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Pennsylvania Game Commission’s financial reserve is questioned by senator

Harrisburg — The Pennsylvania Game Commission’s gigantic fiscal reserve was again a topic of conversation at a Senate Game and Fisheries Committee hearing March 17.

At the session held to hear the Game and Fish & Boat commissions’ annual reports, Sen. Greg Rothman, committee chairman, asked Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith if he had plans to spend the money.

“Your fund balance is listed at $504 million when in this commonwealth we’re facing a $5 billion deficit,” said Rothman, a Republican representing Perry and parts of Dauphin and Cumberland counties.

“Do you have any plans – and we’ve talked about this all three years I’ve been here – what are we doing to spend this money or what are we doing with the money?”

Smith didn’t answer the senator’s question directly but instead explained why his agency is careful with its surplus funds.

“We’ve been very cautious about how we spend down that reserve because when that money is gone we have two options – we can either cut programs or try to raise the cost of a hunting license,” he said.

“Neither of those are good options. I’d like to see our hunting license stay where it’s at for as long as possible … It’s been a $20 base license going back to the late ’90s.”

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Rothman didn’t seem to be satisfied with that, asking if its the Game Commission’s intention to continue maintaining a huge surplus. He said the agency’s reserve has been over $500 million since he came to the Senate in 2023.

“I was told at first it was just a total blip, but yet each year it’s about $100 million coming from oil and gas leases,” he said.

“What’s your plan, and is it the position of the commission that it will continue to hold on to half a billion dollars in reserves when your annual budget is maybe $200 million?”

Trying a different tact to get an answer, Rothman asked Smith what his response is to people who say oil and gas leases that are on commonwealth land should belong to the people of Pennsylvania and that money should go back to the general fund.

Hunters want the money to go back to the Game Commission, Smith noted.

“The revenue that we have coming in off game lands – which were purchased with their hunting license dollars – they’d like to see it coming back to the agency, and the agency investing that money in the future of our sport and in the future of managing wildlife,” he said.

“They are the ones who paved the way for the agency to experience the financial benefits that we have in recent years, so the expectation and the way that the law is currently written is that money comes back to the agency so that we can reinvest it back into our sport and back into wildlife and habitat.”

Dave Gustafson, deputy executive director of the Game Commission, pointed out the reserve money is being used to help generate revenue for the agency. He noted that the commission’s second largest source of income last year was interest income.

“So, by having that healthy balance in the Game Fund, we’re able to count on a significant source of revenue coming from interest off that balance,” he said.

“And that allows us to sustain operations at a high level and keep hunting affordable, and continue to manage wildlife with the ongoing threats of diseases, habitat fragmentation and the types of struggles that we face.”

That revelation appeared to annoy Rothman.

“There are very few families in Pennsylvania that can say that 20% of their revenue comes from interest,” he said.

“At a time when people are suffering and affordability is the number one issue, I’m not sure that saying that you’re generating 20% of your income from interest is a good thing.”

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8 thoughts on “Pennsylvania Game Commission’s financial reserve is questioned by senator”

Jonny Crytzer
April 4, 2026 at 8:01 am

Your total financial existence is supported by taxpayer money..The Game Commissions financial existence is financed by hunting license holders..Maybe you would give us back the interest you are earning in your taxpayer funded personal savings accounts..

Reply
Greg
April 4, 2026 at 9:21 am

So because the outdoorsmen have been responsible with their money means they should lose what they earned? What about all the tax revenue hunting and fishing being this state? I am ashamed to be living in the same state as this greedy crook. Typical politician looking into other pockets to balance a budget.

Reply
James Dawkins
April 4, 2026 at 9:29 am

Those existing funds are being well managed, and obviously have been. I personally have paid into this fund for 45 years straight. Seasons have passed where hunting was physically out of my reach, and I still purchased multiple licenses every year. Still do. PGC is doing a fine job handling their duties for the hunters of Pennsylvania. We are the ‘families’ this Senator Rothman is mentioning and he cannot even see it through the half billion blinding him. Stephen Smith, Dave Gustafson, keep up the great work.

Reply
1. Steven fledderman
  April 6, 2026 at 7:59 am
  
  For once the game commission is doing something right. That money is ours as a hunter. I believe they are spending more money every year then they ever have on roads and equipment to Maintain the roads. So you greedy politicians need to take a good lesson from the way they mange this fund and start doing the same.
  
  Reply
Ivin
April 4, 2026 at 9:45 am

Who is embezzling his money ?
My can’t he balance his own budget ?

Anyone looking to take money from someone else has a problem.

It would appear to me the game commission is honest and doing the right thing having a surplus so they can cover costs easier with interest instead of squandering or stealing it and then looking for a hand out or having to raise prices.

Ivin

Pa hunter

Reply
cndymerced
April 4, 2026 at 8:57 pm

Would like to see a few things done with this surplus. First, start a program to fund deer processors. There are fewer every year. Secondly, remove the pheasant stamp. There is no reason to charge extra, with that humongous surplus.

Reply
Bill Kellar
April 5, 2026 at 8:05 pm

The game commission only cares about their timber gas and coal . As far as deer go in the private property all you see is purple paint and they’re way too many. And if you see a rabbit or a grouse consider yourself lucky. The game commission doesn’t give a hoot about that

Reply
Russell
April 6, 2026 at 11:18 am

If those game lands were not producing minerals or timber would this discussion be taking place? The land was purchased with hunter dollars period. Politicians do not accept surpluses, educators must spend every dollar, greed and recent shut downs proves all of this. But the PGC continues to make hunting an enjoyable sport in PA. I do not agree with every decision they make, poor attitude of some game wardens and game seasons, but I have hunted in many states and PA is the deal of a lifetime for license fees. So, enjoy the hunt on the land you purchased.!!

Reply