Information from the Pennsylvania Game Commission Board of Commissioners Feb. meeting

The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners today gave preliminary approval to minor changes to regulatory language that clarify the role officers play in enforcing criminal violations they encounter in the performance of their official duties. Wildlife Conservation Officers are given authority under state law to enforce not only the state's Game and Wildlife Code, but also the Crimes Code. The regulatory change removes a requirement for WCOs to attempt to transfer all general crime matters local or state police. In almost all cases, state and local police decline to pick up cases from WCOs, and ask that the Game Commission prosecute the cases. The primary responsibility of WCOs remains enforcement of the Game and Wildlife Code.The Board of Commissioners reported that they support the following legislation: that which would provide a license fee increase; permit the use of leashed tracking dogs to recover game; lift the general prohibition on Sunday hunting; provide Wildlife Conservation Officers the same retirement benefits as their counterparts in other agencies; empower the Game Commission to make changes to the length of time within which big-game harvests must be reported; empower the Game Commission to regulate semiautomatic rifles, as well as air rifles; and continue to keep trespassing complaints a primary responsibility of police agencies, allowing the protection of wildlife to remain the primary focus of Wildlife Conservation Officers.