Pennsylvania lawmakers are advancing legislation that could add a new consequence for individuals convicted of animal cruelty: losing the privilege to hunt.
Representative Melissa Shusterman recently introduced House Bill 2671, and Senator Lisa Boscola has announced plans to introduce a companion bill in the Senate. The proposal would authorize the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) to revoke or deny hunting licenses for people who torture or cruelly mistreat wildlife, or who have been convicted of animal cruelty offenses.
Closing a gap in current law
According to Senator Boscola’s co-sponsorship memo, the legislation was inspired in part by a widely publicized case involving two Pennsylvania teenagers who were filmed shooting a deer and then abusing the wounded animal by kicking it, stomping on its legs, and tearing off one of its antlers while it was still alive. The video sparked outrage across the hunting community and led to criminal charges, but it also highlighted a limitation in Pennsylvania law.
Under current statutes, the Pennsylvania Game Commission does not have clear authority to revoke or deny hunting licenses solely because of this type of animal cruelty conviction. The proposed legislation would change that.
Focused on ethical hunters
Supporters of the bill emphasize that the legislation is not directed at legal hunting or normal harvest practices.
Instead, it is intended to remove hunting privileges from individuals who intentionally torture wildlife or commit serious acts of animal cruelty.
In her memo to fellow senators, Boscola wrote that “the overwhelming majority of Pennsylvania hunters are responsible, ethical sportsmen who have no desire to share the field with individuals who behave” in such a manner. She argued that the proposal would give the Game Commission the tools needed to keep those individuals from participating in Pennsylvania’s hunting tradition.
Many hunters have long argued that ethical hunting includes making every effort to ensure a quick, humane kill, recovering harvested game, and treating wildlife with respect. Deliberate abuse of animals after a legal harvest—or intentionally causing unnecessary suffering—violates both hunting ethics and the principles of wildlife conservation.
Bill still early in the legislative process
House Bill 2671 was referred to the House Game and Fisheries Committee on June 26 and has not yet received a committee vote. Senator Boscola’s Senate version has not yet been formally introduced but is expected to mirror the House legislation. Both bills would need approval from the Pennsylvania General Assembly before reaching Governor Josh Shapiro for consideration.
As the legislation moves forward, hunters should watch for committee hearings and any amendments that could clarify which offenses would trigger license revocation and how long those revocations would last.
Hunterizer
Hunterizer helps Pennsylvania hunters stay informed about changes to hunting laws, regulations, seasons, and license requirements. The Hunterizer app provides up-to-date season dates, bag limits, legal hunting methods, maps, and the “What Can I Hunt Today?” feature, making it easy to know what’s open anywhere in Pennsylvania on any date. As legislation affecting hunters evolves, Hunterizer will continue to keep the Pennsylvania hunting community informed.
