GAME COMMISSION TO HOST TOURS

Game farm tours set for Sept. 28, game lands driving tours to follow.

Those looking to gain perspective into Pennsylvania’s wildlife, habitat and hunting heritage will have several opportunities in the coming weeks to take one or more tours being offered by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

The Game Commission on Sunday, Sept. 28 is scheduled to host guided tours of its four game farms – two in Lycoming County and one each in Armstrong and Crawford counties.

And Sunday driving tours on several tracts of state game lands across the Commonwealth are planned for Oct. 5, Oct. 12 and Oct. 19.

The Sept. 28 game farm tours all will begin at noon and conclude by 3 p.m., and will be held rain or shine.

Those taking a tour will get a comprehensive look at the Game Commission’s pheasant propagation program, which again this year aims to raise about 200,000 birds to provide hunting opportunities statewide. Tour stops include hatcheries, brooder houses and the rearing, “grow out” and over-wintering pens. The tours also will inform on the objectives in propagation management, including the importance of sportsmen’s clubs and members of the public raising day-old hen chicks hatched at the farms, ultimately to provide hunting opportunities.

GAME FARM TOURS

All to be held on Sunday, Sept. 28, from noon to 3 p.m. Directions to the game farms are as follows:

·        Loyalsock Game Farm: Lycoming County, 136 Game Farm Rd., Montoursville, PA 17754. The game farm is five miles north of Montoursville on Route 87.  The game farm is 1.5 miles east of Warrensville on Route 973. Tour starts at the hatchery.

·        Northcentral Game Farm: Lycoming County, 1609 Proctor Rd., Williamsport, PA  17701. The game farm is 18 miles north of Montoursville off of Route 87. Tour starts at thehatchery of the Proctor (northern) farm.

·        Western Game Farm: Crawford County, 25761 Highway 408, Cambridge Springs, PA 16403. The game farm is 3.5 miles east of Cambridge Springs on Route 408. Tour starts at the office/hatchery.

·        Southwest Game Farm: Armstrong County, 217 Pheasant Farm Rd., New Bethlehem, PA 16242.  The game farm is two miles south of New Bethlehem off Routes 66/28. Tour starts at the office/hatchery.