More to meeting than approval of hunting seasons and bag limits.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners on Tuesday met at its second quarterly meeting for 2014. Among other things, the board approved the hunting and trapping seasons, and set the allocations for antlerless deer licenses and elk licenses for the 2014-15 license year.

A full list of seasons and bag limits is available in a separate news release.

Below is a summary of other action from the meeting.

MENTORED ADULT PROGRAM APPROVED

Program offers three-year opportunity to hunt antlerless deer, other species.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners on Tuesday approved a mentor-based program for first-time hunters 18 years old and older.

Since 2006, the Game Commission has offered its Mentored Youth Hunting Program, which enables children under the age of 12 to obtain a permit and legally harvest select game species under the close supervision of a properly licensed adult mentor.

The new Mentored Adult Hunting Program would follow a similar model, and aims to add to the ranks of hunters.

Adults obtaining a permit through the program would be able to take part in hunting activities without first needing to take the basic Hunter-Trapper Education course.

This would be a limited-term opportunity available to adults. Under the program, a mentored adult could purchase a permit for no more than three consecutive license years, at the end of which he or she would have to take a basic Hunter-Trapper Education course and purchase an adult hunting license.

There isn't a cost break between the resident mentored adult permit and the adult general hunting license - each is to cost $20.70. Nonresident mentored adults also would pay the same amount as those nonresident license holders - $101.70.

There would be many more hunting opportunities available with the purchase of a general hunting license, too.

Mentored adults would be able to hunt only squirrels, ruffed grouse, rabbits, pheasants, bobwhite quail, hares, porcupines, woodchucks, crows, coyotes, antlerless deer and wild turkeys. Other species may not be hunted or harvested by mentored adults.

Mentored adults would need to hunt within eyesight of their adult mentor, and at a proximity close enough for verbal instruction and guidance to be easily understood. The adult mentor would need to transfer a tag to the mentored adult for any big-game harvest.

Mentored adults cannot harvest antlered deer. Antlerless deer could be taken by using a proper, transferred antlerless license or Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) permit. Antlerless licenses are valid within the wildlife-management unit for which they were issued. DMAP permits are valid on the specific properties for which they were issued.

Only one antlerless license and one DMAP permit could be transferred to a mentored adult during a given license year,

The commissioners said creation of a Mentored Adult Hunting Program follows much study on how to apply the successes of the Mentored Youth Hunting Program to nonhunting adults, too.

REGULATION TO ACCOMMODATE LARGER BEAVER TRAPS, BROADHEADS

Body-gripping traps measuring 10 by 12 inches, 3 1/4 -inch broadheads to be allowed.

The Board of Game Commissioners on Tuesday approved measures that permit use of a widely available size of body-gripping trap, as well as longer broadheads than previously were permitted.

With the changes, the maximum size for lawfully set body-gripping traps will be 10 inches tall by 12 inches wide. At present, no body-gripping traps larger than 10 inches by 10 inches can be set.

The change will take effect with the start of the 2014-15 hunting and trapping seasons.

Game Commission staff had called the change "nominal," and said it won't have a negative impact on wildlife.

Before adopting the change, commissioners made one amendment to the proposal, which initially included language that 10- by 12-inch body-gripping traps have a single, offset trigger.

The board removed the language related to an offset trigger, noting that offset triggers can compromise beaver trapping success because the traps often won't catch smaller beavers as effectively.

Game Commission staff also reported that expanding the length of permitted broadheads from 3 to 3¼ inches will not have a negative effect on wildlife. The change will accommodate certain handmade and commercially available products.

BOARD FINALIZES REMOVAL OF ELK-HUNTING RESTRICTION ALONG ROUTE 555

Staff and field officers believe safety zone no longer needed.

In 2004, the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners created a 150-yard safety zone for elk along the Route 555 corridor, from Weedville to Hicks Run in Elk County.

The safety zone was introduced to address problems with road hunting and the killing of highly visible elk in yards and public places.

Staff recommended the change with the support of local wildlife conservation officers, who believe the specially designated safety zone no longer is needed, and that some of the animals from the area can be harvested legally and ethically within 150 yards of the road.

