by Jim Foster, Secretary, KTA Board of Directors
For several months, the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC) has been considering whether or not to impose fees on non-hunters who use State Game Lands (SGLs). The PGC's initial proposal may have required all non-hunter users of SGLs to pay a yearly fee, including hikers. After learning of this proposal, KTA publicized it, received views from its membership and met with senior staff of the Commission. The PGC proposal was later clarified to eliminate the fee on persons who use Game Lands on foot, such as hikers and bird watchers. Those who use SGLs in other ways, including on horseback, snowmobiles or all terrain vehicles, would still need to pay a fee and obtain a permit. The Commission's rational for this distinction seems to be that these forms of activity cause damage to SGLs.
While KTA does not support any plan to impose fees on non-hunters who use Game Lands, we are pleased that the latest proposal would exempt hikers. Many of the Keystone State's best hiking trails travel through State Game lands, in whole or in part. Hiking does not damage Game Lands, and many maintaining organizations like KTA actually improve SGLs through our trail maintenance.
At its recent meeting on September 23, the Commission postponed action on its latest proposal. The PGC asked its staff to take another look at the plan and come up with new recommendations for the commissioners' December 11 working group meeting.
Despite KTA's excellent results to date, it is important for hikers and trail maintainers to continue to make their views known to the PGC. We urge KTA members and member clubs to send comments to pgccomments@pa.gov KTA will be submitting additional comments; if you would like to share your thoughts with KTA, email them to ktaadmin@verizon.net.