Rains close Pa. game land roads

In this Nov. 23, 2015, photo, a pair of bear hunters walk up the road towards the sign marking a game commission’s deer hunter focus area at Pennsylvania state game lands 74 in Fisher, Pa. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

(York) — The effects of the continued wet weather have reached midstate hunters.

Because of recent flooding and the potential for more rain coming from Hurricane Florence, some state game land road openings in southcentral Pennsylvania may be delayed.

“Some of the gravel aggregate roads will sustain prolonged periods or rains, but the culverts can get plugged and the roads can get washed away,” said Bert Einodshofer of the Game Commission’s southcentral region. “Then there’s the vegetative roads that have a top layer of top soil to benefit wildlife during non-hunting seasons. Those roads get heavily impacted by weather like this.”

Seasonal roads are traditionally opened for vehicular access two weeks before the start of the archery season, which begins on Saturday, Sept. 29. The roads allow hunters access to remote parts of the woods that aren’t traditionally accessible through private properties or main roadways.

Hunters use these roads at this time to install portable treestands so they don’t disrupt their favorite hunting spot too close to the start of the season.   

“We want hunters to know that if they show up to their hunting camp this weekend and a road that is traditionally open is closed, it’s because of a good reason,” Einodshofer said.

Habitat crews have been assessing and making repairs to damaged roads across the region.  Seasonal roads affected by the weather will open as repairs and conditions permit.

But a firm timetable as to when the roads could be reopened can’t be determined because of another round of possible heavy rain in the forecast.

“We’re making every effort to have these gates open by archery season,” Einodshofer said. “But if we get inclement weather, we have to keep them closed because it’s just too dangerous for driving conditions.”

Einodshofer says this summer’s wet weather has put a damper on a number of operations the game commission hoped to have underway by now.

“We’ve had to delay a lot of our habitat programs because we can’t even get our own equipment into some of these places without damaging the road and causing significant repairs. This has impacted us all the way around.”

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