Commissioners approved the change, pointing out it was recommended by regional staff.

BAITING PERMIT APPROVED FOR SOUTHEAST SPECIAL REGS AREA

Board says measure addresses specific problem in highly populated area.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners on Tuesday gave specific approval to creating a permit that will allow private-property owners in the southeastern Pennsylvania special regulations area limited opportunities to use bait while deer hunting.

Baiting already is allowed in the special regulations area on properties enrolled in the agency's Deer Depredation Program, commonly called the "Red Tag" program.

Through the use of permitted baiting, commissioners hope to achieve higher deer harvests in an area where there's high potential for human-deer conflicts, and where hunting access is extremely limited.

Baiting will be limited to shelled corn and protein pellet supplements, not to exceed five gallons per site, and distributed through automatic mechanical feeders set to dispense bait up to three times a day during legal hunting hours.

There will be no cost for the permit, commissioners said. And a landowner or authorized land agent can apply for a permit.

The provisions are set to become effective in July.

Rich Palmer, who heads the Game Commission's Bureau of Wildlife Protection, said the permit applies only to deer hunting and that a general prohibition on baiting other wildlife remains in place in the special regulations area and elsewhere statewide, unless specifically excepted.

BOARD OKs ENERGY DEALS

Agreements net nearly $3.4 million in bonus payments.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners on Tuesday approved an agreement that allows for the extraction of oil and gas beneath a Butler County game lands.

Based on the agreement, XTO Energy Inc., of Fort Worth, Texas, would obtain the drilling rights beneath approximately 455 acres of State Game Lands 164 in Donegal Township. XTO has a strong, privately owned oil and gas lease surrounding the game lands and would access the gas reserve by horizontal drilling, with no surface disturbance to the game lands.

The Game Commission will receive a one-time bonus payment of about $912,000, plus a 20 percent royalty for all oil, gas and other liquids and condensates produced and sold from the proposed tract. The bonus payment is to be used to purchase wildlife habitats, lands or other uses incidental to hunting, furtaking and wildlife resource management or deposited into the Game Fund. Future rentals and royalties from the tract are to be deposited directly into the Game Fund.

Additionally, the board voted to amend an oil and gas agreement approved in 2013 to include nearly 822 additional acres beneath State Game Lands 35 in Susquehanna County.

The agreement with Southwestern Energy Production Co. is not expected to result in surface use or disturbance to the game lands, which is located in Great Bend, Jackson and Oakland townships.

Based on the agreement, Southwestern would pay the Game Commission a one-time bonus payment of $2,483,145, and a 20 percent royalty on all oil, gas or other liquids or condensates produced and sold from the proposed tract.

The bonus payment is to be used to purchase wildlife habitats, lands or other uses incidental to hunting, furtaking and wildlife resource management or deposited into the Game Fund. Future rentals and royalties from the tract are to be deposited directly into the Game Fund.

MANY ISSUES TO BE TAKEN UP BY BOARD

Predator-impact study, concurrent bear and deer archery season, electronic calls among noted items.

The coming months could be eventful ones for the Pennsylvania Game Commission, judging by the list of new-business items raised by the Board of Game Commissioners near the end of Tuesday's meeting.

Commissioner James Jay Delaney called on staff to discuss the possibility of study on predator impacts that would build upon the commission's Fawn Survival Study conducted in 2000 and 2001 and published in 2004. Referencing a recent article that explores predation on fawns by coyotes, bears and other predators, Delaney said the time is right for updated research.

He noted the expansion of the coyote and bear populations in Pennsylvania since the Fawn Survival Study was completed.

The potential study is to be discussed at the May 19 working group meeting.

Delaney also requested proposals for measures that might improve the reporting rates of successful deer hunters. In the 2013-14 seasons, only about 30 percent of successful hunters reported their deer harvests. Delaney mentioned a requirement to report harvests within 24 hours among possibilities that could be discussed. Commissioner Robert Schlemmer, the board's president, brought up the idea of those who report being eligible for rewards.

Commissioner Dave Putnam also weighed in on the possibility of a predator impact study, and said advances in technology might allow for predators to be affixed with cameras.

