If you are one of many sportsmen and gals seeking a place to hunt, consider state game lands or lands that are part of the formerly named Farm-Game Co-Op, that are now called the Hunter Access Program (HAP).

Created in 1936 as an experimental cooperative farm-game and public hunting grounds program, it was launched, says the Pennsylvania Game Commission, to provide methods to which game conditions in farming regions and forested areas could be improved. It also was expected to lead to more open hunting territory near large population centers, better protection to landowners from law breakers and provide an incentive to landowners to cooperate with PGC and conservation organizations to increase the annual small game crop and improve habitat for all wildlife. In turn, the PGC gave the landowners pine tree seedlings to plant on their property as well as cover seedlings that would be beneficial to wildlife. For landowners with 50 acres of good cover, they would be given preference in receiving stockings of pheasants. In addition, the PGC would patrol and enforce game laws on those properties and provide signs indicating that land was open to hunting.

A few years back the PGC attempted to design and make available maps of the farm-game cooperators on their website. In interviewing the PGC’s public information officer back then, he said the project was in a test stage and had to be updated yearly if not more often. Reason being, every year some landowners would drop out of the program and not allow hunting on their property. Of those, some bad hunters created problems be it shooting closer than 150 yards from their property, buildings or livestock, and would leave trash that maddened the owners who called the wildlife conservation officer and asked to be removed from the program. As such, maintaining an updated map would be cumbersome if not impracticable.

Then there was a local incident where one long-time farm-game cooperator in Lowhill Township used the free pheasant stocking to hunt himself and relatives, and when other sportsmen asked to hunt there they would be told there are all ready too many hunters on the property making for unsafe conditions.

That aside, the PGC offers state game land maps showing parking areas, area roads even GPS longitude and latitude numbers to find those places. They’re accessed on the PGCs website under “Hunter Access Program.” By zooming in on the area you’d like to hunt, you’ll also see if there are any restrictions there and by putting your cursor on the dot, the GPS coordinates will be displayed in the lower left corner.

Sure, you’re going to have company on game lands. But at least it’s a place to hunt and you may be surprised at what you find.

The PGC also cautions everyone that with the rut kicking in, a period when bucks are chasing does making them more active during day and night hours, there will be more deer running out and across local roadways. It’s estimated that more than one million deer vehicle collisions (DVC) occur annually in the United States and Pennsylvania is one of the highest for DVCs in the nation. These cause nearly $2 billion in property damage nationwide. And if you carry a $200 or $100 deductible on your auto collision insurance, it’s money that can used for something else.

Be alert and take special heed when spotting deer crossing signs. There’s a reason they’re there as it’s a high deer traffic crossing area. Slow down and scan the roadsides.

Insofar as the rut is concerned, Bob Danenhower of Bob’s Taxidermy in Orefield says, the rut is on as bowhunters are seeing lots of chasing. And he’s selling loads of his Yurine-Luck deer scent to help the cause. He believes this chasing period is better than the actual breeding period in that more deer and a variety of bucks can be seen. In comparison, the breeding period has bucks sticking to a doe in heat instead of running around looking for one. “You see more bucks during the chasing period and more quality bucks,” Danenhower opines.