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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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CONTACT:
Roseann R. Cadau |
State Rep. Tim Mahoney |
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Mahoney to introduce bill to let Pa. deer population increase
HARRISBURG, April 19 – State Rep. Tim Mahoney, D-Fayette, plans to introduce legislation aimed at increasing the deer population on game lands in Pennsylvania by requiring the state Game Commission to institute new policies and procedures for sports enthusiasts.
Mahoney said Pennsylvania has more than 3.6 million acres of public land, which accounts for about 25 percent of all forested land in the Commonwealth. The tradition of hunting on public land is popular across the state.
“Pennsylvania’s deer levels have declined in recent years, and my four-point proposal would help to expand the deer population and harvest more deer to make it a better hunt for sportsmen and women,” Mahoney said.
The bill has four major features:
- Establish citizen task forces for every wildlife management unit across the state. The game warden in each unit would be required to hold biannual town meetings where interested sports enthusiasts would be able to meet and discuss the deer population in their area. The warden would then forward suggestions and recommendations to the Game Commission.
- Return the antler requirements to pre-2003 status by requiring that a buck would only have to have two points on an antler or a spike at least 3 inches long to be harvested.
- Require the Game Commission to adopt policies to increase the deer population on game lands and to submit an annual report on the status of those policies.
- Require the Game Commission to collect mandatory harvest report cards from hunters.
Mahoney is a member of the House Game and Fisheries Committee.
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