Pennsylvania Game Commission

Pennsylvania Game Commission
Agency overview
Formed1895; 129 years ago (1895)
JurisdictionCommonwealth of Pennsylvania
HeadquartersHarrisburg, Pennsylvania
Employees
  • <900 - 2023
  • 1,000+ part time & volunteer
Annual budget$266,532,308 Fiscal Year 2022[a]
Agency executives
  • Steven Smith, Executive Director
  • David J. Gustafson, Deputy Executive Director
  • David Mitchell, Deputy Director of Field Operations
Websitewww.pgc.pa.gov
Footnotes
[1]

The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) is the state agency responsible for wildlife conservation and management in Pennsylvania in the United States. It was originally founded 129 years ago and currently utilizes more than 700 full-time employees and thousands of part-time and volunteers in its official mission to "manage and protect wildlife and their habitats while promoting hunting and trapping for current and future generations."[2]

History

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In the late 1800s as a result of deforestation, pollution and unregulated hunting/trapping, wildlife decreased in population and diversity. The wildlife, then-commonly referred to as "game," was to be protected by establishing the Game Commission in 1895 by the state Legislature. It was—and still is—funded primarily through the sale of licenses, State Game Land natural resource revenue, and a federal excise tax on guns and ammunition.[3]

Game Wardens

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Game Warden vehicle in Harrisburg, PA.

The main workforce of the Pennsylvania Game Commission are Game Wardens, formerly known as Wildlife Conservation Officers (and originally Game Protectors).[4]

Game Wardens serve as sworn law enforcement officers for wildlife crimes, enforcing the hunting/trapping and conservation laws. They patrol the Pennsylvania State Game Lands and teach hunter-trapper education courses as well as providing many other educational opportunities for the Pennsylvania public, including wildlife programs for schools and community organizations.[5]

Initial training for Game Wardens occurs at the Ross Leffler School of Conservation in Harrisburg. New recruiting classes are formed when positions open up, which is normally every 2nd or 3rd year. Classes are usually kept below 30 students. Training is an 11-month program in Law Enforcement, Natural Resource Management, Wildlife Management, and other subjects.

Deputy Game Wardens are part-time, whereas State Game Wardens are full-time, career-oriented positions. Serving as a Deputy does not lead to promotion into a State Game Warden position. Deputies function in all phases of Game Commission activities and assume the powers as authorized by the Game and Wildlife Code, subject to limitations established by Commission regulations and operating procedures.[6]

Deputies are commonly involved in: law enforcement patrols and investigations, answering complaints and calls for service, nuisance wildlife control, hunter-trapper education classes, educational programs, and assisting other agencies.[7]

Fallen wardens

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Pennsylvania Game Commission patch
Previous Pennsylvania Game Commission patch

Since the establishment of the Pennsylvania Game Commission, eleven Game Wardens have died while on duty.

Rank Name End of Watch Cause of death Ref
Game Protector L. Seeley Houk March 2, 1906 Shot by leader of a organized crime ring in Hillsville while issuing a game citation. [8]
Deputy Game Protector Charles Beecham November 4, 1906 Shot attempting to arrest a man near Scranton for hunting on a Sunday. [9]
Game Protector Joseph McHugh November 7, 1915 Shot while searching for poachers in Carbon County. [10]
Field Superintendent Elias W. "Woody" Kelly August 10, 1919 Struck by train in Warren County while inspecting state game preserves. [11]
Chief Game Protector Joseph H. Kalbfus August 10, 1919 Struck by train in Warren County while inspecting state game preserves. [12]
Deputy Game Protector Darrell S. Solida December 6, 1931 Shot while investigating an illegal deer kill near Troutville. [13]
Game Protector Walter M. Middleton December 1, 1935 Vehicle accident while en route to assist other officers during deer hunting season. [14]
Game Protector John B. Ross July 18, 1942 Boat capsized while rescuing citizens of Port Allegany during flood. [15]
Game Protector Robert E. Zimmerman May 13, 1957 Vehicle accident en route to a Divisional Office [16]
Land Management Officer Woodrow E. Portzline October 24, 1973 Heart attack while investigating reports of trespassing and poaching at a farm. [17]
Wildlife Conservation Officer David L. Grove November 11, 2010 Shot in Freedom Township, Adams County while investigating reports of ongoing nighttime shooting and poaching. [18]

Official game publications

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  • Pennsylvania Game News is the PGC's monthly publication, dealing with wildlife conservation and the financial and legislative functions of the Game Commission.
  • Monthly Field Notes is written by Game Wardens and their Deputies, which are comedic stories about happenings in the fields. They are a well received feature of the publication.[19]
  • Hunting & Trapping Digest is a complimentary publication received by those who purchase hunting or trapping licenses for the respective year.[20]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ The PGC does not receive General Fund appropriations from the state legislator.

References

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  1. ^ Pennsylvania Game Commission (2022). "2022 PGC Annual Legislative Report" (PDF). www.pgc.pa.gov. p. 36. Retrieved 10 October 2023.
  2. ^ "About Us". Pennsylvania Game Commission. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
  3. ^ "About Us". Pennsylvania Game Commission. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
  4. ^ Leader, Times (2018-01-08). "New name, same job for PGC game wardens". Times Leader. Retrieved 2020-07-21.
  5. ^ "About the Pennsylvania Game Commission". Pennsylvania Game Commission. Retrieved 2008-07-30.
  6. ^ "Game Laws".
  7. ^ "Deputy Game Warden". Retrieved 2 November 2020.
  8. ^ "Game Officer L. Seeley Houk". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  9. ^ "Deputy Game Protector Charles Beecham". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  10. ^ "Game Protector Joseph McHugh". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  11. ^ "Field Superintendent Elias W. "Woody" Kelly". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  12. ^ "Chief Game Protector Joseph H. Kalbfus". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  13. ^ "Deputy Game Protector Darrell S. Solida". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  14. ^ "Game Protector Walter M. Middleton". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  15. ^ "Game Protector John B. Ross". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  16. ^ "Game Protector Robert Earl Zimmerman". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  17. ^ "Land Management Officer Woodrow E. Portzline". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  18. ^ "Wildlife Conservation Officer David Lynn Grove". The Officer Down Memorial Page (ODMP). Retrieved 2021-06-18.
  19. ^ "Pennsylvania Game News". Pennsylvania Game Commission. Retrieved 2008-07-30.
  20. ^ "Hunting & Trapping Digest". Pennsylvania Game Commission. Retrieved 2021-06-18.
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