§ 2307. Unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife.
(a) General rule.--It is unlawful for any person to aid, abet, attempt or conspire to hunt for or take
or possess, use, transport or conceal any game or wildlife unlawfully taken or not
properly marked or any part thereof, or to hunt for, trap, take, kill, transport,
conceal, possess or use any game or wildlife contrary to the provisions of this title.
(b) Hunting before and after lawful hunting hours.--It is unlawful for any person to take, injure, kill, possess or transport or knowingly
aid, abet, assist, attempt or conspire in any manner to take, injure, kill, possess
or transport any game or wildlife or any part thereof which was taken within 30 minutes
prior to the commencement of lawful hunting hours or within 30 minutes after the cessation
of lawful hunting hours.
(c) Wild birds and wild animals taken outside Commonwealth.--Nothing in this title shall prohibit the possession, at any time, of wild birds or
wild animals lawfully taken outside of this Commonwealth which are tagged and marked
in accordance with the laws of the state or nation where the wild birds or wild animals
were taken. It is unlawful to transport or possess wild birds or wild animals from
another state or nation which have been unlawfully taken, killed or exported.
(d) Exceptions.--This section shall not apply to:
(1) Authorized individuals who euthanize critically injured game or wildlife, which shall
be permitted when it is reasonable to believe that the chance of survival of the injured
game or wildlife is minimal or the injured game or wildlife poses a threat to human
safety.
(2) Individuals who find and retain for their own use any deer or elk antler which is
shed through natural causes. This paragraph shall not be construed to permit any individual
possessing a shed antler to sell, barter or trade or to offer to sell, barter or trade
any shed antler.
(e) Penalties.--A violation of this section relating to:
(1) Threatened or endangered species is a misdemeanor of the second degree.
(2) Elk or bear is a summary offense of the first degree.
(3) Deer is a summary offense of the second degree.
(3.1) (Deleted by amendment).
(4) Bobcat or otter is a summary offense of the third degree.
(5) Wild turkey or beaver is a summary offense of the fourth degree.
(6) Any other game or wildlife is a summary offense of the fifth degree.
(f) Definition.--As used in this section, the term "authorized individual" means any person who:
(1) Has 18 Pa.C.S. (relating to crimes and offenses) enforcement powers.
(2) Is a currently employed waterways conservation officer or deputy waterways conservation
officer.
(3) Is a currently employed wildlife conservation officer or deputy wildlife conservation
officer.
(4) Is a currently employed State park ranger or a State forest ranger.
(5) Is a veterinarian licensed to practice in the United States.
(Dec. 21, 1998, P.L.1274, No.166, eff. imd.; Dec. 20, 2000, P.L.783, No.111, eff.
imd.; Dec. 20, 2000, P.L.937, No.125, eff. imd.; Dec. 13, 2001, P.L.897, No.98, eff.
imd.; Dec. 30, 2003, P.L.436, No.63, eff. 60 days; July 9, 2010, P.L.387, No.54, eff.
60 days)
2010 Amendment. Act 54 amended subsecs. (b) and (e). See section 6 of Act 54 in the appendix to this
title for special provisions relating to public notice.
2001 Amendment. Act 98 amended subsec. (d).
1998 Amendment. Act 166 amended subsecs. (b) and (d) and added subsecs. (e) and (f).
Cross References. Section 2307 is referred to in section 2102 of this title.
Notes of Decisions
Cited in
24
cases (
7 in the last 5 years), 1989–2026 · leading case:
Commonwealth v. Russo, 934 A.2d 1199 (Pa. 2007).
Commonwealth v. Russo, 934 A.2d 1199 (Pa. 2007).
· cites it 4× “Thereafter, appellant was charged with two summary violations of the Game Code: Unlawful Taking or Possession of Game or Wildlife, 34 Pa. C.S. § 2307; [6] and Unlawful Devices and Methods, 34 Pa.”
Commonwealth v. Smyers, 885 A.2d 107 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2005).
· cites it 4× “Smyers appeals from an order of the Court of Common Pleas of Centre County that found him guilty of violating Section 2307(a) of the Game and Wildlife Code (Game Code), 34 Pa.C.S. § 2307(a), relating to unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife, and imposed a fine of…”
Commonwealth v. Burkholder, 565 A.2d 472 (Pa. 1989).
· cites it 4× “*259 Appellants' third claim is that the evidence was insufficient to convict Ricky Burkholder of the conspiracy provisions of 34 Pa.C.S. § 2307(a). When reviewing a sufficiency of the evidence claim, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth as…”
Commonwealth v. Mesler, 732 A.2d 21 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1999).
· cites it 2× “34 Pa.C.S. § 2307. Section 2307 of the Code states, in pertinent part: (a) General rule.”
Commonwealth v. Rood, 686 A.2d 442 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1996).
“§ 2711(a)(1), hunting without a license; Section 2307(a) of the Code, 34 Pa.C.S. § 2307(a), abiding, abetting, attempting or conspiring to hunt, take, or possess or use game (a deer); and Section 2321(a)(1) of the Code, 34 Pa.”
Commonwealth v. Comly, 779 A.2d 618 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2001).
