Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes

34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 322 (2026)

  Powers and duties of commission.

✓ current as of May 2026
Coverage note: this corpus holds the consolidated Pa.C.S. titles only. Unconsolidated P.S. statutes (UTPCPL 73 P.S. § 201-1, Liquor Code, wage payment laws) are not included; a miss here does not mean the statute does not exist. Check palegis.us.
Find cases: SyfertCases citing this section PA-LEGpalegis.us JustiaTitle on Justia CornellLII Search CasesGoogle Scholar

§ 322.  Powers and duties of commission.

(a)  Duties.--It shall be the duty of the commission to protect, propagate, manage and preserve the game or wildlife of this Commonwealth and to enforce, by proper actions and proceedings, the laws of this Commonwealth relating thereto.

(b)  General powers and duties.--The commission has the power and duty to take all actions necessary for the administration and enforcement of this title.

(c)  Specific powers and duties.--In order to administrate and enforce this title, the commission through proper action shall:

(1)  Subject to section 2102(b) (relating to seasons, possession, bag limits and devices), fix seasons, daily shooting or taking hours, and any modification thereof, and daily, season and possession limits for any species of game or wildlife.

(2)  Remove protection, declare an open season or increase, reduce or close a season.

(3)  Increase or reduce bag limits or possession limits.

(4)  Define geographic limitations or restrictions.

(5)  Fix the type and number of devices which may be used to take game or wildlife.

(6)  Limit the number of hunters or furtakers in any designated area and prescribe the lawful methods of hunting or taking furbearers in these areas.

(7)  Govern the use of recorded calls or sounds or amplified calls or sounds of any description for taking or hunting game or wildlife.

(8)  Add to or change the classification of any wild bird or wild animal.

(9)  Prohibit the possession, importation, exportation or release of any species of birds or animals which may be considered dangerous or injurious to the general public or to the wildlife of this Commonwealth.

(10)  Manage and develop its lands and waters and other government or private lands and waters under agreement with the owners as it considers advisable and, by proper action and proceedings, enact and enforce regulations to insure the prudent and proper use of these lands.

(11)  Collect, classify and preserve such statistics, data and information as in its judgment will tend to promote the object of this title and take charge of and keep all reports, books, papers and documents which shall, in the discharge of its duties, come into its possession or under its control.

(12)  Take any necessary action to accomplish and assure the purposes of this title.

(13)  Serve the interest of sportsmen by preserving and promoting our special heritage of recreational hunting and furtaking by providing adequate opportunity to hunt and trap the wildlife resources of this Commonwealth.

(June 28, 1996, P.L.428, No.64, eff. 60 days)

 

