HARRISBURG, PA — The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) has announced the discontinuation of its long-standing Deputy Game Warden Program, ending a 123-year tradition of relying on part-time and volunteer officers to assist in state wildlife enforcement.
Under the directive issued by Col. Richard O. Danley Jr., director of the commission's Bureau of Law Enforcement, the program will officially terminate on September 1, 2026. All current deputy game wardens are required to surrender state-issued equipment to their respective regional offices by October 1, 2026.
Established in 1903, the deputy program recruited local officers on an as-needed basis to assist full-time state game wardens with field patrols, hunting license verification, nuisance wildlife management, emergency response, and hunter safety education. Approximately 140 deputy wardens served across Pennsylvania's 67 counties prior to the announcement.
According to PGC Press Secretary John Buffone, the decision reflects an agency shift toward streamlining operations and maintaining a modern, full-time career workforce.
"This decision reflects our focus on having the most efficient and effective full-time, professional workforce," Buffone stated, adding that the commission remains "deeply grateful to the committed individuals that volunteered and served as deputy wardens" over the agency's history.
The dissolution leaves Pennsylvania's 155 full-time game wardens to carry out conservation and law enforcement duties without part-time support. While state officials expressed confidence in full-time coverage, several outgoing deputies expressed concern that the reduction in personnel could lead to longer response times for public calls regarding nuisance animals and hunting violations.