· cites it 3× “On February 2, 1999, following a summary trial, Comly was convicted of violating Section 2307(a) of the Game and Wildlife Code, entitled Unlawful Taking or Possession of Game or Wildlife, 34 Pa.C.S. § 2307(a). 2 Subsequently, Comly filed a notice of appeal to the trial court.”
Commonwealth v. Hagan, 44 Pa. D. & C.4th 516 (2000).
· cites it 6× “701, now codified in the code at 34 Pa.C.S. §2307. This may, however, be a distinction without a difference.”
Commonwealth v. Gavlock, 964 A.2d 455 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2008).
“Gavlock appeals from the February 15, 2008, order of the Court of Common Pleas of Clinton County (trial court), which fined Gavlock five hundred dollars for violating section 2307(a) of the Pennsylvania Game and Wildlife Code (Code), 34 Pa.C.S. § 2307(a). We affirm. On August…”
Commonwealth v. Russo, 864 A.2d 1279 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2005).
· cites it 2× “34 Pa.C.S. §§ 2307, 2308. . Section 2323(a)(2) of the Game Code provides that "[i]n any year in which the commission establishes check stations, each person shall, within 24 hours after killing any big game, present the big game for examination and tagging.”
Blobner v. Commonwealth, 600 A.2d 708 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1991).
“Charles Blobner appeals an order of the Court of Common Pleas of Venango County denying his motions for *102 arrest of judgment or for a new trial following a decision finding him guilty of violating section 2307(a) of the Game and Wildlife Code (Code), 34 Pa.C.S. § 2307(a),…”
Com. of PA v. R.A. Prentiss (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2024).
· cites it 6× “The second order convicted Prentiss of “unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife” in violation of Section 2307(a) of the Game Code, 34 Pa. C.S. §2307(a), and sentenced him to pay a fine of $1,500 “for the benefit of Clearfield County” plus costs of prosecution and…”
Com. of PA v. K.A. Rensel (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2024).
· cites it 6× “The second order convicted Rensel of “unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife” in violation of Section 2307(a) of the Game Code, 34 Pa. C.S. §2307(a), and sentenced him to pay a fine of $1,500 “for the benefit of Clearfield County” plus costs of prosecution and…”
— 34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2307(a) — 20 cases
Commonwealth v. Russo, 934 A.2d 1199 (Pa. 2007).
“Thereafter, appellant was charged with two summary violations of the Game Code: Unlawful Taking or Possession of Game or Wildlife, 34 Pa. C.S. § 2307; [6] and Unlawful Devices and Methods, 34 Pa.”
Commonwealth v. Burkholder, 565 A.2d 472 (Pa. 1989).
“*259 Appellants' third claim is that the evidence was insufficient to convict Ricky Burkholder of the conspiracy provisions of 34 Pa.C.S. § 2307(a). When reviewing a sufficiency of the evidence claim, we view the evidence in the light most favorable to the Commonwealth as…”
Commonwealth v. Rood, 686 A.2d 442 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1996).
“§ 2711(a)(1), hunting without a license; Section 2307(a) of the Code, 34 Pa.C.S. § 2307(a), abiding, abetting, attempting or conspiring to hunt, take, or possess or use game (a deer); and Section 2321(a)(1) of the Code, 34 Pa.”
Commonwealth v. Comly, 779 A.2d 618 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2001).
“On February 2, 1999, following a summary trial, Comly was convicted of violating Section 2307(a) of the Game and Wildlife Code, entitled Unlawful Taking or Possession of Game or Wildlife, 34 Pa.C.S. § 2307(a). 2 Subsequently, Comly filed a notice of appeal to the trial court.”
Commonwealth v. Smyers, 885 A.2d 107 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2005).
“Smyers appeals from an order of the Court of Common Pleas of Centre County that found him guilty of violating Section 2307(a) of the Game and Wildlife Code (Game Code), 34 Pa.C.S. § 2307(a), relating to unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife, and imposed a fine of…”
— 34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2307(d)(1) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Smyers, 885 A.2d 107 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2005).
“Smyers appeals from an order of the Court of Common Pleas of Centre County that found him guilty of violating Section 2307(a) of the Game and Wildlife Code (Game Code), 34 Pa.C.S. § 2307(a), relating to unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife, and imposed a fine of…”
— 34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2307(e)(3) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Smyers, 885 A.2d 107 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2005).
“Smyers appeals from an order of the Court of Common Pleas of Centre County that found him guilty of violating Section 2307(a) of the Game and Wildlife Code (Game Code), 34 Pa.C.S. § 2307(a), relating to unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife, and imposed a fine of…”
— 34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 2307(f) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Smyers, 885 A.2d 107 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2005).
“Smyers appeals from an order of the Court of Common Pleas of Centre County that found him guilty of violating Section 2307(a) of the Game and Wildlife Code (Game Code), 34 Pa.C.S. § 2307(a), relating to unlawful taking or possession of game or wildlife, and imposed a fine of…”
Annotations are extracted automatically from the opinions in the
Syfert caselaw corpus and ranked by authority, recency, and
treatment. Dots show Syfertize treatment of the citing case itself.