Jan 19, 2013 3 min read

The Pennsylvania Game Commission’s board of commissioners will meet Jan. 27 through Jan. 29 in Harrisburg with a number of issues affecting local hunters on the agenda.

In addition to setting the proposed seasons and bag limits for the 2013-14 hunting year, the board will also act on three issues involving local state game lands.

Williams Ohio Valley Midstream, LLC is offering 167 acres located near State Game Lands 302 in West Finley Township in lieu of habitat and surface damages for a right-of-way license that will allow the company to construct a 12-inch gas pipeline across State Game Lands 235 in West Finley Twp.

The right of way will be 75-feet wide with an additional 25-foot in width for an additional construction area.

The commission has also received two bids on its oil and gas rights for State Game Lands 232 in Donegal and Independence townships. The bid included a bonus/rental payment of $2,500 per acre for the 1,200-acre tract with a minimum royalty rate set at 18 percent.

The bonus payment of just over $3 million is to be deposited into the Game Fund or an interest bearing escrow account for the future purchase of wildlife habitats, lands or other uses incidental to hunting, furtating and wildlife resource management.

The commission received two bids for the project with Chesapeake Appalachia LLC offering 23.25 percent royalties and Range Resources offering 20 percent.

Finally, Chevron Appalachia, LLC has requested to amend an existing oil and gas lease on State Game Lands 223 in Dunkard Township, Greene County. The current contract lists 2,031 acres. Chevron proposes to amend the lease by adding an additional 33.983 acres to the agreement.

The commission owns the surface and 50 percent of the underlying oil and gas rights. Chevron has leased the privately owned oil and gas rights and agreed to non-surface use on this portion of the game land.

The terms and conditions would be an amendment to the existing agreement, which was reached in 2008. But it would add a bonus payment increase of $125 per acre to $1,500 for the amended land.

• Frazier-Simplex took control of its own destiny in the Pittsburgh and Suburban Rifle League last week with a big win over Dormont-Mt. Lebanon, edging the defending champions, 1,485-1,483.

Frazier-Simplex (8-0) was led by a pair of its former junior shooters who were home on holiday from the University of Akron, where they are members of the school’s rifle team, John Hupp and Ryan Stein. Hupp fired a perfect 300, while Stein shot a 297. Cyril Walther, John Husk and Syliva Dreistadt all shot 296 for the winners.

Amy Smith led Dormont-Mt. Lebanon (7-2) with a 298, while Nicholle Benedict and Matt Piatt shot 297, Dean Trew 296 and Tom Gerner 295.

• The scholastic rifle season is nearing an end and three local teams have separated themselves from the pack in terms of securing postseason spots.

In Section 1, McGuffey has secured a playoff spot with its perfect 8-0 record in section matches, while Avella (5-2) holds a two-match lead on third-place Washington (3-4). The Eagles beat the Prexies, 795-58X-784-41X earlier this week.

In Section 2, Trinity dropped a tough match against Bethel Park on Tuesday, 800-63X-796-63X, but rebounded to earn a big victory over Mt. Lebanon, 800-65X-798-53X on Thursday.

That victory put the Hillers at 6-2 in section action, two matches ahead of the Blue Devils, who had a tough week, dropping matches to both first place Woodland Hills (8-0) and Trinity.

In Section 3, Hempfield leads with a 6-1 record, while Butler is second at 5-2.

Outdoors editor F. Dale Lolley can be reached at dlolley@observer-reporter.com.