(File Photo: Source for Photo: FILE – A sign on a door at The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania at the Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa., Feb. 21, 2023. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Noah Haswell, Beaver County Radio News

(Harrisburg, PA) The Pennsylvania Supreme Court made a ruling on Tuesday that the Pennsylvania Game Commission must have a warrant based on probable cause before entering private property. 

This ruling was made based on arguments that were presented on April 9th, 2025, by Institute for Justice attorneys for the Punxsutawney and Pitch Pine hunting clubs in Clearfield County. 

According to a statement in a news release about the ruling from Institute for Justice senior attorney Joshua Windham: “Today, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court affirmed that private land is not public property. It’s yours, and that means you get to decide who enters it. If government officials want to invade your posted land without your consent and spy on you, they need to get a warrant. By restoring that foundational protection, the court bolstered the property and privacy rights of millions of Pennsylvanians – and sent a warning to officials across the country who still believe they can invade private land at will: Watch your step.”