Pennsylvania Game Commission - Wildlife Conservation Officers

Wildlife Conservation Officers

The main workforce of the Pennsylvania Game Commission are Wildlife Conservation Officers, also known as WCOs. These men and women are trained at the Ross Leffler School of Conservation in Harrisburg. New recruiting classes are formed when positions open up, which is normally every 2nd or 3rd year. Classes are usually kept below 30 students.
Training is a 11-month training program in Law Enforcement, Natural Resource Management, Wildlife Management, and other subjects. Students are paid $1,150.40 on a bi-weekly basis and are required to live in provided housing.
WCO's are the police for wildlife. They are there to enforce the hunting and trapping laws as well as many other laws. They patrol the Pennsylvania State Game Lands.
They teach hunter-trapper education courses as well as providing many other educational opportunities for the Pennsylvania public.

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