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The Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact

The Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact is an agreement that recognizes suspension of hunting, trapping, and fishing privileges in member states. This means that illegal activities in one state can affect a person's hunting, trapping, or fishing privileges in all participating states. Any person whose license privileges or rights are suspended in a member state may also be suspended in Pennsylvania. If a person's hunting, trapping, or fishing rights are suspended in Pennsylvania, they may be suspended in other member states. This cooperative interstate effort enhances the Pennsylvania Game Commission's ability to protect and manage wildlife resources.

Pennsylvania is unique, in that it has two separate wildlife agencies. The Pennsylvania Game Commission regulates all hunting and trapping throughout the state and the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission regulates all fishing and boating activities. For application of the compact in Pennsylvania, only hunting and trapping violations will be applied to hunting/furtaking privileges being suspended, and only fishing violations will be applied to fishing license privileges being suspended.

If a person plans to hunt, trap, or fish in another state, and they have a privilege suspension in Pennsylvania, it is their responsibility to contact the other state to see if they can legally hunt, trap, or fish there. As also with a person from a member state that has had their privileges revoked, in that state, it is their responsibility to contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission to see if they can legally hunt or trap in Pennsylvania. If they are from a member state and their violation deals with a fishing suspension, it is their responsibility to contact the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, to see if it is legal for them to fish legally in Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania Game Commission - Compact Criteria

The following is a list of criteria set forth by the legislature. A violator may be entered into the compact for one or a combination of the violations listed below.

  • Assault/interference or bodily injury to a State Game Warden.
  • Hunting or furtaking while on revocation.
  • Unlawful use of lights while hunting.
  • Buying or selling game.
  • Hunting or furtaking under the influence.
  • Shooting at or causing injury to a human.
  • Counterfeiting, altering, or forging a license or tag.
  • Threatened or endangered species violations.
  • Illegal taking or possession of big game in a closed season.
  • Accumulated wildlife violations for which the penalty provided by Title 34 is no less than a summary offense of the fourth degree and the violation is not the only violation in a 24-month period.

Member States

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming