{"id":17896,"date":"2022-11-18T13:31:34","date_gmt":"2022-11-18T18:31:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pfb.com\/?p=17896"},"modified":"2025-08-11T09:57:36","modified_gmt":"2025-08-11T09:57:36","slug":"farmerrno-code","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nustreamdesigns.xyz\/pfb\/farmerrno-code\/","title":{"rendered":"Farmers’ Rights and Obligations"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Farmers’ Rights and Obligations<\/h3><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Pertaining to the Game and Wildlife Code
6\/2024<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

A summary by the Pennsylvania Farm Bureau of programs in Pennsylvania that farmers may use to protect crops and properties. Pennsylvania Farm Bureau recommends that all hunters review and understand the current regulations and seasons & bag limits for the species they hunt. Multiple changes were made affecting several species and the regulations may differ greatly from past hunting seasons.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. As a farm family living in Pennsylvania, may we hunt on our farm without a license?<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Yes, if farming is a primary means of gaining a livelihood, you and your immediate family, as owner, lessee or tenant, as well as any regular hired help, may hunt without a license during regular hunting seasons on the property you farm including detached lands within ten air miles from the home farm. All persons entitled to hunt without a license must be at least 12 years old and must either have been issued a hunting license at a previous time or have been issued a hunter education certificate from the Game Commission. A person privileged to hunt without a license will lose this privilege if subject to suspension or revocation of a hunting license.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(GWC \u2013 Section 2706(a))<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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2. Are there additional areas where we may hunt without a license?<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Yes, you may hunt without a license on any privately owned adjacent lands as long as you secure written consent of the adjacent owner or lessee. (GWC \u2013 Section 2706(a))<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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3. Are there any other special license provisions available for farmers?<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Yes, if you own 50 or more contiguous acres within a county, you may apply for, at the regular fee, a doe license in advance of the general public. Your land must be open to public hunting and you may only hunt in the county where the license is issued. (GWC \u2013 Section 2706(c))<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

If you own 80 or more contiguous acres farmed under a conservation plan and participate in the Game Commission Cooperative Public Access Program, you may purchase a resident landowner license for $3.00, plus the current issuing fee. The license is limited to one per farm, either the operator or an immediate family member living in the same household as the owner.
(GWC \u2013 Section 2706(d))<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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4. As a farmer may I protect myself against crop or livestock damage?<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Yes, if farming is a primary means of gaining a livelihood, you, members of your household, non-household family members helping with the farm, and regularly hired farm help may kill game or wildlife witnessed to be causing, or about to cause, damage to farm crops, fruit trees, vegetables, livestock, poultry, or beehives raised on any farmlands under your control, including detached lands. There is no limit to the number of game or wildlife that can be shot at one time under this provision. A person killing game for crop or livestock protection must report the kill to a Wildlife Conservation Officer within 24 hours. The entire carcass of the bird or animal killed, less entrails, must be kept intact and at a safe place pending final disposition, unless the person is entitled to keep the animal (see question 5) or unless otherwise directed by a Wildlife Conservation Officer.
(GWC \u2013 Sections 2121-2123, 2125)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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5. May animals killed for protection of crops or livestock be kept for consumption?<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

A person entitled to kill animals for crop and livestock protection (see Question 4) may keep one deer, bear, or elk, if both of the following exist: (1) the land on which the kill occurred was open to public hunting and was not within an area in which a deterrent fence was built, and (2) the entire edible portion of any previously killed and retained deer, bear, or elk has been consumed. If an animal is kept for food, it may only be eaten in the household of the person making the kill. The head and hide of an animal kept for food consumption must be properly salted, placed in safe keeping and turned over to a Wildlife Conservation Officer. (GWC \u2013 Section 2124)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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6. How may farmers get help shooting game for crop damage?<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Act 26 of 2007 (further detailed in Regulations 147.761-147.765) allows qualified farmers (see question 4) to get additional help in controlling the number of wildlife causing damage to farm crops. Qualified farmers may obtain permits from the Game Commission authorizing up to two sub-permittees, other than family members and employees, to assist the farmer in shooting game for crop damage. Sub-permittees must be PA residents and hold a current PA hunting license to qualify.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Game may be taken 24-hours-per-day under this provision. Under this program, game taken may not be kept for personal consumption, but may be given to authorized food banks and organizations like \u201cHunters Sharing the Harvest\u201d for distribution to the needy. Donation to qualifying food banks must be coordinated and approved by your Game Commission regional office. All game taken must be reported to the Game Commission within 24 hours \u2013 see below.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The regulations allow immediate program sign-up for properties within Wildlife Management Units (WMU) 5C and 5D (Southeast PA). Landowners in counties outside of WMUs 5C and 5D must be in Game Commission access programs for a minimum of two years prior, and if the species to be killed is deer, they must have deer control permits. Game taken may not be kept for consumption by the farmer or hunter but must be handled as game shot for crop damage; the PGC must be notified within 24 hours of shooting, and game is to be dressed and put in a place of safekeeping for conservation officer pick-up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Act 26 of 2007 also allows the use of certain spotlights and flashlights in the taking of furbearing animals, such as raccoons, skunks and foxes. The lights must be handheld or mounted on the hunter\u2019s head or firearm.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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7. What permit hunting is available to landowners to control deer damage?<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

There are two main programs: Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) and \u201cAg Tag\u201d (formerly \u201cRed Tag\u201d). Under both programs, the permits are specific to the property they are issued and are for the harvest of doe only.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

DMAP (Regulations 147.671-147.687)<\/span> is a permit program that allows landowners to use hunters during the regular deer hunting seasons to reduce overabundant deer. The DMAP Program is explained more fully in (Questions 8 through 11)<\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAg Tag\u201d (Regulations 147.551-147.559)<\/span> is a permit program used during the \u201cgrowing season\u201d to reduce deer on commercial agricultural properties experiencing damage to crops, fruits, trees, and vegetables. The Ag Tag Program is explained more fully in (Question 12)<\/span>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

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8. How do I enroll my property into DMAP?<\/h5>\n\n\n\n

Farmland will normally qualify for DMAP enrollment if the land is privately owned or leased. The applicant must be able to demonstrate crop or tree damage from deer. Property may be enrolled, regardless of whether it is posted.<\/p>\n\n\n\n