Bear check stations are open on certain days within the early bear seasons (archery, muzzleloader and special firearms), the regular firearms season and the extended season. A complete list appears below and on the following pages. When check stations aren’t open, hunters can call the Game Commission’s Centralized Dispatch Center and make arrangements to have their bears checked. During the regular firearms season, check stations are open only on Saturday, Nov. 18 and Sunday, Nov. 19, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. The days and hours check stations are open vary during the other seasons. Hunters with questions can call the Centralized Dispatch Center.
At the time of a harvest, successful bear hunters should place a 3- to 4-inch stick into the bear’s mouth, before rigor mortis or freezing temperatures set in, making it extremely difficult to open the mouth to remove a tooth for aging when the bear is checked.
Centralized Dispatch Center
1-833-PGC-HUNT (1-833-742-4868)
1-833-PGC-WILD (1-833-742-9453)
Saturday, Nov. 18 and Sunday, Nov. 19, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Clarion County – Farmington Township Volunteer Fire Company, 6785 State Route 36, Leeper – 41.3706077 N, 79.3049949 W
Jefferson County – Friendship Hose Company #1, Interstate 80, Exit 97, Rt. 830 W (Slab Run Road/First Street), right on 1st Street in Falls Creek, then 600 feet on right – 41.1458166 N, 78.7985611 W
Venango County – Northwest Region Office, 1509 Pittsburgh Road, Franklin – 41.36734 N, 79.859747 W
Warren County – Tidioute Borough Fire Hall, 228 Main Street, Tidioute – 41.68278 N, 79.40444 W
Indiana County – Homer City Fire Department, 25 West Church Street in Homer City – 40.54189 N, 79.16193 W
Somerset County – New Centerville Rural Fire Dept., on Rt. 281 in New Centerville – 39.9420 N, 79.1950 W
Westmoreland County – Southwest Region Office, Rt. 711 in Bolivar – 40.3140 N, 79.1480 W
Centre County – DCNR Penn Nursery, 137 Penn Nursery Road, Spring Mills – 40.7778230 N, 77.6137813 W
Clearfield County – PGC Maintenance Building, 4728 Quehanna Highway, Karthaus – 41.1901 N, 78.14594 W
Clinton County – Chapman Twp. Fire Hall, 4 miles south of Renovo on Rt. 120 in North Bend – 41.34861 N, 77.70038 W
Lycoming County – Northcentral Region Office, 1566 S. Rt. 44 Hwy., Jersey Shore - 41.1911 N, 77.2315 W
Lycoming County – Trout Run Fire Hall, Rt. 14 – 41.38587 N, 77.05572 W
McKean County – Mt. Jewett Fire Hall on U.S. Rt. 6 – 41.7241 N, 78.64347 W
Potter County – Coudersport Fire Hall on U.S. Rt. 6, west of town – 41.76788 N, 78.02842 W
Tioga County – Wellsboro Fire Company Social Building, U.S. Rt. 6 in center of town – 41.7495961 N, 77.2967266 W
Fulton County – Buchanan State Forest Building, 0.1 mile north of Rt. 30 on Rt. 915, 4.5 miles east of Breezewood.– 40.019519 N, 78.159104 W
Huntingdon County – SGL 322 Building, 8877 Petersburg Pike, Petersburg, 3 miles west from Cold Spring Road in Huntingdon – 40.5505 N, 78.0065 W
Carbon County – SGL 141 Maintenance Building, 526 Behrens Road, Jim Thorpe–40.9411 N, 75.6722 W
Lackawanna County – Fleetville Fire Company, 58 Firehouse Lane, Fleetville. Interstate 81, Exit 202, Rt. 107 west to Fleetville, left onto Rt. 407, entrance to firehouse on right (look for sign, as building is not visible from road) – 41.59608 N, 75.71673 W
Luzerne County – Northeast Region Office, 3917 Memorial Highway, Dallas – 41.342975 N, 75.991387 W
Monroe County – SGL 127 Building, Rt. 423, 2 miles south of Tobyhanna – 41.168317 N, 75.439614 W
Pike County – SGL 180 Shohola Building, Rt. 6 at Shohola Falls, 13 miles south of Hawley – 41.3862 N, 74.9758 W
Sullivan County – DCNR Loyalsock State Forest Resource Management Center, 6735 Rt. 220, 7 miles south of Dushore – 41.439228 N, 76.4646 W
Berks County – Southeast Region Office, 253 Snyder Road, 7 miles north of Reading – 40.440840 N, 75.911236 W
Dauphin County – Game Commission Headquarters, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg – 40.2934 N, 76.8553 W
See text above for specific location information if not provided
Jefferson County – SGL 244 Habitat management building, 103 McPherson Lane, Brookville- 41.11181 N, 78.96329 W Saturdays 10/14, 10/21, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Venango County – Northwest Region Office, 1509 Pittsburgh Road, Franklin – 41.36734 N, 79.859747 W Saturdays 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Sundays 10/15, 10/22, 10/29, Noon- 7 p.m. Monday through Friday 10/16-11/3, 7:30 a.m.-7 p.m.
