Whether you hike miles along a mountain ridge for a get-away-from-it-all hunt, or you have disabilities that limit how far away or where you can pursue whitetails or other game, the Game Commission wants to hear from you.

The Game Commission is hosting a series of six comment sessions – one in each of the Game Commission’s six geographical regions – to collect input from hunters and trappers about access to state game lands.

The comment sessions will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. on:

-- Southcentral Region: September 6, Game Commission Southcentral Region Office, 8627 William Penn Highway, Huntingdon, Huntingdon County;

-- Northcentral Region: September 8,  Game Commission Northcentral Region Office, 1566 South Route 44 Highway, Jersey Shore, Lycoming County;

-- Northwest Region: September 12,  Game Commission Northwest Region Office, 1509 Pittsburgh Road, Franklin, Venango County;

-- Southwest Region: September 20, Game Commission Southwest Region Office, 4820 Route 711, Bolivar, Westmoreland County;

-- Northeast Region: September 22, Game Commission Northeast Region Office, 3917 Memorial Highway, Dallas, Luzerne County; and

-- Southeast Region: September 27, Game Commission Southeast Region Office, 253 Snyder Road, Reading, Berks County.

Peter F. Sussenbach, the director of the Game Commission’s Bureau of Wildlife Habitat Management, said the sessions provide hunters and trappers with a forum to share their opinions on improving access into the interiors of game lands, including for those with physical limitations that affect their mobility.

Game Commission staff will be on hand to accept written comments from hunters and trappers, answer questions about existing vehicular access on game lands, and provide an update on the Game Commission’s self-assessment of existing infrastructure, including roads and trails.

All comments are welcome, whether they be general in nature or focus on hunters or trappers with mobility issues.

In addition to the sessions, comments about game-lands access also are being accepted by email sent to: SGLAccess@pa.gov through October 15.

Sussenbach said the comments will measure hunters’ and trappers’ opinions on access and help guide the Game Commission on where access might be improved.

“We appreciate the opportunity to better serve the hunting and trapping community, and we value everyone’s comments on this matter,” Sussenbach said. “Please join us at one of our sessions, or take the time to share your comments by email. Your input will help us to make our system of state game lands the best it can be.”

The Game Commission owns and manages nearly 1.5 million acres of state game lands throughout the Commonwealth.

The primary purpose of these lands is the management of habitat for wildlife and provide opportunities for lawful hunting and trapping. Secondary recreational uses are permitted in accordance with the Game Commission’s regulations.

For more information, visit the Game Commission’s State Game Lands webpage.  Click Here to watch a Game Commission video on the history of state game lands.

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9/5/2016