Annual Report 2007-2008 - 25

Protect and enhance our hunting and trapping heritage. The Bureau of Wildlife Protection continues to work toward our mission of protecting Pennsylvania’s wildlife through law enforcement, seeking effective legislation and developing regulations. During this reporting period bureau staff worked extensively with the Chairman of the House Fish and Game Committee, Ed Staback, and his staff, to develop House Bill 2205, which would dramatically enhance the penalties in the Game and Wildlife Code for the most egregious offenses. The PGC testified at hearings in February and September 2008 in support of the bill. Although the bill did not make it through the legislative process during this session, the PGC will continue to work toward getting the bill reintroduced and voted on in the next legislative session. Sportsmen’s support for the legislation has been widespread, and the Game Commission wishes to thank both the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs and the United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania, who both testified in support of this legislation, which will make it a felony to kill five or more big game animals out of season, at night with a light, or over the bag limit, with the possibility of imprisonment. It will also deter chronic offenders because a second offense of poaching a big game animal within a 10year period will be upgraded to a felony offense. Other legislative efforts continue, such as obtaining the statutory authority for Pennsylvania to join the Interstate Wildlife Violators Compact and cooperate with the 42 other states that have achieved legislation to participate in the program, which provides reciprocity for license revocations between states. In other words, a poacher who loses his license in one state loses license privileges in all states that are members of the compact. Legislation was introduced again this reporting period by Representative Mark Gergley, but it did not pass this session. The concept of Pennsylvania joining this compact is also widely supported by sportsmen, as Pennsylvania is currently one of only eight states that is not a member and, therefore, has the potential of becoming the “poacher’s paradise” for those who have lost their licenses in most other states, but can still purchase a license in Pennsylvania. Enforcement statistics once again show that our officers are doing an outstanding job of protecting Pennsylvania’s wildlife with professionalism. Officers conducted more than 160,000 enforcement contacts, including more than 80,000 field checks of hunters in the field. Out of this significant KYLE VINCENT IANELLI, Philadelphia, got this nice 6-point with his bow. The 10year-old, who was hunting with his “pop-pop” VINCENT VALLORANI, certainly appreciates the Game Commission’s Mentored Youth Hunting Program. Kyle said his grandfather started taking him out in the woods when he was five, and that he practices often shooting his bow. JANUARY 2009 25

Annual Report 2007-2008

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Annual Report 2007-2008