The Pennsylvania Game Commission has announced it will again be offering a series of tours on state game lands around the state on selected Sundays this fall.

All tours are self-guided and free. They will be held regardless of the weather. Only vehicles licensed for travel on public roads are permitted on the tours; ATVs and UTVs are not permitted.

Although the gravel and dirt roads on the routes are good for the most part, vehicles with four-wheel-drive or high ground clearance are recommended to avoid any problems.

Three tours are scheduled for state game lands in our region. The first of those will be on Sunday, Sept. 21, with a 7.5-mile tour of State Game Lands 108 in Cambria County from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This is a one-way tour that begins at an access road, which will be marked with a sign, three-tenths of a mile north of Frugality along state Route 53 in White Township and will end on state Route 865 near Blandburg in Reade Township. State Game Lands 108 is a huge tract of 23,806 acres that features some beautiful mountainous terrain with a rehabilitated strip-mined area that has been converted to small-game habitat.

The Game Commission releases pheasants into this habitat during the fall. Several habitat and access improvement projects will be featured along the route.

Oct. 13 will present a tour of the 12,000-acre State Game Lands 26 in Bedford County near Blue Knob from noon-3 p.m. This 7-mile tour begins off Route 869 near the Bedford/Cambria County line and will feature habitat improvements in partnership with the National Wild Turkey Federation and other cooperators. Also showcased on this tour will be the efforts of the Game Commission’s forestry staff for timber production through timber sales and timber stand improvements.

On Oct. 19, there will be a 7-mile tour of the 5,700-acre State Game Lands 67 in Huntingdon County from noon-3 p.m.

This tour begins in Saxton on Burma Road off Little Valley Road and ends on Route 913 between Coalmont and Dudley. The tour will feature historical sites, habitat improvements, controlled burns and quality forest management areas.

The tours of State Game Lands 26 and State Game Lands 67 will also include an audio component through the STQRY app. You will need to go to your phone’s app store and download the STQRY Guide app ahead of time. Once you install this free app, download the “Pennsylvania Game Commission SGL 26” or “Pennsylvania Game Commission SGL 67” tour prior to arriving for the tour.

State law mandates that the Game Commission use $4.25 from each resident and nonresident adult general hunting license and $2 from each antlerless deer license sold each year specifically for habitat improvement.

That money helps to fund many worthwhile projects on state game lands throughout Pennsylvania. These annual state game lands tours provide an opportunity to showcase some habitat improvements and other special projects being conducted on the interior of many state game lands.

Another popular outdoor tourism event in early fall is heading to the north-central region for a chance to view our elk herd.

The peak of the mating season for the Pennsylvania elk herd, commonly called the “rut”, occurs from mid-September through early October. Mature bulls will weigh from 700 to nearly

1,000 pounds. Many of them will have a grand set of antlers that they use to impress potential mates or as weapons to fight off rival males.

Those sparring matches are compelling to watch. Bull elk also “bugle” frequently during the mating season. That sound is an eerie high-pitched, nasal squeal that bulls use to attract potential mates and establish dominance over rival males. All these factors draw wildlife watchers to the elk range to observe the spectacle of the elk rut firsthand.

First-time visitors to the elk range might want to consider a tour of State Game Lands 311 in Elk County from 9 a.m.-noon on Sept. 28. This 3.5-mile tour will start at the Winslow Hill Viewing Area in Benezette, then enter the game lands at the bottom of Dewey Road, continuing to Porcupine Road. Game Commission staff will be posted along the tour route.

Various elk habitat management projects will be featured on the tour including the planting and maintenance of forage plots and the use of prescribed burns, and early successional and aspen forest management.

Another worthwhile stop while in the area is the Elk Country Visitor Center located at 950 Winslow Hill Road in Benezette.

This facility is the centerpiece for visitors to the region. During September and October, the center is open seven days a week from 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Their website (elkcountryvisitorcenter.com) is a great source for information on elk watching in the region. The Pennsylvania Game Commission website — PGC.pa.gov — also offers a wealth of information about elk in Pennsylvania.