HOW TO CHECK YOUR BEAR
Within 24 hours, each hunter who harvests a bear must have it checked by the Game Commission.
Check station locations and hours are listed below.
When check stations are not open or you are unable to take the bear to a check station within 24 hours, contact the Centralized Dispatch Center for instructions.
PREPPING FOR YOUR BEAR CHECK
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. Hunters should have with them at the check station their hunting license and bear license. Hunters should know the date, time and approximate location of harvest.
CENTRALIZED DISPATCH CENTER
1-833-PGC-HUNT (1-833-742-4868)
1-833-PGC-WILD (1-833-742-9453)
REGULAR FIREARMS SEASON CHECK STATIONS
Saturday, Nov. 22 and Sunday, Nov. 23, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Northwest Region
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
Southwest Region
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, 4820 Rt. 711 in Bolivar – 40.3140 N, 79.1480 W
Northcentral Region
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 – Hepburn Township Fire Company, 615 PA- 973, Cogan Station–41.29991 N, -77.05607 W
McKean County – PGC Maintenance Building, 1982 Lindholm Rd., Mt. Jewett – 41.755254 N, 78.571859 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
Southcentral Region
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
Northeast Region
Bradford County – Wysox Volunteer Fire Company, 111 Lake Rd., Wysox–41.77673 N, 76.40042 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, 1305 Prospect Street, 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
Southeast Region
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
EARLY SEASON CHECK STATIONS
Jefferson County – SGL 244 Habitat management building, 103 McPherson Lane, Brookville- 41.11181 N, 78.96329 WThursday through Saturday, 10/23-10/25, 11 a.m. -7 p.m.
Venango County – Northwest Region Office, 1509 Pittsburgh Road, Franklin – 41.36734 N, 79.859747 WSaturdays, 10/18, 10/25, 11 a.m. -7 p.m.Monday through Friday, 10/20-10/24, 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
Warren County – SGL 143 Building, 375 Moore Lane, Pittsfield - 41.823172 N, 079.435473 WThursday through Saturday, 10/23-10/25, 11 a.m. -7 p.m.
No check station hours during early seasons.Call the Centralized Dispatch Center for bear check instructions.
Clearfield County – PGC Maintenance Building, 4728 Quehanna Highway, Karthaus - 41.1901 N, 78.14594 WSaturdays, 10/18, 10/25, 11 a.m. -7 p.m.Sunday, 10/26, 8 a.m.-noonThursday and Friday, 10/23, 10/24, 11 a.m. -7 p.m.
Lycoming County – Northcentral Region Office, 1566 S. Rt. 44 Hwy., Jersey Shore - 41.1911 N, 77.2315 WSaturdays, 10/18, 10/25, 11 a.m. -7 p.m.Sunday, 10/26, 8 a.m.-noonMonday through Friday, 10/20-10/24, 11 a.m. -7 p.m.
Tioga County – SGL 208 Headquarters Building, 1749 Rt. 349, Gaines - 41.8007 N, 77.5721 WSaturdays, 10/18, 10/25, 11 a.m. -7 p.m.Sunday, 10/26, 8 a.m.-noonThursday and Friday, 10/23, 10/24, 11 a.m. -7 p.m.
No check station hours during early archery season.Call the Centralized Dispatch Center for an appointment.
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 WSaturday, 10/25, Noon-7 p.m.
Huntingdon County – SGL 322 Building, 8877 Petersburg Pike, Petersburg, 3 miles west from Cold Spring Road in Huntingdon – 40.5505 N, 78.0065 WSaturday, 10/25, Noon-7 p.m.
All check stations in the Northeast Region will be open: Saturdays, 10/18, 10/25, 11 a.m. -7 p.m.Sunday, 10/26, 8 a.m.-noonThursday and Friday, 10/23, 10/24, 11 a.m. -7 p.m.
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
Berks County – Southeast Region Office, 253 Snyder Road, 7 miles north of Reading – 40.440840 N, 75.911236 WThursday, 10/23 and Friday, 10/24, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.Saturday, 10/25, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
Dauphin County – Game Commission Headquarters, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg – 40.2934 N, 76.8553 WThursday, 10/23 and Friday, 10/24, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.Saturday, 10/25, 10 a.m.-7 p.m.
EXTENDED FIREARMS SEASON CHECK STATIONS
Lycoming County – Northcentral Region Office, 1566 S. Rt. 44 Hwy., Jersey Shore - 41.1911 N, 77.2315 WSaturday 11/29 & Sunday 11/30, Noon-7 p.m.Monday through Friday 12/1-12/5, Noon-7 p.m.Saturday, 12/6, Noon-7 p.m.
Tioga County – SGL 208 Headquarters Building, 1749 Rt. 349, Gaines – 41.8007 N, 77.5721 WSaturday 11/29 & Sunday 11/30, Noon-7 p.m.Saturday 12/6, Noon -7 p.m.
Southwest and Southcentral Regions
No check station hours during extended firearms season.Call the Centralized Dispatch Center for an appointment
Bradford County – Wysox Volunteer Fire Company, 111 Lake Rd, Wysox–41.77673 N, 76.40042 WSaturday 11/29 & Sunday 11/30, Noon-7 p.m.Saturday, 12/6, Noon -7 p.m.
Carbon County – SGL 141 Maintenance Building, 526 Behrens Road, Jim Thorpe–40.9411 N, 75.6722 WSaturday 11/29 & Sunday 11/30, Noon-7 p.m.Saturday, 12/6, Noon -7 p.m.
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 WSaturday through Saturday 11/29-12/6, Noon-7 p.m.
Luzerne County – Northeast Region Office, 3917 Memorial Highway, Dallas – 41.342975 N, 75.991387 WSaturday 11/29 & Sunday 11/30, Noon-7 p.m.Monday through Friday 12/1-12/5, 8 a.m. -7 p.m.Saturday 12/6, Noon -7 p.m.
Monroe County – SGL 127 Building, 1305 Prospect Street, Tobyhanna – 41.168317 N, 75.439614 WSaturday 11/29 & Sunday 11/30, Noon-7 p.m.Saturday, 12/6, Noon -7 p.m.
Pike County – SGL 180 Shohola Building, Rt. 6 at Shohola Falls, 13 miles south of Hawley – 41.3862 N, 74.9758 WSaturday 11/29 & Sunday 11/30, Noon-7 p.m.Saturday, 12/6, Noon -7 p.m.
Berks County – Southeast Region Office, 253 Snyder Road, 7 miles north of Reading – 40.440840 N, 75.911236 WSaturday 11/29 & Sunday 11/30, Noon-7 p.m.Monday through Friday 12/1-12/5, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.Saturday 12/6, Noon -7 p.m.
Dauphin County – Game Commission Headquarters, 2001 Elmerton Avenue, Harrisburg – 40.2934 N, 76.8553 WSaturday 11/29 & Sunday 11/30, Noon-7 p.m.Monday through Friday 12/1-12/5, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.Saturday 12/6, Noon -7 p.m.