An Act amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in game or wildlife protection, further providing for unlawful activities; in hunting and furtaking, further providing for unlawful devices and methods; and, in special licenses and permits, further providing for disabled person permits.

PRINTER'S NO. 1188
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 1023
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY LAUGHLIN, TARTAGLIONE AND STEFANO, OCTOBER 3, 2025
REFERRED TO GAME AND FISHERIES, OCTOBER 3, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes, in game or wildlife protection, further providing
for unlawful activities; in hunting and furtaking, further
providing for unlawful devices and methods; and, in special
licenses and permits, further providing for disabled person
permits.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 2126(a)(1) of Title 34 of the
Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:
§ 2126. Unlawful activities.
(a) Violations.--It is unlawful for any person while acting
under the provisions of this subchapter to:
(1) Place any salt, bait or food of any kind or quantity
or use any artificial means for the purpose of attracting or
luring any game or wildlife upon any lands unless otherwise
approved by the commission.
* * *
Section 2. Section 2308(a)(8) of Title 34 is amended and
subsection (b)(2) is amended by adding a subparagraph to read:
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§ 2308. Unlawful devices and methods.
(a) General rule.--Except as otherwise provided in this
title, it is unlawful for any person to hunt or aid, abet,
assist or conspire to hunt any game or wildlife through the use
of:
* * *
(8) Any artificial or natural bait, hay, grain, fruit,
nut, salt, chemical, mineral or other food as an enticement
for game or wildlife, regardless of kind and quantity, in a
manner not authorized by commission regulations, or take
advantage of any such area or food or bait prior to 30 days
after the removal of such material and its residue in a
manner not authorized by commission regulations. Nothing
contained in this subsection shall pertain to normal or
accepted farming, habitat management practices, oil and gas
drilling, mining, forest management activities or other
legitimate commercial or industrial practices. Upon discovery
of such baited areas, whether prosecution is contemplated or
not, the commission may cause a reasonable area surrounding
the enticement to be posted against hunting or taking game or
wildlife. The posters shall remain for 30 days after complete
removal of the bait.
* * *
(b) Exceptions.--The provisions of subsection (a) shall not
apply to:
* * *
(2) * * *
(iv) Any licensed hunter, in an area designated by
the commission, using bait to attract deer for removal as
provided by commission regulations, including addressing
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wildlife disease transmission, habitat degradation or
another purpose or under a special use permit.
* * *
Section 3. Section 2923 of Title 34 is amended by adding a
subsection to read:
§ 2923. Disabled person permits.
* * *
(c.1) Use of bait on private land.--Notwithstanding any
other provision of law or regulation, the commission may issue a
permit to a person who qualifies for and holds a disabled person
permit under subsection (a) to hunt deer through the use of
artificial or natural bait on private land. A permit issued
under this subsection shall be valid only on private land. A
person who does not hold a disabled person permit under
subsection (a) may not hunt within 200 yards of a location where
bait is present under this subsection. The prohibition under
this subsection shall remain in effect while bait is present and
for 30 consecutive days after complete removal of the bait. A
permittee who is hunting through the use of bait under this
subsection shall possess all of the following:
(1) A valid permit issued under this subsection.
(2) The express written permission of the landowner
allowing the use of bait for hunting on the property.
* * *
Section 4. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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