Pennsylvania has in my opinion very pathetic trespass laws and the wardens do not enforce them for the most part. Unlike in Virginia where game wardens or conservation police officers as they are now known have the ability to enforce almost all state laws. In Pennsylvania, game wardens and fish wardens are more restricted in what they can and cannot enforce. Pennsylvania is also weird in that they have separate agencies for fish and game. They have the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the Pennsylvania Game Commission. In the past there has been a push to merge them, but as of yet, it hasn't happened. So there are actually specific game wardens and specific fish wardens. They will work together during each other's busy seasons though. For the most part though, they are separate entities.
Pennsylvania has two major trespass laws relating to pond/land owners. They are covered in section 18 Pa.C.S. § 3503: Criminal trespass.
The major ones are:
Subsection (b.2) Agricultural trespasser. (1) A person commits an offense if knowing that he is not licensed or privileged to do so he: (i) enters or remains on any agricultural or other open lands when such lands are posted in a manner prescribed by law or reasonably likely to come to the person's attention or are fenced or enclosed in a manner manifestly designed to exclude trespassers or to confine domestic animals; or (ii) enters or remains on any agricultural or other open lands and defies an order not to enter or to leave that has been personally communicated to him by the owner of the lands or other authorized person. (2) An offense under this subsection shall be graded as follows: (i) An offense under paragraph (1)(i) constitutes a misdemeanor of the third degree and is punishable by imprisonment for a term of not more than one year and a fine of not less than $250. (ii) An offense under paragraph (1)(ii) constitutes a misdemeanor of the second degree and is punishable by imprisonment for a term of not more than two years and a fine of not less than $500 nor more than $5,000. (3) For the purposes of this subsection, the phrase "agricultural or other open lands" shall mean any land on which agricultural activity or farming as defined in section 3309 (relating to agricultural vandalism) is conducted or any land populated by forest trees of any size and capable of producing timber or other wood products or any other land in an agricultural security area as defined in the act of June 30, 1981 (P.L. 128, No. 43), [FN1] known as the Agricultural Area Security Law, or any area zoned for agricultural use. Defiant trespass is committed when an individual enters a property in defiance of some communication that states he is not allowed to do so. Such communication may be a "Do not enter" sign or a barrier clearly designed to exclude intruders such as a fence.
The other is Defiant trespass Subsection (b). It is a third-degree misdemeanor.
As I said, PA's trespass laws are a joke... Try calling the State Police in a rural area and get them to one respond and two, charge someone with trespassing, even when you have them dead to rights on well posted ground. My cousin is a state trooper in rural PA. They can barely keep up with serious calls for service let alone dealing with land owners throwing a hissy over someone fishing in their pond.
