2941 - Dog training areas.
SUBCHAPTER C PERMITS RELATING TO HUNTING DOGS Sec. 2941. Dog training areas. 2942. Special retriever training areas. 2943. Field dog trials. 2944. Field dog trials for retrievers. 2945. Fox chasing. § 2941. Dog training areas. (a) Establishment.--Upon the application of 20 or more citizens of this Commonwealth, the commission may issue a permit to the applicants authorizing the establishment and maintenance, on land owned by them or over which they have legal control, of a special dog training area where dogs may be trained at any time during the entire year and field trials may be conducted without the necessity of securing a field trial permit. No such dog training area shall be less than 100 acres nor more than 250 acres. Permits shall not be issued for more than ten special dog training areas in any one county. Persons training dogs in established dog training areas shall not be required to have a hunting or furtaking license. (b) Training periods.--At any time during the year, permittees or guests may train their dogs or the dogs of other persons on the designated dog training area. (c) Hunting and furtaking restrictions.--Neither the permittees nor any other person shall at any time hunt or take furbearers within the confines of the dog training area. The permittees, or any person authorized by them, may hunt or trap unprotected game or wildlife for the purpose of population control. A permit must be secured from the director permitting the removal of any protected game or wildlife. (d) Big game hunting may be permitted.--Hunting of big game may be permitted on dog training areas during seasons fixed by the commission. Action of the permittees to permit big game hunting shall be conspicuously posted in the vicinity of the area at least two weeks prior to any such season. (e) Marking boundary.--The boundary line of a special dog training area shall be plainly and conspicuously posted prior to October 1 of each year with legible notices at least 10 by 12 inches in size, placed in such a manner that any intruder is warned of the purpose of the area and bearing such information as the commission may require. (f) Unlawful acts.--It is unlawful to: (1) Permit, or through negligence permit, dogs to disturb game or wildlife on a dog training area contrary to the provisions of this section. (2) Trap for any game or wildlife on a dog training area without a permit. (3) Willfully, negligently or maliciously cut, remove, cover up, deface or otherwise mutilate, injure or destroy any special dog training area boundary fence or wire or poster placed in accordance with the provisions of this section. (4) Violate any other provision of this section. (g) Penalty.--A violation of this section is a summary offense of the fifth degree. Cross References. Section 2941 is referred to in section 2943 of this title.