Whitetail Deer Management Information
Feeding Deer Prohibited in the Borough
Borough Council passed Ordinance No. 464 on December 14, 2020 at the Borough Council Meeting. Council granted a 60 day extension period of enforcement after the December 14, 2020 approval to give residents time to be in compliance. Why did Council pass the ordinance? The PA Game Commission educates why people should not feed deer for multiple reasons relating to how it does more harm than good (click this link to read the details). What does the ordinance restrict? Chapter 89, Article IV of the Borough Code prohibits feeding of deer on private or public property. Excerpt from the ordinance: “No person may place or allow to be placed any device, fruit, grain, mineral, salt, salt stick, vegetable or other material outdoors on any public or private property for the purpose of attracting or feeding deer. This prohibition includes, but is not limited to, disbursement of food on the ground, at a feeding station, in a feeding device, or in a container of any form; providing a salt or mineral lick/block; or any other means which serves to provide feed to any deer.” (The entire ordinance can be found on ecode360.com/BR1973). What happens if you see a resident feeding deer? You can contact the Borough office to report the deer feeding and the Code Enforcement Officer will investigate and enforce the ordinance if found not in compliance. What are the violations? It is a tiered system of fines: first offense is $25; second offense is $75; third offense is $150; and fourth and all subsequent offenses is $300. A separate offense is deemed committed on each day or part of each day during which a violation occurs or continues. Property owners have the duty to remove the materials on the property. Failure to remove the materials within 24 hours after notice constitutes a violation.
Hunting in the Borough
The Interest of Hunting for the Borough
The question of deer management was first brought before Council in April of 2009. In 2014 the issue was introduced again and dismissed. On August 9, 2021, Borough Council unanimously voted to permit hunting on Borough property by a third party contractor (i.e. not opened to the general public). Private property owners still have the right to hunt or allow a hunter to hunt on their private property within State law. The Borough has faced and will face many issues resulting from deer overpopulation including; vehicle collisions, disease, ticks, destruction of property, illegal poaching, possible deer starvation and the desire to maintain a healthy and balanced ecosystem.
Because some residents have expressed concern about the affects of deer overpopulation and have shown an interest in the legal harvesting of deer on their properties, the Borough has an interest in encouraging the safest form of hunting activities as possible.
No individual hunters or hunting associations will be formally invited into the Borough and no hunting will be permitted on Borough-owned property at this time. Any decisions regarding deer and deer management on private property are entirely the responsibility of the property owner. For more information on hunting in the Borough, please contact the Borough office at 724-935-2990
Tips for Tick Bite Prevention
While it is a good idea to take preventive measures against ticks year-round, be extra vigilant in warmer months (April-September) when ticks are most active. Learn more about the threat of ticks and prevention from the Center for Disease Control.
Avoid Direct Contact with Ticks
- Avoid wooded and brushy areas with high grass and leaf litter.
- Walk in the center of trails.
Repel Ticks with DEET or Permethrin
- Use repellents that contain 20% to 30% DEET (N, N-diethyl-m-toluamide) on exposed skin and clothing for protection that lasts up to several hours. Always follow product instructions. Parents should apply this product to their children, avoiding hands, eyes, and mouth.
- Use products that contain permethrin on clothing. Treat clothing and gear, such as boots, pants, socks and tents with products containing 0.5% permethrin. It remains protective through several washing's. Pre-treated clothing is available and may be protective longer.
- Use any additional repellents registered by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Find & Remove Ticks From Your Body
- Bathe or shower as soon as possible after coming indoors (preferably within 2 hours) to wash off and more easily find ticks that are crawling on you.
- Conduct a full-body tick check using a hand-held or full-length mirror to view all parts of your body upon return from tick-infested areas. Parents should check their children for ticks under the arms, in and around the ears, inside the belly button, behind the knees, between the legs, around the waist, and especially in their hair.
- Examine gear and pets. Ticks can ride into the home on clothing and pets, then attach to a person later, so carefully examine pets, coats, and day packs.
- Tumble clothes in a dryer on high heat for an hour to kill remaining ticks. (Some research suggests that shorter drying times may also be effective, particularly if the clothing is not wet.)