1996 Amendment.  Act 64 added subsec. (c)(13).

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 10 cases (1 in the last 5 years), 1987–2021 · leading case: Unified Sportsmen v. Pennsylvania Game Comm'n, 950 A.2d 1120 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2008).
Unified Sportsmen v. Pennsylvania Game Comm'n, 950 A.2d 1120 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2008). · cites it 6× “34 Pa.C.S. § 322(a), (c)(ll)-(13). Sportsmen allege, by improperly authorizing the killing of too many antlerless deer, the Game Commission did not comply with its statutory duty to “protect, propagate, manage and preserve the game or wildlife of this Commonwealth,” and did not…”
Unified Sportsmen v. Pennsylvania Game Comm'n, 903 A.2d 117 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2006). · cites it 5× “Sportsmen aver the Game Commission possesses a mandatory duty to manage wildlife in accordance with Sections 322(a), (c)(11)-(13) of the Game and Wildlife Code (Game Code), 34 Pa.C.S. §§ 322(a), (c)(11)-(13), and it lacks discretion to avoid these enumerated duties.”
Seeton v. Pennsylvania Game Comm'n, 937 A.2d 1028 (Pa. 2007). · cites it 2× “" 34 Pa.C.S. § 322(a). [9] Pointing as well to the discretion conferred upon the Commission to regulate hunting, id.”
Duff v. Twp. of Northampton, 532 A.2d 500 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 1987). “7 This section was repealed and its subject matter was replaced by 34 Pa. C. S. §322. 8 This section was repealed and its subject matter replaced by 34 Pa.”
In Re: Petition of B.R. Adams & J.M. Adams, his wife ~ Appeal of: W. Dittmar & J.M. Corl, 170 A.3d 584 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2017). · cites it 2× “34 Pa. C.S. §322(a). In executing this duty, the Game Commission is authorized to use hunting and trapping as means of managing wildlife populations.”
Commonwealth v. Reynolds, 876 A.2d 1088 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2005). “34 Pa.C.S. § 322(c)(8), (9). In turn, Section 102 of the Game Code defines "wild animals” as ”[a]ll mammals other than domestic animals as defined in 1 Pa.”
Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania Ex Rel. Their Members v. Pennsylvania Game Comm'n, 18 A.3d 373 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2011). “34 Pa.C.S. § 322(a), (c)(ll)-(13) (emphasis added).”
Commonwealth v. Hagan, 44 Pa. D. & C.4th 516 (2000). · cites it 5× “34 Pa.C.S. §322(a). In administering and enforcing the provisions of the code, the commission is mandated to promulgate regulations establishing seasons for the lawful killing of game.”
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, acting by PA DEP v. Monsanto Co., Solutia Inc. & Pharmacia LLC (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2021). · cites it 3× “” 34 Pa.C.S. § 322(a). “The [GC] has the power and duty to take all actions necessary for the administration and enforcement of this title[,]” 34 Pa.”
In Re: Petition of B.R. Adams & J.M. Adams, his wife ~ Appeal of: W. Dittmar & J.M. Corl (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2017). “34 Pa. C.S. §322(a). In executing this duty, the Game Commission is authorized to use hunting and trapping as means of managing wildlife populations.”
— 34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 322(a) — 8 cases
Seeton v. Pennsylvania Game Comm'n, 937 A.2d 1028 (Pa. 2007). “" 34 Pa.C.S. § 322(a). [9] Pointing as well to the discretion conferred upon the Commission to regulate hunting, id.”
Unified Sportsmen v. Pennsylvania Game Comm'n, 903 A.2d 117 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2006). “Sportsmen aver the Game Commission possesses a mandatory duty to manage wildlife in accordance with Sections 322(a), (c)(11)-(13) of the Game and Wildlife Code (Game Code), 34 Pa.C.S. §§ 322(a), (c)(11)-(13), and it lacks discretion to avoid these enumerated duties.”
Unified Sportsmen v. Pennsylvania Game Comm'n, 950 A.2d 1120 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2008). “34 Pa.C.S. § 322(a), (c)(ll)-(13). Sportsmen allege, by improperly authorizing the killing of too many antlerless deer, the Game Commission did not comply with its statutory duty to “protect, propagate, manage and preserve the game or wildlife of this Commonwealth,” and did not…”
In Re: Petition of B.R. Adams & J.M. Adams, his wife ~ Appeal of: W. Dittmar & J.M. Corl, 170 A.3d 584 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2017). “34 Pa. C.S. §322(a). In executing this duty, the Game Commission is authorized to use hunting and trapping as means of managing wildlife populations.”
Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania Ex Rel. Their Members v. Pennsylvania Game Comm'n, 18 A.3d 373 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2011). “34 Pa.C.S. § 322(a), (c)(ll)-(13) (emphasis added).”
— 34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 322(b) — 2 cases
Commonwealth v. Hagan, 44 Pa. D. & C.4th 516 (2000). “34 Pa.C.S. §322(a). In administering and enforcing the provisions of the code, the commission is mandated to promulgate regulations establishing seasons for the lawful killing of game.”
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, acting by PA DEP v. Monsanto Co., Solutia Inc. & Pharmacia LLC (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2021). “” 34 Pa.C.S. § 322(a). “The [GC] has the power and duty to take all actions necessary for the administration and enforcement of this title[,]” 34 Pa.”
— 34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 322(c)(12) — 1 case
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, acting by PA DEP v. Monsanto Co., Solutia Inc. & Pharmacia LLC (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2021). “” 34 Pa.C.S. § 322(a). “The [GC] has the power and duty to take all actions necessary for the administration and enforcement of this title[,]” 34 Pa.”
— 34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 322(c)(13) — 2 cases
Unified Sportsmen v. Pennsylvania Game Comm'n, 950 A.2d 1120 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2008). “34 Pa.C.S. § 322(a), (c)(ll)-(13). Sportsmen allege, by improperly authorizing the killing of too many antlerless deer, the Game Commission did not comply with its statutory duty to “protect, propagate, manage and preserve the game or wildlife of this Commonwealth,” and did not…”
Unified Sportsmen v. Pennsylvania Game Comm'n, 903 A.2d 117 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2006). “Sportsmen aver the Game Commission possesses a mandatory duty to manage wildlife in accordance with Sections 322(a), (c)(11)-(13) of the Game and Wildlife Code (Game Code), 34 Pa.C.S. §§ 322(a), (c)(11)-(13), and it lacks discretion to avoid these enumerated duties.”
— 34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 322(c)(8) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Reynolds, 876 A.2d 1088 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2005). “34 Pa.C.S. § 322(c)(8), (9). In turn, Section 102 of the Game Code defines "wild animals” as ”[a]ll mammals other than domestic animals as defined in 1 Pa.”
— 34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 322(c)(l) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Hagan, 44 Pa. D. & C.4th 516 (2000). “34 Pa.C.S. §322(a). In administering and enforcing the provisions of the code, the commission is mandated to promulgate regulations establishing seasons for the lawful killing of game.”
— 34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 322(c)(l)(4) — 1 case
Commonwealth v. Hagan, 44 Pa. D. & C.4th 516 (2000). “34 Pa.C.S. §322(a). In administering and enforcing the provisions of the code, the commission is mandated to promulgate regulations establishing seasons for the lawful killing of game.”
— 34 Pa. Cons. Stat. § 322(c)(ll) — 1 case
Unified Sportsmen v. Pennsylvania Game Comm'n, 950 A.2d 1120 (Pa. Commw. Ct. 2008). “34 Pa.C.S. § 322(a), (c)(ll)-(13). Sportsmen allege, by improperly authorizing the killing of too many antlerless deer, the Game Commission did not comply with its statutory duty to “protect, propagate, manage and preserve the game or wildlife of this Commonwealth,” and did not…”
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.