Apr 12, 2015 3 min read

The Pennsylvania Game Commission Friday approved a pair of gas leases for two area state game lands that will bring in more than $670,000.

The commission reached a lease agreement with Range Resources that will permit the energy company to mine the oil and gas under a 41-acre portion of State Game Lands 117 in Smith Township.

Range already owns leases under the majority of State Game Lands 117 and the surrounding private land. According to the game commission, the company plans to acquire natural gas from under the game lands through horizontal drilling, thus not disturbing the surface of public land.

Under the terms of the five-year agreement, Range will give the commission a $2,500-per acre bonus payment and 19 percent royalites for use of the property, a total of $102,700. That money will be deposited into the game fund or an interest-bearing escrow account for the purchase of wildlife habitats, lands or other uses incidental to hunting.

Vantage Energy also had a lease offer accepted for a 114-acre portion of State Game Lands 223 in Perry Township, Greene County.

As with the Range deal, Vantage will utilize hortizontal drilling to access gas under the game lands. In return, the company agreed to a three-year lease at $5,000 per acre with a bonus payment of 18 percent royalties. The total payment for the Greene County deal is $507,500.

Future royalties on both leases will be paid directly into the game fund.

• As part of the 2015-16 seasons and bag limits that were given final approval earlier this week, the commission also OK’d a measure that will require any antlered deer or turkey harvested by a Mentored Youth hunter younger than 7 years of age to be taken with a valid harvest tag provided by their adult mentor.

Antlered deer and spring turkey harvest tags will be issued only as part of the Mentored Youth Hunting Permit program for youths 7 to 11.

• In another measure, the commission will require tree stands or blinds left on state game lands and other public-access hunting areas to be marked to identify the owner.

Under previous rules, tree stands and portable blinds are permitted for use on commission-managed property, but must be removed no later than two weeks after the close of deer hunting season.

The new rules will require hunters to have a legible idetification tag on their stand or blind that includes the owner’s first and last name and legal address or CID number from their license.

• The annual Pike Run Youth Fishing Festival will be held from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. April 25 at Rotary Park in California. The event, in its 20th year, is a collabertative effort between California University and California Borough.

The event is free to children ages 15 and under. A parent, guardian or other responsible adult must accompany children under 13.

Participants can bring their own gear or borrow equipment from a California University student volunteer as part of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission Borrow-A-Rod-and-Reel program.

Pike Run will be stocked with nearly 600 trout at 2 p.m. April 24 as part of the event.

Registration is from 7 a.m. to noon and prizes will be awarded.

For information, call 724-938-4211.

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