2025 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Act 26 - GAME AND WILDLIFE CODE (34 PA.C.S.) - ORGANIZATION OF COMMISSION, REPORT TO COMMISSION OFFICER, SURRENDER OF CARCASS, UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES, KILLING GAME OR WILDLIFE TO PROTECT PERSON AND INVESTIGATION AND SEIZURE OF GAME OR WILDLIFE
Session of 2025
No. 2025-26
SB 518
AN ACT
Amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in Pennsylvania Game Commission, further providing for organization of commission; in game or wildlife protection, further providing for report to commission officer, for surrender of carcass to commission officer, for unlawful activities and for killing game or wildlife to protect person; and, in hunting and furtaking, further providing for investigation and seizure of game or wildlife.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Section 301(a) of Title 34 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection to read:
§ 301. Organization of commission.
(a) Composition.--The independent administrative commission known as the Pennsylvania Game Commission shall consist of nine competent citizens of this Commonwealth who shall be well informed on the subject of wildlife conservation and restoration and who shall be appointed by the Governor, by and with the advice and consent of a majority of the elected members of the Senate. The Governor shall ensure that at least one member appointed to the commission represents the interest of agricultural commodities that pertain to normal agricultural operations and wildlife.
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(e) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this subsection unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Agricultural commodity." As defined in section 2 of the act of June 10, 1982 (P.L.454, No.133), referred to as the Right-to-Farm Law.
"Normal agricultural operation." As defined in section 2 of the Right-to-Farm Law.
Section 2. Sections 2122, 2125, 2126(a)(6), 2141(b) and 2313(a) of Title 34 are amended to read:
§ 2122. Report to commission officer.
Any person who kills any game or wildlife, other than raccoons, under the provisions of this subchapter shall, within 24 hours, report, orally or in writing, the killing to an officer of the commission. The report shall set forth the date, time and place of the killing, the number of species killed [and the sex of the species.], the sex of the species and the location of each carcass. The commission shall establish a self-reporting system that allows a person assigned to remove deer for crop damage purposes to report each harvest to an officer of the commission via a toll-free telephone number, online application or publicly accessible Internet website.
§ 2125. Surrender of carcass [to commission officer].
Except as otherwise provided in this subchapter, the entire carcass, including the head and hide, of all big game animals and the entire carcass of any other game or wildlife, other than raccoons, less entrails, shall be made available, unless otherwise directed by an officer of the commission, intact, [less entrails,] to any commission officer calling for them[.] or delivered to a processor for final disposition. As used in this section, the term "processor" means a location specified by the commission that is willing to accept donations of animals taken under this chapter.
§ 2126. Unlawful activities.
(a) General rule.--It is unlawful for any person while acting under the provisions of this subchapter to:
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[(6) Refuse to answer, without evasion, upon request of any representative of the commission, any pertinent question pertaining to the killing or wounding of any game or wildlife killed or wounded, or the disposition of the entire carcass or any part thereof.]
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§ 2141. Killing game or wildlife to protect person.
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(b) Report, safekeeping and investigation.--A person killing any game or wildlife under this subchapter shall report the event to an officer as soon as possible following the incident but in no case later than 24 hours, provide for safekeeping of the game or wildlife intact at the place where it was killed and be available for interview by the officer. [The person killing the game or wildlife shall answer, without evasion, any pertinent questions of the officer making the investigation.]
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§ 2313. Investigation and seizure of game or wildlife.
[(a) Response to questions.--The operator of any vehicle or craft transporting any game or wildlife shall answer, without evasion, any pertinent question posed by a commission officer.]
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Section 3. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
APPROVED--The 30th day of June, A.D. 2025.
JOSH SHAPIRO
