to see the deer population increase in the areas they hunt.

This year, however, antlerless licenses seemed to sell out earlier than ever. And many hunters have remarked that they did not receive the same number of antlerless licenses they’ve been accustomed to getting.

Hoover said, because of the reduction of antlerless licenses in recent years, deer populations have increased in a number of areas, and the commissioners might have the ability next year to again increase antlerless license allocations in some WMUs.

Commissioner Timothy Layton said he wants to take a look at the schedule by which nonresidents can apply for antlerless licenses.

As it is now, antlerless licenses are available to residents for a two-week period before nonresidents can buy them.

Layton said many nonresident hunters are native Pennsylvanians who moved away, but return to participate in the deer season.