Hunting Opportunities at Raystown Lake for the 2019 and 2020 Season

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers
Published Oct. 10, 2019
Updated: Oct. 10, 2019

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Raystown Lake announces the opening of the following access roads to accommodate various upcoming hunting seasons. 

The following gate is now open and will remain open until December 14, 2019:

  • High Germany Road (Gate 28 - Nancy’s Camp Service Road, off Old Plank Road)

The following gates will be open from October 19 – December 14, 2019:

  • Hawn Road (Gate 1 - end of Hawn’s Bridge Road)
  • Susquehannock Campground Road (Gate 8 - off Bakers Hollow Road)
  • Upper Corners Road (Gate 13 - off Upper Corners Road)
  • Fink Road (Gate 27 – off John Bum Road)
  • Miller Farm Road (Gate 35 - end of Weaver Falls Road)

The Corps may temporarily close these gated roads depending on weather, road conditions or other special activities. There is no off-season maintenance on these roadways; vehicle operators will be traveling at their own risk. Other outdoor recreational users, such as nature observers, mountain bikers and hikers, may also use the open roads for vehicle access during this period. The Allegrippis Trails System will only be closed for the deer regular firearms season; November 30 – December 14, 2019. The Corps urges you to please be aware of your surroundings and always positively identify your target.

All Corps’ land at Raystown Lake is within WMU 4A. In addition, all Corps’ land that is open to public hunting is enrolled in the Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP). DMAP Unit 2831 includes all Corps’ land to the west of the lake, covering a total of 14,496 acres. DMAP Unit 2832 includes all Corps’ land to the east of the lake, covering a total of 5,144 acres. Portions of Corps’ land are also included in DMAP Units 3458 and 3909. DMAP Unit 3458 includes all Corps’ land south of SR 994. DMAP Unit 3909 includes all Corps’ land to the east of the lake and north of SR 994.

Portable hunting stands or blinds may be placed overnight on Corps’ lands beginning two weeks prior to the opening of the first deer season and must be removed no later than two weeks after the close of the last deer season within Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 4A.  Any stand or blind that is not removed at the end of the season or damages government property is subject to enforcement, in addition to removal and impoundment.

All portable hunting blinds or stands placed overnight on Corps’ lands must be conspicuously marked with a durable identification tag that legibly sets forth the owners first name, last name and legal home address in English. A tag bearing a number issued by the PGC can be used in place of a tag bearing the name and address of the stands owner. This may include a valid PGC Customer Identification Number (CID) issued with their hunting license or a PGC Equipment Identification number on these tags instead of their name and address. Tags attached to these stands or blinds shall be readily visible.

Following the detection of Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in both captive and free-ranging deer in Pennsylvania, an executive order was issued by the PGC to establish Disease Management Areas (DMAs). All Corps’ property at Raystown Lake is within DMA 2 which covers more than 6,715 square miles. The PGC is offering free testing of deer taken in any DMA. If you harvest a deer in a DMA, please deposit the deer’s head, with your completed harvest tag affixed to the deer’s ear, at one of the head collection containers. Hunters should receive test results 10-21 days after submitting their head. A head collection container will be placed on Corps’ property at the paved parking lot adjacent to the SR 994 bridge (across the lake from the Lake Raystown Resort). Please be informed on CWD and aware of the rules and restrictions for hunting within a DMA. For more information, visit https://www.pgc.pa.gov/Wildlife/Wildlife-RelatedDiseases/Pages/ChronicWastingDisease.aspx.

All PGC and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers regulations apply. For more information on Raystown Lake’s natural resource management program and for maps showing the hunting areas mentioned above, visit the natural resource programs link at https://www.nab.usace.army.mil/Missions/Dams-Recreation/Raystown/Natural-Resources/ or call (814) 658-3405.   

 

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Contact
Glenn E. Werner, Forester
814-658-6807
glenn.e.werner@usace.army.mil
Raystown Lake

Release no. 19-023