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'Hunting over bait' debate Pennsylvania Game Commission officials have spoken out against House Bill 251, which would loosen the restrictions on using bait as a hunting tactic in the state. HB 251 would prohibit hunting within 150 yards of any feeder. However, hunters would be able to move through a feeding area or past a feeder, driving wildlife to a distance where they could be shot. The Game Commission takes a dim view of many wildlife-feeding practices and prefers habitat management for animal sustenance, according to Wildlife Biologist Calvin DuBrock. "Feeding concentrates wildlife at unnatural densities, reduces home range size, increases births and reduces natural habitat carrying capacity," DuBrock said. "It also increases wildlife habituation to humans and increases the likelihood of disease transmission." Some people are affected, too, DuBrock pointed out. "Feeding can affect the feelings of ownership of wildlife and the desire to protect or exploit 'their' wildlife," he said. Animals quickly become accustomed to feeders and their movement outside of the 150-yard range contained in HB 251 makes them easy prey, according to DuBrock. Richard Palmer, the Game Commission's wildlife protection director, said the state has a "long-standing hunting ethic that baiting violates the principles of fair chase." He pointed out that about 75 percent of hunters do not favor allowing baiting. "House Bill 251 may result in reduced hunter success on public lands as wildlife populations are drawn to adjoining private properties with feeding/baiting operations," Palmer said. "Should a public resource be allowed to be drawn onto private property, to be hunted solely by those limited few who have access to this private land?" HB251 has also drawn opposition from the Humane Society.
In a position paper on the bill, the organization said, "This bill would allow sportsmen's clubs to essentially establish a guaranteed shooting preserve for their members, using massive feed stations to draw deer and bear from surrounding public hunting land."
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