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January 20, 2026
Commentary: Pennsylvania needs to merge agencies or at least simplify regulations
It’s time! In fact the time is long overdue.
That fact was driven home to me a few weeks ago when I went to sight in an old friend’s rifle for him at the Little Pine State Park shooting range.
Even though I had a valid hunting license that accessed Pennsylvania Game Commission ranges for free, I would have to spend $15 for a day pass or $30 for a season pass from the state park.
But it turned out I was spared the expense.
I had driven 200 miles for nothing; the range was closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. If the state Department of Conservation and Natural Resources can’t keep the range open daily, then why doesn’t the department turn the management over to the Game Commission?
Trade the range for an adjacent acre of game lands somewhere close.
MORE COVERAGE FROM PENNSYLVANIA OUTDOOR NEWS:
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Heavy bears highlight Pennsylvania’s 2025 hunting season
But let’s look further. A Pennsylvania non-powered boating registration from the Fish & Boat Commission allows you to launch in all 50 states and Canada. The same fee, $15, for a DCNR boat launch permit allows you to use and launch on public ramps in Pennsylvania only.
An electric motor on any boat requires the boat to be registered as a motorboat in Pennsylvania, but electric vehicles like E-bikes, E-skate boards or E-scooters using state-owned bike trails and roads need no registration.
I believe electric motorized vehicles are not legal on state game lands at all.
RELATED STORY FROM OUTDOOR NEWS:
Study will suggest how Pennsylvania Game Commission, Fish & Boat Commission can collaborate
You can fish Pennsylvania state parks and game lands with a Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission fishing license any day of the year, but a Pennsylvania Game Commission hunting license does not allow you to hunt all the new open Sundays on state parks; you’re only allowed three Sundays.
Confusing? That’s my point.
We have three – DCNR, the Game Commission and the Fish & Boat Commission – natural resource agencies with three separate sets of established regulations and special regulations.
These regulations fill books with Do’s and Don’ts, as well as fees and licensing requirements. What you wear and when (safety orange and life jackets), times you can play, with who and what. It’s just not fair.
If we can’t have one agency, like the other 49 states, the least Pennsylvania can do for its citizens is give them one single set of “Rules for the Outdoors” that apply to all Commonwealth of Pennsylvania-owned properties.
It’s time. It’s long overdue.
(Bob Steiner wrote a column for this publication for more than a decade. He is a former waterways conservation officer who retired from the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission, and is the author of “RIVER BOOTS – A Fish Warden’s Tales of Pennsylvania Fish and Game Law Enforcement.”)
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- Tags: Fishing, Hunting, Pennsylvania
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15 thoughts on “Commentary: Pennsylvania needs to merge agencies or at least simplify regulations”
Thank you Mr. Stiener for these informed and thoughtful suggestions. Only problem I see is the stubborn state of mind that exists with these agencies and the unwillingness to cede any perceived power. Good common sense ideas die a painful death in Pa. when it comes to these three agencies! Cooperation has been and still is a dirty word in pa.
I totally agree I also would like to see the antler restrictions removed any deer is a trophy I’ve asked several times about this and all I get is a run around and everyone keeps saying I had to go to a different person the last time I played this game I ended up being told to contact the first person I talked to that I originally contacted I really believe that none of the agency’s care about people who pay to keep these agency’s alive it’s all about what they want total B.S.
Maryland state police check fishing licenses on their slow time. Why are THREE outdoor agencies needed? All the other states get by with one or two. This is Pa, I’m kind of surprised we don’t have six outdoor agencies. While we’re at it, why is there a LCB?
The game commission should have been shut down years ago.does any one remember the alleged corruption involving pension plans ?they ruined hunting in this state.
Close down the Game Commission. All they care about is making money. How many million doe licenses will they sell next year. They do nothing to promote small game hunting.
Believe me you do not want agencies combined because the state game lands is fully supported by hunting license. If the rest get combined with it they will rob money from the game commission and state officials will be determining hunting regulations. Please check Colorado fight over the merger of there DOW being merged into parts and wildlife they are using most of the money from hunting which in 1991 outperform skiing by 4 million dollars. Into the Denver Metro parks. And also now they’re trying to regulate firearms in the state for hunting. I am fortunate enough to live in Erie county where we have game lands 109 with a shooting range that’s been open for quite a long time I remember going there with my dad 55 years ago. But if I was out of town I would probably just pay the $15 enjoy the day with my friends and move on. Thank you enjoy a 2026
Well said.
Youghiogheny River Lake in Pa use to be a great place to fish .but im going to be like lots of people stop buying fishing license . Because every year they drain it so low you can’t put your boat in at jokey hollow . Not many fish left in that lake. I starting to buy ohio and Maryland license . Catch more and bigger fish . Guarantee
I have no doubt the dcnr will soon control all three. My only complaint is they don’t do one thing for the hunting , all they worry about almighty dollar. Most state like Virginia they let people use all the access roads
They flatten miles of mountain tops where I hunt, the timber an gas company can destroy what ever they want. I’m 80 years old so I guess doesn’t really matter anymore, y there’s no young hunters.
This is an issue as old as time; we the people want smaller government, less regulations and more common sense.
The issue lies with the current way of the world where everything can be traced back to who is profiting from whatever subject is at hand; currently confusion of rules and regulations. As the article stated, on any given day, In or to obey one law you like have to disobey another – hence, the state/agency profits. It’s really that simple.
If change is going to come, it will have to be at the state government level and influenced by lobbies. Support the groups that fund lobbyists that share your interests.
Bad news to everyone, once a state organization or game law or regulation is created and passed, overturning it can take decades (for example, Sunday hunting).
Do good, take a kid with you and enjoy God’s creation.
God bless everyone, Merry Christmas.
You’re way off base here. Any landowner can control whether they want to allow Sunday hunting. And it is likely that by next year, the DCNR will allow all Sundays to be open; the regs were changed after the DCNR had already set their rules for this year.
And you are seriously trying to compare wearing a blaze orange vest to wearing a PFD while boating? Where did you even come up with that ridiculous comparison?
If you are going to try and make a case for something, at least have legitimate points to use, not the weak and totally unrelated stuff that you just posted.
agree.
Is about…MONEY…not resources…or public protection…retirements…radios…equipment…uniforms…dinners…rooms…MONEY!!!!
Bringing the laws and regulations in line within the separate agencies is a good idea. Combining the agencies is a horrible idea. As stated before you’ll end up having the game commission funds generated by our hunting license purchases, gas and timber sales and land acquisitions raided by DCNR and fiha and boat commission. Furthermore the purchaser of hunting licenses should be the ones to elect, via ballot, the board members and commissioner of the Game Commission. Likewise with the Fish and Boat Commission for fishing license holders.
this is the future democrats want