Pennsylvania § 2141 - Killing game or wildlife to protect person.

§ 2141. Killing game or wildlife to protect person.

(a) General rule.--It is unlawful for a person to kill any game or wildlife as a means of protection unless it is clearly evident from all the facts that a human is endangered to a degree that the immediate destruction of the game or wildlife is necessary.

(b) Report, safekeeping and investigation.--A person killing any game or wildlife under this subchapter shall report the event to an officer as soon as possible following the incident but in no case later than 24 hours, provide for safekeeping of the game or wildlife intact at the place where it was killed and be available for interview by the officer.

(c) Exoneration.--At the conclusion of any investigation when any game or wildlife is allegedly killed as protection to a person, the officer may exonerate the person for the otherwise unlawful killing of the game or wildlife. In all cases the officer shall seize and dispose of the game or wildlife as required by this title or upon instructions of the director.

(d) Prosecution.--Any officer making an investigation when game or wildlife was allegedly killed as a protection to a person shall proceed with prosecution as though the game or wildlife was unlawfully killed if the officer is dissatisfied with the explanation of the person killing the game or wildlife or if the physical facts of the killing do not support and sustain the facts alleged by the person killing the game or wildlife.

(e) Penalties.--A violation of this section relating to:

(1) Threatened or endangered species is a misdemeanor.

(2) Elk or bear is a summary offense of the first degree.

(3) Deer is a summary offense of the second degree.

(4) Bobcat or otter is a summary offense of the third degree.

(5) Wild turkey or beaver is a summary offense of the fourth degree.

(6) Any other game or wildlife is a summary offense of the fifth degree.

(Oct. 24, 2012, P.L.1205, No.150, eff. 60 days; June 30, 2025, P.L.83, No.26, eff. 60 days)

2025 Amendment. Act 26 amended subsec. (b).

2012 Amendment. Act 150 amended subsec. (e)(1).