Rep. Tom Mehaffie, R-Hershey, reviews documents during a March committee meeting.

A state lawmaker wants to allow the Pennsylvania Game Commission to allow special exceptions for hunters to use bait while deer hunting.

State law currently bans use of baiting materials such as salt, bait, food, or any artificial means by which Pennsylvania hunters attract, or lure game animals or wildlife. Rep. Thomas Mehaffie, R-Hershey, has introduced House Bill 2440 The exceptions would apply to any licensed hunter on private property, in an area designated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission, to use bait to attract deer as long as the Game Commission deems the removal of deer will address wildlife disease transmission or habitat degradation or for any other purposes the commission’s regulations establish. A special permit can also be issued.

“While allowing open statewide deer baiting during hunting is impractical, there are special circumstances under which the practice may be warranted,” Mehaffie wrote in his co-sponsorship memorandum. “Approval of deer baiting exceptions requires the expertise of the Pennsylvania Game Commission and should meet with the approval of the commission. The PGC would base its approval on its knowledge of the issue, while taking into account the effects any exception may have on the health and management of Pennsylvania’s deer population.”

Several U.S. states allow deer baiting on private property, particularly in the South and Midwest, though regulations vary regarding chronic wasting disease (CWD) and specific seasons. States where baiting on private property is allowed include Kansas, Arkansas, Kentucky, Oklahoma and Louisiana, while Michigan and Wisconsin have restrictions based on the presence of chronic wasting disease. Tennessee will allow baiting on private land with a special permit starting with the 2026-27 hunting season (effective Aug. 1, 2026). Hunters must purchase a special Deer Bait Privilege License that costs $50 for residents and $100 for non-residents to hunt over bait, which is only permitted on private or leased land. Until August 1, 2026, baiting remains illegal.

The Tennessee Fish and Wildlife Commission said in December that the Deer Bait Privilege License is only for white-tailed deer and for private and leased land. The law requires the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency to promulgate rules by establishing acceptable bait, the amount of bait that may be used, and the conditions under which the license may be used. Before the rule-making hearing, the expected impacts of baiting on deer, deer harvests, impacts on other species, and CWD were among the topics discussed. The commission approved the Agency’s recommendation not to allow baiting in the CWD Management Zone and any additional CWD-positive counties.

Mehaffie’s bill has been co-sponsored by Democrats Anita Kulik and Ed Nelson and been referred to the House Game and Fisheries Committee.

“These exceptions would allow for the removal of deer on a hyper-localized level in areas that provide little hunting opportunity due to their landscape,” Mehaffie wrote. “Allowing deer removal in these areas can help prevent property damage and assist in maintaining Pennsylvania’s deer population.”