What Records Must Pennsylvania Taxidermists Keep for Deer?

By MountChief Editorial Team|Updated Mar 2026

The short answer: Pennsylvania requires licensed taxidermists to maintain a record book documenting each deer specimen received, including the customer's name, address, license number, antlerless or antlered tag number, sex, and date received. Records must be available for inspection by a Pennsylvania Game Commission officer.

TL;DR

Pennsylvania Game Commission requires taxidermists to hold a Taxidermist Permit and maintain records for all wildlife received.
Pennsylvania deer records must include license number, harvest date, and county of harvest.
CWD is documented in multiple Pennsylvania counties and harvest county documentation is critical.
Pennsylvania has one of the highest deer hunter participation rates in the country.
Records must be available for PGC inspection and retained for the required minimum period.

Pennsylvania's Commercial Taxidermist Licensing

Commercial taxidermists in Pennsylvania are regulated by the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) under Title 34 (Game) of Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes.

License requirement: A commercial taxidermist license is required for any person who performs taxidermy for compensation. Hobbyist work on your own legally harvested animals may be exempt, but the moment you accept payment or deposits for another person's specimen, you need the commercial license.

License type: Pennsylvania issues a Taxidermist License under its commercial wildlife handler framework.

Application through: Pennsylvania Game Commission.

What Records Pennsylvania Requires for Each Deer

For every deer received, your records must include:

Customer's full name and home address
Customer's hunting license number and state of issue
Type of tag, antlered tag or antlerless tag (doe tag)
Tag/license back number, Pennsylvania hunters attach the license back or specific tag to the animal. Document this number.
County of kill, harvest location documentation
Date received
Sex of the animal (buck or doe)
Description of the specimen (cape, full body, European, etc.)

Pennsylvania uses a specific license-back tag system where hunters use a specific portion of their hunting license as their deer tag. Familiarize yourself with what a valid Pennsylvania deer harvest record looks like.

Pennsylvania CWD Regulations

Pennsylvania has CWD-positive areas, primarily in south-central counties. The PGC maintains CWD management zones with transport restrictions.

For deer harvested in Pennsylvania CWC management zones:

Document the county of harvest
Note whether the deer came from a CWD management zone
Confirm the customer handled the specimen in compliance with PGC carcass transport rules

Pennsylvania's CWD regulations restrict transport of certain carcass parts from CWD zones. A licensed taxidermist within the CWD zone may receive whole heads for mounting, transport rules apply when moving capes or specimens across zone boundaries.

Check the Pennsylvania Game Commission website annually for current CWD zone boundaries before deer season.

Record Retention in Pennsylvania

Keep all records for a minimum of three years from the date of transaction. Best practice for a complete documentation program: five years.

The PGC recommends that records be kept in a format that can be produced for inspection during normal business hours. Digital records that meet all content requirements are generally acceptable.

What an Inspection Looks Like in Pennsylvania

PGC wildlife conservation officers (WCOs) conduct compliance inspections of licensed commercial taxidermists. These inspections can occur during business hours without advance notice.

Have ready:

Your current Pennsylvania taxidermist license (displayed as required)
A current possession log of all specimens in your shop
Individual records for any specimen an officer requests

MountChief's possession log report shows every active job with species, customer, intake date, and current stage, exactly what an officer needs to verify you're maintaining a proper record.

FAQ

Does Pennsylvania require the physical kill tag to stay with the specimen while at my shop?

Pennsylvania typically requires the original harvest tag to remain with the specimen through the mounting process. Do not remove and discard the tag until the mount is complete and documentation is fully recorded. Photograph the tag at intake and keep the photo in the job record.

How does Pennsylvania handle deer brought in from another state?

Out-of-state deer must be documented with the other state's hunting license and harvest documentation. Pennsylvania taxidermists should verify that the source state's transport requirements were met for any specimen entering Pennsylvania, particularly for CWD concerns.

I do a mix of deer and turkey work. Do I keep separate records for each species?

Pennsylvania requires documentation for all regulated species, but you don't need separate record systems. A comprehensive taxidermy job record that includes species, harvest documentation, and all required fields works for all species. MountChief handles all species in a single unified system with species-appropriate fields.

What CWD zones in Pennsylvania require special documentation?

Pennsylvania's CWD management area includes numerous counties, primarily in the south-central and southeastern portions of the state. Deer harvested within or transported from the CWD management area may be subject to transport restrictions and require additional documentation. Check the Pennsylvania Game Commission's current CWD zone maps before each season.

How do I handle the high intake volume during Pennsylvania's firearms season?

Pennsylvania's two-week November firearms season generates more deer intakes in a short window than almost any other state. Having digital intake systems operational, QR tags pre-printed, and a clear intake process documented for any helpers before opening day is essential. AI-assisted intake that takes 3 minutes per job instead of 15-20 makes a significant difference when you're processing dozens of deer in a day.

Does Pennsylvania require taxidermists to submit records to the Game Commission?

Pennsylvania taxidermists are required to maintain records available for PGC inspection rather than proactively submit them in most cases. However, requirements can change, so verify current obligations with the PGC before each season.

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Sources

Pennsylvania Game Commission
National Taxidermists Association (NTA)
Chronic Wasting Disease Alliance
US Fish & Wildlife Service

Get Started with MountChief

Pennsylvania deer season brings some of the highest intake volumes in the country alongside strict PGC documentation requirements. MountChief makes every intake fast, complete, and organized for inspection throughout the season. Try MountChief before Pennsylvania's November opener.