Putnam also requested information on the economic and social impacts of a seven-day concurrent antlerless deer season in comparison to a 12-day concurrent season. Many people have made statements about the impacts of bringing in the antlerless season on a Saturday, he said, but there hasn't been a legitimate study on the issue to date.

Commissioners also requested a presentation on the potential impacts of a statewide seven-day concurrent antlerless season.

Putnam also said the board needs to have a discussion about electronic calls and whether to expand electronic-call use in more hunting situations.

Commissioner Ralph Martone brought up three items as new business. Among other things he wants to examine the possibility of a concurrent one-week archery season for deer and bear. He suggests aligning the seasons by either moving forward the traditional start date for the archery bear season, or moving back the archery deer season.

Martone also asked that the Game Commission enhance its partnership with the organization Hunters Sharing the Harvest, which allows Pennsylvania hunters to donate venison to the state's hungry, and is seeking Lyme-disease education be covered in Hunter-Trapper Education classes.

Several commissioners, including Commissioner Tim Layton, talked about the idea of issuing antlerless permits that would be valid only in the state's Disease Management Areas and would serve to reduce the deer populations in those areas.

And Commissioner Brian Hoover said he'd like to get started on a possible realignment of southeastern WMUs 5C and 5D. Hoover also said he's interested in creating a new program that might help to better manage deer in urban areas. Hoover suggested hunters obtaining a permit as part of the program receive tags to harvest two antlerless deer and a buck of any size - all within the urban area.

BOARD ISSUES STATEMENT

Commissioners say they stand committed to mission.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners on Tuesday issued a statement regarding a settlement agreement that had been proposed, but that the board no longer is pursuing.

Commissioner Brian Hoover, the board's secretary, read the statement, which appears here in its entirety.

"On behalf of the Board, I would like to begin by making a statement.

"Last year the Board began discussions with Carl Roe regarding whether he should continue as the executive director of the PGC. While we all respect Mr. Roe and appreciate the work he did for the PGC, we questioned whether he was the right individual to lead this agency forward.

"At Mr. Roe's request, the Board entered into an agreement with him whereby he would receive a payment in exchange for not filing any potential claims he could have regarding the termination of his employment.

"The Board also took into account a variety of other factors and acted in what it believed to be the best interest of the PGC.

"We directed the PGC chief counsel to treat the agreement as any other contract and submit it to the Attorney General's office and the Governor's Office of Chief Counsel for review. It was during this process that the Governor's office notified us that they would not process the agreement for payment. We have since notified the Governor's office and Mr. Roe that the PGC will take no further steps toward finalizing the agreement.

"We regret the attention that this matter has received has distracted from the public appreciation of the unmatched work done by the PGC for the betterment of the state's wildlife population and its sportsmen and women. And it is to that mission we stand committed."

BOARD ADOPTS RIVER OTTER, BOBCAT MANAGEMENT PLANS

Plans proposed in September meeting.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners on Tuesday adopted two wildlife-management plans initially brought to the board in September.

With the approvals, the River Otter Management Plan and the Bobcat Management Plan will be published and implemented by staff.

Each management plan charts a 10-year course for managing the species. Each was approved after a 60-day period of public comment and the board's consideration of those comments.

The Bobcat Management Plan sets out to maintain bobcat populations at desired levels, conserve

bobcats for future generations and ensure sustainable bobcat harvest opportunities.

The River Otter Management plan likewise aims to ensure otter populations remain healthy and self-sustaining. It sets out to sustain otter populations in areas of suitable habitat, and develops guidelines to assess the feasibility of a river otter harvest and, when appropriate, implement a harvest-management program.

The plans can be viewed in full at the Game Commission's website, www.pgc.state.pa.us.

BOARD SETS FUTURE MEETING DATES

Working group meeting set for May 19.

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners, at the close of its meeting on Tuesday, set the following dates for future meetings.

The commissioners working group is to convene in Harrisburg on Monday, May 19. Additionally, the commissioners have scheduled regular quarterly meeting on June 9 and 10; Sept. 22 and 23; and Jan. 25-27, 2015.