Gated roads in Sproul State Forest opened for deer season
RENOVO — The Sproul State Forest will open some seasonally gated roads to provide additional motorized vehicle access to portions of the Sproul State Forest. With these additions, there are over 500 miles of roads on the Sproul State Forest open for vehicular access by deer hunters.
Each Fall roads that are normally gated are opened, offering hunters greater preseason scouting and hunting opportunities. Opening some of the roads that are typically closed, through the remainder of the year also points to areas that have an abundance of deer.
These roads will remain open depending on weather conditions. Rainy weather or ice and snow could force these roads to close for safety or for environmental concerns. Any open road is subject to closure at any time if the road’s driving surface becomes rutted or resource damage occurs or has the potential to occur from intensive use or changing weather conditions.
These gated open roads are not maintained, so hunters travel at their own risk. The roads will be posted open with signs. All other gated access roads are closed to vehicular traffic. These roads are all open to foot travel by human powered bicycles, or horse travel. Non-motorized use is always permitted on closed roads.
ATV use is not permitted anywhere within the Sproul State Forest or on any forest roads during the hunting season except for disabled hunters who are in special use areas designated by the District Forester. Roads traditionally open on a year-round basis will remain open for the hunting season.
The following gated roads on Sproul State Forest will be opened for all hunting seasons and will be locked open from Saturday, Oct. 5, until Saturday, Jan. 20, 2020 as follows:
Six-Mile road complex — west of Dry Run Road; Huling Branch Road — from Two-Mile Road to Whiskey Springs Road; Whiskey Springs Road — from Kettle Creek to Huling Branch Road; Middle Branch Road — to Boyer Road; Boyer Road — from Two-Mile to Huling Branch; Shintown Run Road; Bloody Skillet ATV Trail road complex; Pipeline Drive — Texas Eastern Pipeline off Jews Run Road from Splashdam Hollow to State Forest land boundary; Mudlick Trail — to second gate off Pfoutz Valley Road; Ligenza Lane — off Fisher Road; Bull Run Administrative Road — off Fork Hill Road; Tin Shanty — Old Woods Road south of Grugan Hollow Road, 4.2 miles west of the intersection Grugan Hollow Road and PA Route 120; Cardomone Trail Administrative Road — off Romola Road South of Orviston; Administrative Road off Eagleton Road — at power line crossing into Holland Run; Benjamin Ridge Administrative Road — off Pete’s Run Road; Administrative Road off Rt. 144 — at Exco Pad 8 Entrance; Logway Run — Kato-Oriviston Road; Big “D” Timber Sale Road System — Located off Red Buck Road; Kettle Road West — Gas administrative road off Pete’s Run Road; Metzger Trail — Off Coon Run Road; Harry’s Trail — Off Yost Ridge Road; Tornado Trail — Off Fisher Fire Road; Eagleton Trail Administrative Road — off Eagleton Road at private boundary (Gobblers Roost); Little Texas Lane Administrative Road — of Eagleton Road on west side between Dishpan and Smokehouse Hollow; Seal the Deal Administrative Road — off the DeHaas Road. First road on the right below the Owl Hollow Compressor Station heading toward Orviston to the Texas Eastern Pipeline; Black Panther Administrative Road — off Fork Hill Road; Confer’s Camp Trail Administrative Road — into Panther, off State Line Road; Between the Pads Trail Administrative Road — off Shoemaker Ridge Road; Dutlinger Trail Administrative Road — off Shoemaker Ridge Road; Boggs Ridge Road.
The following gated roads on Sproul State Forest will be locked open for the rifle deer season from Saturday, Nov. 30, until Saturday, Dec. 14: Cole Run Road — Timber Sale Haul Road to power line; Susan’s Prayer — off Fields Ridge Road; Sunday Pancakes Timber Sale — Kato Round Top Road.
The following gated roads on Sproul State Forest will be locked open from Saturday, Oct. 19, until Saturday, Dec. 14: Buckhorn Trail Administrative Road — off Eagleton Road on east side between Boiler Run and Buckhorn Hollow; Administrative Road off Cold Fork Trail — .36 miles off Eagleton Road.
The following gated roads will be open from Monday, Oct. 28, until Saturday, Dec. 14: Clendenin Administrative Road — off Pete’s Run Road; Crabapple Administrative Road — off Grugan Road.