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2025 Pennsylvania Consolidated & Unconsolidated Statutes
Act 36 - GAME AND WILDLIFE CODE (34 PA.C.S.) - REGULATIONS, UNLAWFUL ACTIVITIES, REPEALING HUNTING ON SUNDAY PROHIBITED, UNLAWFUL DEVICES AND METHODS, TRESPASS ON PRIVATE PROPERTY WHILE HUNTING AND REPEALING HUNTING ON SUNDAY WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION

Universal Citation:
Act of Jul. 9, 2025, P.L. 122, No. 36
Learn more This media-neutral citation is based on the American Association of Law Libraries Universal Citation Guide and is not necessarily the official citation.
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Session of 2025

No. 2025-36

 

HB 1431

 

AN ACT

 

Amending Title 34 (Game) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in game or wildlife protection, further providing for regulations and for unlawful activities; and, in hunting and furtaking, repealing provisions relating to hunting on Sunday prohibited, further providing for unlawful devices and methods and for trespass on private property while hunting and repealing provisions relating to hunting on Sunday without written permission.

 

The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:

 

Section 1.  Section 2102(b)(2) of Title 34 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes is amended to read:

§ 2102.  Regulations.

* * *

(b)  Seasons, possession, bag limits and devices.--

* * *

(2)  If in any year the commission fails to establish seasons or bag limits or fails to establish other hunting or furtaking regulations under authority of this title, the open seasons and bag limits for game or furbearers[, Sundays excepted], unless otherwise provided by this title, and all other hunting or furtaking regulations adopted under authority of this title, shall be the same as set by regulation of the commission for the previous license year, and all seasons shall open and close one calendar day earlier than the previous license year. In the event the commission fails to establish seasons and bag limits for a license year beginning in a leap year, the seasons shall open and close two calendar days earlier than the previous license year.

* * *

Section 2.  Section 2126(a) heading of Title 34 is amended and subsections (a) and (b) are amended by adding paragraphs to read:

§ 2126.  Unlawful activities.

(a)  [General rule] Violations.--It is unlawful for any person while acting under the provisions of this subchapter to:

* * *

(8.1)  Fail to obtain written permission to hunt on a Sunday.

* * *

(b)  Penalties.--

* * *

(4)  A violation of this subchapter pertaining to written permission is a summary offense of the third degree.

Section 3.  Section 2303 of Title 34 is repealed:

[§ 2303.  Hunting on Sunday prohibited.

(a)  General rule.--Except as otherwise provided in this title, it is unlawful for any person to hunt for any furbearer or game on Sunday.

(b)  Construction of section.--This section shall not be construed to prohibit:

(1)  The training of dogs.

(2)  The participation in dog trials as provided for in this title.

(3)  The removal of lawfully taken game or wildlife from traps or the resetting of the traps on Sunday.

(b.1)  Exceptions.--Subsection (a) shall not apply to:

(1)  The hunting of foxes.

(2)  The hunting of coyotes.

(3)  Any hunting which occurs on noncommercial regulated hunting grounds holding a valid permit under section 2928(b)(2) (relating to regulated hunting grounds permits).

(4)  Hunting on three Sundays each calendar year, as follows:

(i)  One day of Sunday hunting shall be instituted by the commission during the deer rifle season.

(ii)  One day of Sunday hunting shall be instituted by the commission during the Statewide deer archery season.

(iii)  One day of Sunday hunting as determined by the commission shall be instituted by the commission.

Authority to hunt on any Sunday instituted by the commission under this paragraph shall not apply to any person required to secure a hunting license who attempts to hunt on private land without obtaining written permission of the landowner, an agent of the landowner or lessee.

(c)  Penalty.--A violation of this section is a summary offense of the fifth degree.]

Section 4.  Section 2308(b) of Title 34 is amended by adding a paragraph to read:

§ 2308.  Unlawful devices and methods.

* * *

(b)  Exceptions.--The provisions of subsection (a) shall not apply to:

* * *

(7)  Natural deer urine for the purposes of taking, attempting to take, attracting or scouting wildlife.

* * *

Section 5.  Section 2314(a) and (c) of Title 34 are amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection to read:

§ 2314.  Trespass on private property while hunting.

(a)  [General rule] Trespass.--A person, while engaged in hunting or furtaking, commits an offense if, knowing that the person is not licensed or privileged to do so, the person:

(1)  enters or remains on any land of another without authorization to do so, when the land is posted in a manner prescribed by law or reasonably likely to come to the person's attention [or is fenced or enclosed in a manner manifestly designed to exclude trespassers; or];

(2)  enters or remains on any land of another without authorization and defies an order not to enter or to leave that has been personally communicated to the person by the owner of the land or other authorized person[.];

(3)  enters or remains on any land of another without authorization to do so, when the land is fenced or enclosed in a manner manifestly designed to exclude trespassers; or

(4)  subject to subsection (b), enters or remains on any land of another without authorization to do so when notice against trespass is given by the placement of identifying purple paint marks on trees or posts on the property, in accordance with 18 Pa.C.S. § 3503(b)(1)(vi) (relating to criminal trespass).

* * *

(c)  Penalty.--An offense under this section shall be graded as follows:

(1)  A person who violates subsection (a)(1), (3) or (4) commits a summary offense of the [third degree.] second degree and may result in forfeiture of the privilege to hunt or take game or wildlife anywhere within this Commonwealth for a period of up to one year.

(2)  A person who violates subsection (a)(2) commits a misdemeanor[.] and shall result in forfeiture of the privilege to hunt or take game or wildlife anywhere within this Commonwealth for a period of three years.

(3)  A person who commits a second or subsequent violation of this section within a seven-year period commits a misdemeanor, and the second or subsequent violation shall result in forfeiture of the privilege to hunt or take game or wildlife anywhere within this Commonwealth for a period of [one year] five years.

(c.1)  Restoration.--Upon the dismissal or dropping of charges under this section against a person, or upon a finding that a person is not guilty of a violation of this section, the person's privilege to hunt or take game or wildlife within this Commonwealth shall immediately be restored.

* * *

Section 6.  Section 2315 of Title 34 is repealed:

[§ 2315.  Hunting on Sunday without written permission.

(a)  General rule.--A person required to secure a hunting license to hunt commits an offense if, while engaged in hunting on Sunday under section 2303(b.1)(4) (relating to hunting on Sunday prohibited), the person enters private land without obtaining written permission of the landowner, an agent of the landowner or lessee.

(b)  Penalty.--A person who violates subsection (a) commits a summary offense of the third degree.]

Section 7.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.

 

APPROVED--The 9th day of July, A.D. 2025.

 

JOSH SHAPIRO

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