Warren County – SGL 143 Building, 375 Moore Lane, Pittsfield - 41.823172 N, 079.435473 W Saturdays 10/14, 10/21, 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Indiana County – SGL 248 Maintenance Building, 469 Chestnut Ridge Road in Penn Run–40.60891 N, 79.07144 W Saturdays 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, Noon- 7 p.m. Thursday 10/19 & Friday 10/20, Noon- 7 p.m.
Somerset County – SGL 50 Maintenance Building, 774 Berlin Plank Road in Somerset–39.98989 N, 79.05081 W Saturdays 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, Noon- 7 p.m. Thursday 10/19 & Friday 10/20, Noon- 7 p.m.
Westmoreland County – Southwest Region Office Saturdays 10/14, 10/21, 10/28, 11/4, Noon- 7 p.m. Thursday 10/19 & Friday 10/20, Noon- 7 p.m.
Clearfield County – PGC Maintenance Building, 4728 Quehanna Highway, Karthaus - 41.1901 N, 78.14594 W Saturday 10/14, Monday 10/16 through Saturday 10/21, Saturday 10/28, and Saturday 11/4, Noon - 7 p.m. Sundays 10/15 and 10/22, 8 a.m. - Noon
Lycoming County – Northcentral Region Office, 1566 S. Rt. 44 Hwy., Jersey Shore - 41.1911 N, 77.2315 W Saturday 10/14, Monday 10/16 through Saturday 10/21, Saturday 10/28, and Saturday 11/4, Noon - 7 p.m. Monday 10/23 through Friday 10/27, and Monday 10/30 through Friday 11/3, 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Sundays 10/15 and 10/22, 8 a.m. - Noon
Tioga County – SGL 208 Headquarters Building, 1749 Rt. 349, Gaines - 41.8007 N, 77.5721 W Saturday 10/14, Monday 10/16 through Saturday 10/21, Saturday 10/28, and Saturday 11/4, Noon - 7 p.m. Sundays 10/15 and 10/22, 8 a.m. - Noon
No check station hours during early archery season. Sundays 10/15, 10/22, call Central Dispatch for appointment.
Fulton County – Buchanon State Forest Building, 0.1 mile north of Rt. 30 on Rt. 915, 4.5 miles east of Breezewood–40.019519 N, 78.159104 W Saturdays 10/14, 10/21 Noon-7pm
Huntingdon County – SGL 322 Building, 8877 Petersburg Pike, Petersburg, 3 miles west from Cold Spring Road in Huntingdon – 40.5505 N, 78.0065 W Saturdays 10/14, 10/21, Noon-7 p.m.
All check stations in the Northeast Region will be open: Saturday 10/14 through Saturday 10/21, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays 10/28, 11/4, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Berks County – Southeast Region Office Saturdays 10/14, 10/21, 10 a.m.- 7 p.m.
Lycoming County – Northcentral Region Office, 1566 S. Rt. 44 Hwy., Jersey Shore - 41.1911 N, 77.2315 W Saturday 11/25 & Sunday 11/26, Noon- 7 p.m. Monday through Friday 11/27-12/1, 8 a.m.- 7 p.m. Saturday, 12/2, Noon-7 p.m.
Tioga County – SGL 208 Headquarters Building, 1749 Rt. 349, Gaines – 41.8007 N, 77.5721 W Saturday 11/25 & Sunday 11/26, Noon- 7 p.m. Saturday 12/2, Noon - 7 p.m.
Huntingdon County – SGL 322 Building Saturday 11/25 & Sunday 11/26, Noon- 7 p.m. Saturday, 12/2, Noon - 7 p.m.
Carbon County – SGL 141 Maintenance Building Saturday 11/25 & Sunday 11/26, Noon- 7 p.m. Saturday, 12/2, Noon - 7 p.m.
Lackawanna County – Fleetville Fire Company Saturday through Saturday 11/25-12/2, Noon- 7 p.m.
Luzerne County – Northeast Region Office Saturday 11/25 & Sunday 11/26, Noon- 7 p.m. Monday through Friday 11/27-12/1, 8 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturday 12/2, Noon - 7 p.m.
Monroe County – SGL 127 Building Saturday 11/25 & Sunday 11/26, Noon- 7 p.m. Saturday, 12/2, Noon - 7 p.m.
Pike County – SGL 180 Shohola Building Saturday 11/25 & Sunday 11/26, Noon- 7 p.m. Saturday, 12/2, Noon - 7 p.m.
Sullivan County – DCNR Loyalsock State Forest Resource Management Center Saturday 11/25 & Sunday 11/26, Noon- 7 p.m. Saturday, 12/2, Noon - 7 p.m.
Berks County – Southeast Region Office Saturday 11/25 & Sunday 11/26, Noon- 7 p.m. Monday through Friday 11/27-12/1, 8 a.m.- 4 p.m. Saturday 12/2, Noon - 7 p.m.
Dauphin County – Game Commission Headquarters Saturday 11/25 & Sunday 11/26, Noon- 7 p.m. Monday through Friday 11/27-12/1, 8 a.m.- 7 p.m. Saturday 12/2, Noon - 7 p.m.