Why It Matters: The Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) is the Keystone State’s wildlife conservation experts and is entirely funded by sportsmen and women-generated dollars. Currently, the PGC has a purchasing cap of $400/acre for land, which in 2025, is extremely hard to come by – especially in more urban areas. House Bill 1811 seeks to remove the purchasing cap, thus allowing the PGC to potentially purchase lands in more urbanized areas (which have the least amount of access to state game lands), which would ultimately increase access and opportunity for hunting, trapping, and recreational shooting, close to population centers, thus assisting in the recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of sportsmen and women.
Highlights:
- House Bill 1811 (HB 1811) is sponsored by Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Member, Rep. Mandy Steele.
- HB 1811 removes the current $400/acre purchasing cap from the PGC for counties in the first through fifth classes.
- In October of 2025, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) submitted a letter of support to the House of Representatives leadership in support of removing the purchasing cap.
- On November 18th, 2025, the House of Representatives sent HB 1811 to the Senate in a 167-35 vote.
The PGC is charged with conserving, managing, and protecting state game lands (which includes shooting/archery ranges) that are filled with wildlife and other natural resources. Hunters, trappers, recreational shooters and archers, along with other outdoor recreation enthusiasts rely on these managed lands to enjoy their treasured past times. However, currently, the PGC has a purchasing cap that is acting as a barrier for purchasing land in areas with higher land costs, keeping most game lands away from these higher population areas.
A lack of access is regularly cited as the number one reason that lapsed hunters give when asked why they decided to stop hunting. The passage of HB 1811 would likely contribute to the recruitment, retention, and reactivation of sportsmen and women in the Commonwealth by allowing the PGC to purchase lands in more populated areas (first through fifth counties) where land valuations can surpass the PGC’s current purchasing cap of $400/acre. Providing more access for sportsmen and women in these more populated areas will likely increase participation, and license sales by extension, and will also have a positive impact on the state’s economy while strengthening the Keystone State’s outdoor heritage. In her legislative memo for HB 1811, Rep. Mandy Steele stated, “…in an effort to conserve land for public access and to protect vulnerable habitats, I will be introducing legislation that would allow the PGC to acquire land at a fair and reasonable price in counties of the first through fifth classes. However, the $400 price per acre cap would remain in place for counties of the sixth through eighth classes. The PGC not only serves our sportsmen and women, but it also serves as a steward of our shared environment and natural resources, providing Pennsylvanians with access to green spaces close to their homes…”
CSF looks forward to working with the Pennsylvania Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus and the Senate to see HB 1811 across the finish line to remove the antiquated purchasing cap that has hampered the PGC for many years.
