The agenda for the upcoming Board of Game Commissioners meeting includes proposed changes to the Deer Depredation Program, or “Red Tag”.
The program, which is designed to give farmers an extra option to handle deer damage in the early spring and fall, has its drawbacks. The proposed changes come after a review in response to stakeholder requests for modifications, including advocacy from Pennsylvania Farm Bureau.
The commission held meetings and open discussions with various organizations, including PFB, to collect recommendations to attempt to improve the program. The agenda outlines that the new program would be called the “agriculture deer control program.”
Some of the proposed changes include removing the public access requirement and signage requirements; allowing four permits per person to be consistent with DMAP; changing valid permit dates to Aug. 1 through Sept. 15, and Feb. 1 through April 15; allowing hunters to keep all deer harvested; and removing the landowner reporting requirement, as well as opening participation to non-Pennsylvania residents.
If approved, the changes will not take effect until July of 2022.
PFB will be offering support for these changes at the upcoming public meeting on July 24. Click here to read the full meeting agenda.
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