Hunters will gain access to 2,000 acres of new public land, including about 200 in Pocono Township, when 11 land acquisitions are finalized by the Pennsylvania Game Commission this year.
The agency’s board of commissioners on Jan. 25 approved purchases and donation of land in about a dozen counties ranging from Erie in northwestern Pennsylvania to Monroe and Bucks counties in the eastern part of the state.
Here’s a look at what properties are in the process of being transferred to the Game Commission:
Donated property
The agency approved two land donations, including one that makes a new state game land. The Nature Conservancy is donating about 62 acres of land in Elk Township, Chester County, to create Game Lands 340. The PGC reports this property lies within the Serpentine Barrens rock formation which contains some of the last major remnants of serpentine grassland in eastern North America. Access is from Barren Road.
The second donation is from George Richards Hill Jr. who is donating all his 1/18 interest in and to 115 acres of subsurface oil, gas and mineral real estate located in and under State Game Land No. 12 in Bradford and Sullivan counties.
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Land purchases
- Maryann Benson-Dauer is selling about 33 acres of land in Summit Township, Erie County, adjacent to State Game Land No. 109 for $150,000. The agency reports this property contains critical and unique wetland and stream habitat within the Trout Run Watershed. The watershed is home to several species of greatest conservation need, such as Bobolink and Virginia Rail. Access is from Route 97, Perry Highway.
- Western Pennsylvania Conservancy, Inc. (WPC) offered 195 acres of land in Coolspring Township, Mercer County, adjoining State Game Land No. 294. WPC has agreed to a new option price of $320,000 lump sum with the Game Fund obligation limited to $80,000. The remaining $240,000 will be funded through a Section 6 Non-Traditional Grant from the United States Fish and Wildlife Services awarded to the commission. The PGC reports this property contains critical and unique wetland habitat and contains a federally threatened species. Acquiring this property will expand the existing game lands and work towards connecting two separate tracts of State Game Land No. 294. Access is from East Cornell Road and Tait Road.
- Elvin F. Martin and Miriam Z. Martin are selling 93.2 acres of land in Plunketts Creek Township, Lycoming County, adjacent to State Game Land No. 134 for $400,000. This PGC reports this property will provide access to the existing State game lands. Access is from Hoppestown Road.
- The Conservation Fund is selling 985 acres of land in Huston Township, Clearfield County, adjacent to State Game Land No. 331. The option price is $1,750 per acre ($1,723,750.) The commission believes this property provides important habitat for elk populations in the area. Access is from Bark Camp Road, Hickory Road and Mountain Run Road.
- Natural Lands Trust, Inc. (NLT) is selling 9.4 acres of land in Haycock Township, Bucks County, adjacent to State Game Land No. 157 for $400 per acre. NLT acquisition of the property is contingent upon them receiving funding through partnership grants provided by the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR) and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service through the Highlands Conservation Act (HCA). Covenants, conditions and restrictions associated with these funding sources will be required to accept the property. Access is through existing State Game Land No. 157.
- The board approved Natural Lands Trust, Inc.’s (NLT) offer of 6.6 acres of land in Nockamixon Township, Bucks County, an indenture to State Game Land 56. The total price is $66,000 with the PGC’s share being $23,000. NLT was subsequently awarded a grant through the United States Fish and Wildlife Service Highlands Conservation Act (HCA) to be used as additional funding for the acquisition.
- Pheasants Forever, Inc. is offering 119 acres of land in Tremont Township, Schuylkill County, adjacent to State Game Land No. 229 for $536,000. The offer is contingent upon Pheasants Forever, Inc. successfully closing on the acquisition of the property. This property contains grassland habitat suitable for pheasant stocking. This property meets a strategic priority of being near a populated area of the state. The agency reports approximately 791,000 people live within 30 miles of the property. Access is from Molleystown Road.
- Anthony J. Matelock is offering 1.68 acres of land in Rockdale Township, Crawford County, adjacent to State Game Land No. 85 for $5,000. This property improves manageability and integrity. Access is from State Highway 408.
- Iroquois Ridge Partners LLP is offering 199.3 acres of land in Pocono Township, Monroe County, adjacent to State Game Land No. 38 for $750,000. The PGC reports the property will provide critical access to State Game Land No. 38. Access is from Sullivan Trail.
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Right-of-way exchange
Creek Valley Farms (Creek Valley) and Richard K. and Tammy C.B. Carbaugh (Carbaughs) are offering a 30-foot wide access road right-of-way (ROW) encompassing a total of 2.05 acres of their properties in Licking Creek Township, Fulton County adjacent to State Game Land No. 53 in exchange for a total of $3,700 and road improvements to be made by the commission. Creek Valley is also offering a total of 0.73 of an acre of temporary workspace beyond the ROW to accommodate the commission’s contractor during the improvement project. Stephen T. and Darlene I. DeShong (DeShongs) are also party to the agreement and will acquire 0.11 of an acre of ROW from the commission along with the Carbaughs. The commission’s access to the existing road to the Creek Valley, Carbaugh, Commission and DeShong properties in this area is not covered by any deed or written agreement. The commission recently lost this access. The ROW will re-connect this portion of State Game Land No. 53 to Creek Road (T-388) for state game land users.
Notational votes
On Sept. 20, the PGC’s Board of Commissioners approved Allegheny Land Trust’s (ALT) offer of 280.14 acres of land in Indiana Township, Allegheny County, near State Game Land No. 203 for $2,295,000. This property meets a PGC strategic priority of being near a large city. It runs along Deer Creek, a stocked trout tributary of the Allegheny River and contains several species of greatest conservation need. It will preserve and provide a buffer for the Rachel Carson Trail. Access is along Cove Run Road.
On July 12, the PGC’s board approved The Nature Conservancy’s (TNC) offer of 1,153 acres of land in Northampton Township, Somerset County, near State Game Land No. 82. The commission has committed to providing up to $2,422,500 toward the acquisition and has applied to the United States Fish and Wildlife Services (USFWS) for the use of Pittman-Robertson (PR) funds to acquire the property. The PGC reports the property contains critical and unique habitat including the headwaters of Brush Creek, a high-quality cold-water fishery. The property is also within the Allegheny Front Important Bird Area. Access is from Ackerman Road.
Oil and Gas agreement
The agency approved a request from Expand Energy Corporation (Expand), previously Chesapeake Energy Corporation and SWN Production Company, of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, to purchase the oil and gas rights under portions of State Game Land No. 66 for non-surface use development. The proposed tract, containing approximately 933.8 net acres, is located in Colley Township, Sullivan County.
Expand will access the 933.8-net acre reserves from its current and planned drilling operations on adjacent areas off SGL 66 by horizontal drilling with no additional surface use or disturbance to the State game lands. The commission negotiated the proposed terms of the agreement with Expand to prudently develop its oil/gas reserve and simultaneously protect the wildlife resources and recreational use of State Game Land No. 66.
The terms of the agreement are a 5-year paid up non-surface use oil and gas agreement, a $1,500 per net oil and gas acre bonus payment and an 18% royalty for all oil/gas and other liquids or condensates produced and sold from the proposed tract. The bonus payment of approximately $1,400,700 and future rental and royalty payments, will be deposited into the Game Fund.
Brian Whipkey is the outdoors columnist for USA TODAY Network sites in Pennsylvania. Contact him atbwhipkey@gannett.com and sign up for our weekly Go Outdoors PA newsletter email on this website’s homepage under your login name.Follow him on Facebook@whipkeyoutdoors.
