The Pennsylvania Game Commission phone numbers most callers need are the two 24/7 dispatch lines, 1-833-PGC-WILD (1-833-742-9453) and 1-833-PGC-HUNT (1-833-742-4868), which reach the same centralized dispatch center and can route you to a game warden, a specialist, or your regional office.1Pennsylvania Game Commission. Contact Information To report poaching or another wildlife crime, call the Operation Game Thief hotline at 1-888-PGC-8001, also staffed around the clock.2Pennsylvania Game Commission. Operation Game Thief
Which Number to Call
The centralized dispatch center runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so the toll-free lines work evenings, weekends, and holidays when regional offices are closed.1Pennsylvania Game Commission. Contact Information Dispatchers handle general questions, transfer callers to headquarters staff, and reach wildlife conservation officers in the field.
- General questions, license issues, wildlife encounters: 1-833-742-9453 or 1-833-742-4868
- Suspected poaching or wildlife crimes: 1-888-PGC-8001
- Headquarters legacy direct line: 717-787-42503Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program. Contact Us
Headquarters is at 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797, and handles statewide policy, complex permits, and administrative matters beyond what a dispatcher or regional office resolves.4Pennsylvania Game Commission. Offices and Regions
Regional Office Phone Numbers
Pennsylvania is divided into six Game Commission regions. Each office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and handles localized matters like nuisance wildlife, state game land access, and seasonal road closures. Use the dispatch numbers above for anything after hours.5Pennsylvania Game Commission. Game Commission Region Offices
Northwest Region — 814-432-3187
1509 Pittsburgh Road, Franklin, PA 16323. Serves Butler, Clarion, Crawford, Erie, Forest, Jefferson, Lawrence, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties.
Southwest Region — 724-238-9523
4820 Route 711, Bolivar, PA 15923. Serves Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Cambria, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Somerset, Washington, and Westmoreland counties.
Northcentral Region — 570-398-4744
1566 South Route 44 Highway, Jersey Shore, PA 17740. Serves Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Lycoming, McKean, Potter, Tioga, and Union counties.
Southcentral Region — 814-643-1831
8627 William Penn Highway, Huntingdon, PA 16652. Serves Adams, Bedford, Blair, Cumberland, Franklin, Fulton, Huntingdon, Juniata, Mifflin, Perry, Snyder, and York counties.
Northeast Region — 570-675-1143
3917 Memorial Highway, Dallas, PA 18612. Serves Bradford, Carbon, Columbia, Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Montour, Northumberland, Pike, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Wayne, and Wyoming counties.
Southeast Region — 610-926-3136
253 Snyder Road, Reading, PA 19605. Serves Berks, Bucks, Chester, Dauphin, Delaware, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Philadelphia, and Schuylkill counties.
Operation Game Thief Hotline
The 1-888-PGC-8001 line takes reports of poaching, illegal trapping, and other wildlife crimes 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Callers can remain anonymous, or submit tips online through the reporting form at pgcforms.pa.gov.2Pennsylvania Game Commission. Operation Game Thief
When a conviction involves the unlawful killing of big game or a threatened or endangered species, a judge can add an extra $500 fine. Half of that goes to the tipster whose information led to the conviction, up to $250 per witness and a maximum of two witnesses per case. To be eligible, you need to provide contact information when you make the report; anonymous callers do not receive a payout.2Pennsylvania Game Commission. Operation Game Thief
What to Have Ready Before You Call
Licensed hunters and trappers should have their Customer Identification Number in hand. It’s the nine-digit number printed on your license, also visible after logging into HuntFishPA, and dispatchers use it to pull up your account.6Pennsylvania Game Commission. License Frequently Asked License Questions
For a wildlife encounter or sighting, note the nearest street address or GPS coordinates, and if you can, the Wildlife Management Unit, which you can find on the Game Commission’s WMU boundary maps.7Pennsylvania Game Commission. Wildlife Management Unit Boundary Maps For a violation report, write down the time, a description of what you saw, and any details about vehicles or individuals involved. The more specific the information, the faster a conservation officer can respond.