Pennsylvania Game News - April 2012 - 39

Fall turkey to be added to MYHP line-up As	proposed,	the	2012	fall	turkey	 season	 has	 been	 added	 to	 those	 in	 which	 youngsters	 in	 the	 Mentored	 Youth	 Hunting	 Program	 are	 allowed	 to	participate.	To	do	so,	adult	mentors	 would	be	allowed	to	transfer	their	fall	 turkey	tag	to	a	mentored	youth	if	the	 youth	harvests	a	fall	turkey. The	 fall	 turkey	 season	 dates	 for	 2012:	Oct.	27-Nov.	10	and	Nov.	22-24	 for	WMUs	1A,	1B,	2A,	2C,	2D,	2E,	 4A,	4B	and	4D;	Oct.	27-Nov.	16	and	 Nov.	22-24	for	WMUs	2B,	2F,	2G,	3A,	 3B,	3C,	3D,	4C	and	4E.	 Also,	fall	season	dates	of	Oct.	30Nov.	 1	 were	 set	 for	 WMU	 5A;	 and	 WMUs	 5B,	 5C	 and	 5D	 will	 remain	 closed	for	the	fall	seasons.	 In	 related	 action,	 the	 Board	 gave	 preliminary	 approval	 to	 remove	 the	 sporting	arm	limitations	for	fall	turkey	 hunting	in	WMUs	1A,	1B	and	2A	to	 allow	 turkey	 hunters	 to	 use	 rifles	 in	 these	three	WMUs.	The	use	of	rifles	in	 Allegheny	County,	however,	because	 it	is	a	designated	Special	Regulations	 Area	 county,	 will	 continue	 to	 be	 prohibited. For	 the	 complete	 2012-13	 season	 and	bag	limit	proposals,	visit	the	Game	 Commission	website. Three land acquisitions approved At	 the	 January	 meeting,	 land	 acquisitions	 in	 Berks,	 Franklin	 and	 Luzerne	counties	were	approved. In	Berks	County,	the	Game	Commission	purchased	27	acres	from	Lennia	Kutz	for	$42,120,	paid	in	part	by	 the	National	Wild	Turkey	Federation	 and	 local	 sportsmen’s	 groups.	 It	 will	 become	part	of	SGL	106.	 In	Franklin	County,	60	acres	were	 purchased	 from	 Ricky	 and	 Arlin	 Wadel	 for	 $117,436,	 which	 will	 be	 paid	from	the	Game	Fund.	This	tract	 is	an	indenture	into	SGL	235.
APRIL 2012	

In	 Luzerne	 County,	 406.5	 acres	 were	purchased	from	the	Earth	Conservancy	for	$243,930,	which	will	be	 paid	for	with	third	party	commitments	 for	compensation	of	habitat	and	recreational	losses.	 Under	 the	 agreement,	 the	 Earth	 Conservancy	 has	 opted	 to	 reserve	 all	 coal,	 oil,	 gas	 and	 other	 minerals,	 excluding	 uranium	 or	 any	 other	 radioactive	 minerals.	 However,	 the	 agreement	 stipulates	 that	 the	 Earth	 Conservancy	will	not	enter	into	any	 sale	or	lease	for	removal	of	coal,	oil,	gas	 or	other	minerals	through	the	surface	 without	 the	 written	 consent	 of	 the	 Game	Commission. The	agreement	also	states	that	the	 coal,	oil,	gas	and	other	mineral	rights	 will	revert	to	the	Game	Commission	 after	Jan.	1,	2032,	and	50	percent	of	 any	 future	 revenues	 received	 by	 the	 Game	Commission	from	the	sale	of	the	 coal,	oil,	gas	and	other	minerals	rights	 will	be	paid	to	the	Earth	Conservancy.	 	 Two land exchanges approved In	 Somerset	 County,	 the	 Board	 approved	 an	 exchange	 agreement	 with	 PennDOT	 in	 which	 the	 Game	 Commission	 will	 receive	 112	 acres	 in	 Somerset	 and	 Black	 townships	 adjacent	 to	 and	 part	 of	 SGL	 50.	 In	 exchange,	 PennDOT	 will	 receive	 a	 22-acre	portion	of	SGL	50	needed	to	 avoid	a	forested	wetland	on	the	U.S.	 Route	219	improvement	project. In	another	exchange	with	DCNR	 the	 Game	 Commission	 will	 receive	 291	acres	of	Elk	State	Forest	in	Benezette	Township	that	will	become	part	 of	SGL	311.	In	exchange,	DCNR	will	 receive	291	acres	that	will	become	part	 of	the	Elk	State	Forest.	 The	Game	Commission	and	DCNR	 negotiated	this	exchange	to	enhance	 their	management	objectives	and	the	 public’s	use	of	these	lands.	The	tract	 of	SGL	311	being	conveyed	to	DCNR	
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Pennsylvania Game News - April 2012

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