Game Committee 06-14-07
PA House Action
HB 13 Readshaw: Amending the act of February 2, 1965 (P.L.1860, No.586), entitled "An act encouraging landowners to make land and water areas available to the public for recreational purposes by limiting liability in connection therewith, and repealing certain acts," further providing for liability of landowners toward recreational users, persons or property for acts or acts of omission by recreational users.Referred to Game & Fisheries Committee (01-30-07)
Reported as Amended (04-25-07), Re-Reported (05-08-07) P.N. 1536
š When amended, the entire bill was gutted and rewritten, making it pertinent to hunting only, to make it less controversial and ensure passage before the next hunting season. The key provision limits landowner liability to “assume responsibility for or incur liability for any injury to persons or property, wherever such persons or property are located, caused while hunting as defined in 34 PA.C.S. Sec 102 (Relating to definitions).”
Passed House (06-23-07), Vote 199 – 0, Sent to Senate.
Referred to Senate Game & Fisheries Committee (05-31-07)
š There is currently an attempt to amend HB 13, to include all recreational uses and add an attorney fees clause. This would be a killer amendment. ACSL opposes amendment A00834.
HB 747 Gergely: Amending Title 34 (Game), providing for a special license and license auction to hunt one elk. 95% of the proceeds shall pay for elk habitat improvement.
Referred to Game & Fisheries Committee (03-19-07)
Reported as committed (04-27-07)
š The license is to be auctioned at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation national banquet, and is expected to go for $50,000, according to Marc Gergely.
Passed House (06-21-07), Vote 196 – 1, Sent to Senate.
HB 881 Haluska: Amending Title 34 (Game), further providing for exceptions to unlawful use of lights while hunting. Allows a person who uses a flashlight or spotlight held in hand or worn on the head to take furbearers. Presently, the Game Code only allows a hand held light to take raccoons, skunks, opossum or foxes. This would expand to all furbearers, although the penalty for hunting bobcat with a flashlight or spotlight remains intact.Referred to Game & Fisheries Committee (03-22-07) Reported as Committed (04-27-07)Passed House (06-21-07), Vote 195 – 2, Sent to Senate.
š It has been commented that “all furbearers” includes bobcats, and that it would be legal to take a bobcat with a flashlight while possessing the proper bobcat license. However, the legislation does not spell that out.
Game Committee 06-14-07 (2)
HB 1214 Surra: Amending Title 34 (game), further providing for organization of the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Decreases the term of a commissioner from eight to four years, with a two-term limit.
Referred to Game & Fisheries Committee (04-18-07) Reported as committed (05-09-07)
Passed House (06-04-07), Vote 198 – 2, Sent to Senate.
SB 580 Madigan: Amending Title 34, permitting use of dogs in hunting for wild turkey. Makes lawful the use of a dog to pursue, chase, scatter, and track wild turkeys during the fall season.Referred to Game & Fisheries Committee (03-20-07). Reported as committed (04-24-07)Passed Senate by a vote of 48 to 1(05-01-07), Sent to House.Reported to House Game & Fisheries Committee as committed (06-06-07)HB 1116 Kortz: Amending Title 34 (Game), providing for gift vouchers for hunting licenses, purchased by third parties.
Referred to Game & Fisheries Committee (04-18-07), Passed over (05-09-07)
Reported as amended (06-06-07)š Amendment removed purchaser’s name from the voucher, and removed refunds.Referred to Game & Fisheries Committee (06-13-07)
PA Senate Action
SB 879 Kasunic: Amending Title 34, providing for vouchers for hunting licenses, purchased by third parties.
Referred to Game & Fisheries Committee (05-18-07)
š This bill is virtually identical to HB 1116 (Kortz), before it was passed over and amended.
SB 881 Kasunic: Amending Title 34, further providing for classes of licenses and for license cost and fees. Provides for a free junior first-time hunting license (except issuing agent’s fee).
Referred to Game & Fisheries Committee (05-18-07)
SB 888 M. White: Amending Title 34 (Game), further providing for licenses and fees. Provides nonresident Pennsylvania landowners with the ability to purchase an antlerless deer license at the same fee as a resident.
Referred to Game & Fisheries Committee (05-21-07)
SB 900 McIlhinney: Amending Title 34, providing for unlawful devises and methods. Removes the prohibition of using artificial or natural bait in the taking of deer at a time which does not coincide with an open season for bear hunting.
Referred to Game & Fisheries Committee (05-23-07)
Game Committee 06-14-07 (3)
SB 901 McIlhinney: Amending Title 34, providing for use of a laser sighting devise by blind hunters. Requires proof of blindness, and assistance of a sighted person who is at least 13 years old, who has a valid license.
Referred to Game & Fisheries Committee (05-23-07)
Baiting
HB 251 Godshall: Amending Title 34 (Game) prohibiting hunting in and around game feeders and game feeding areas. Makes hunting unlawful within 150 yards of any game feeder, feeding areas, or baited areas. An exception is provided for special regulations where baiting is allowed.
--Referred to House Game & Fisheries Committee (02-06-07)
*** The Game Commission is openly opposing HB 251 by contending that it legalizes the baiting of game (see PGC news release # 62 of May 24, 2007), in that:
- “It makes it legal for hunters to move through a feeding area or past a feeder, driving wildlife a relatively short distance (150 yards) outside a feeding area where they can be harvested.”
- “House Bill 251 effectively sanctions feeding of wildlife and essentially legalizes hunting in the vicinity of placed feed everywhere in the Commonwealth. This is the essence of baiting.”
At the June 12, House Game & Fisheries Committee hearing on HB 251, several issues were raised:
- Pennsylvania has a strong tradition for fair chase and not hunting over bait.
- There is no clear-cut definition of what constitutes baiting.
- Supplemental feeding and baiting can be blurred by definition and circumstance.
- Banning supplemental feeding 30 days prior to and during big game season is a possible solution.
- Overaggressive law enforcement has contributed to the baiting controversy.
State College - Scotia Range
April 5, 2007 the Wildlife For Everyone Endowment Foundation received a grant from Sam's Club/Wal-Mart that was used at Scotia Range in State College. The funds were used by the Pennsylvania Game Commission to make repairs to the rifle range