PA WCO Authority
 

I hope I'm posting this in the right forum. I'll start with the particulars and then ask my question:

-My dad was told about a hunter who legally harvested and tagged an 8 pt. during the PA archery season this year. The same hunter later shot and killed a 9 pt. during the PA gun season and used the same tag from his 8 pt. (I assume he changed the date and pts. on the tag).
-2 WCOs on patrol noticed blood on his truck (during gun season) and, assuming he had shot a deer, checked him. They noticed dry blood on the tag that they could tell was not fromt he deer he had just shot.
-They took his vehicle, his gun, and the deer, and told him he had to find his own ride home. When he got home, there were 2 other WCOs there and they found the meat from the first deer in his freezer, so they took his freezer. When he asked when he was getting his possessions back, they told him never.

Now, I told my dad that this sounded a bit far-fetched, as far as the WCOs taking the guys truck and leaving him to find his own ride home. Also the part about never getting the possessions back sounded a bit off too. I guess my questions are these:

1. Can a WCO just take your vehicle on the spot and leave you to find your own way home?

2. If this guy legally harvested and tagged the first deer, would the WCO have any right to take the meat from that one even if the hunter illegally took another deer?

It sounds to me like the guy got pinched and is now trying to bad mouth the Game Commission.

Thanks in advance for your comments!

I believe what had happened is within the authority of the PGC. Now, with that being said, I am not sure about taking his possessions on the spot without an investigation into the matter. There seems to be a bit more to it than that. I very well could have been that the earlier blood was from helping a friend dress/drag out a deer and putting something like a pen or safety pin back into his license holder. But once the meat from the previous animal was found in the freezer (I believe you must consume it within 12 months of harvest) then the PGC had every right to confiscate his property. The PGC is very strict on poaching and heaven help you if you get caught. And that's the way it should be.

This year the laws were really changed. The fines and penalties are way up. If the guy is convicted, he will probably see jail time. Every year (April I think) there is an auction of confiscated weapons, vehicles, and other items that were used in the crimes.

We cannot take vehicles, and for sure we arent taking any freezers. Guns are no longer confiscated. Sometimes they are siezed as evidence, but are returned after adjudacation of the case.

Thanks for clarification, but i have a question for you. Why doesn't not allow ar-15's...like what remington is making for non-big game animals but it's okay to use a 50.bmg for everything.:confused0024:

you would have to ask the legislature, they wrote the no semi rifle law

Would you know what their reasoning was?

I dont. The law was recodified in the late 80's. and I believe they carried it over from the old game law.

Have you ever heard somebody empty a 94 Winchester at a running deer? Picture the same guy with an AR.

That's why i suggested non-big game, Varmint and predators only. The state dictates what we can and can't use on everything else.