HARRISBURG -- The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners met today at the Game Commission’s Harrisburg headquarters to hear public comments and conduct official business. Below are the highlights from today’s meeting.
Elk Management and Hunting Zones
The board adopted and finalized the updated and reorganized elk management area elk hunt zones with current management data.
Real Estate
The board approved the following land acquisitions:
- 50+/- acres of land in Scott Township, Wayne County, adjacent to State Game Land No. 299. This acquisition will improve boundary line maintenance and provide additional old orchard habitat. Access is through existing State Game Land No. 299.
- A 12.5% interest in 59+/- acres of land in Bell Township, Clearfield County, an interior to State Game Land No. 87. The Commission approved acquiring an 87.5% interest in this tract in January 2026. These new acquisitions would confer 100% ownership of the tract to the Commission.
- 60+/- acres of land in New Milford Township, Susquehanna County, adjacent to State Game Land No. 35. This parcel will provide ideal grouse and woodcock habitat and an additional access point to the game land. Access is from Darrow Road.
- On June 15, 2026, the Board of Commissioners approved, by notational vote, an offer of 0.08+/- acres of land in Sandy Creek Township, Mercer County, adjoining State Game Land No. 270 to the Commission in exchange for 0.08+/- acres of State Game Land No. 270. Land exchanges are authorized under Section 723(1) of the Game and Wildlife Code (34 PA.C.S. §723(1)). The landowner’s house has an attached covered porch that extends beyond boundary and into State Game Land 270. This exchange will resolve the encroachment. The land to be conveyed to the Starchers was purchased with funds from the Project 70 Land Acquisition and Borrowing Act (Act 8 of 1964), and the General Assembly must approve its disposition. The land to be acquired by the Commission will be subject to Project 70 restrictions.
The PGC will announce when these newly acquired lands will be open to the public.
Oil, Gas and Minerals (OGM)
The board approved the following OGM agreements:
- SR1 Captura Sage Holdco I, LLC, a Delaware limited liability, requested a Limited Waiver of Surface Rights Agreement for parcel #45-35-00-0-015, under which the Commission owns mineral rights. The Commission does not own the surface. The intended land use is for solar development on approximately 27 of the 47.3-acre parcel located in Derry Township, Westmoreland County. The terms of the Agreement are a twenty-five (25) year surface use agreement, during which time the Commission agrees not to use the surface (defined as the top 100 ft.) of these 27 acres to access any underlying minerals. In exchange, Captura will pay the Commission $500 per acre for all acres affected. It is worth noting that this is privately owned land and no solar development will occur on State Game Lands.
- Snyder Brothers, Inc. (SBI) of Kittanning, PA requested the Commission offer its oil and gas rights under portions of State Game Land No. 259 for non-surface use development. The proposed tract, containing approximately 206+/- net oil/gas acres, is located in Sugar Creek and West Franklin Townships, Armstrong County. SBI will access the 206-net acre reserves from its current and planned drilling operations on adjacent areas off SGL 259 by horizontal drilling with no additional surface use or disturbance to the Game Lands. The Commission negotiated the proposed terms of the agreement with SBI to prudently develop its oil/gas reserve and simultaneously protect the wildlife resources and recreational use of State Game Land No. 259. The terms of the Agreement include a ten year paid up non-surface use oil and gas agreement, a $2,500 per net oil and gas acre bonus payment for all formation depths and a royalty for all oil, gas, and other liquids or condensates produced and sold from the proposed tract. The deal also includes an amendment to an existing 146-acre lease SBI holds on SGL 259 to restrict any future surface impacts on that parcel, with the exception of continued access to the existing Minteer and Baker Enterprises well on this tract.
- Laurel Mountain Energy, LLC (LME) of Pittsburgh, PA requested two amendments to the Non-Surface Use Oil and Gas Agreement - 095A-25 (dated December 11, 2025) as follows:
- Add 48 +/- acres for drilling and hydrocarbon production from the Marcellus Formation.
- Add 214.39 +/- net acres for drilling and hydrocarbon production from the Burket Formation.
- The original agreement was approved by the Commission at its April 12, 2025 meeting, and contained approximately 646+/- net oil/gas acres located in Washington and Parker Townships, Butler County. The Commission later approved an additional 107+/- acres by notational vote in November 2025. The 753+/- total net acres are approved only for development of the Marcellus Formation. This Amendment would increase the acreage within the Marcellus Formation to 801 total net acres and provides access to the Burket Formation on a subset of 214.39 acres. The terms of this Amendment will include a $1,250 per net oil and gas acre bonus on the additional 48+/- acres within the Marcellus formation and a $250 per net oil and gas acre bonus on the 214.39 acres within the Burket formation.
- JKLM Energy, LLC (JKLM) of Sewickley, PA requested an amendment to their Non-Surface Use Oil and Gas Agreement – 037A-24, dated August 6, 2024, to change the method of their bonus payment to the Commission. The original agreement, approved by the Commission at its July 12, 2024 meeting, called for JKLM to pay a $10,367,940 bonus in three installments, with 34% due the first year and 33% due in years two and three. The payments for year one and year two were received by the Commission. In lieu of JKLM paying the final $3,424,390.20 cash payment in year three of the agreement, they will cause to convey several parcels of land to the Commission totaling 1,459+/- acres as follows: 295+/- acres in Union Township, Erie County; 954+/- acres in Keating Township, McKean County; and, 210+/- acres in Clara Township, Potter County. Under Section 723(2) of the Game and Wildlife Code, the Commission is authorized to exchange oil and gas rights for suitable lands having an equal or greater value (34 Pa.C.S. §723(2)). As the value of the land being offered by JKLM is not equal to the final installment, they will pay an additional $250,000 to the Commission.
More details on these adoptions, acquisitions and agreements can be found on the meeting agenda on the PGC website.
A replay of the meeting can also be viewed on the PGC’s YouTube channel.