If you'd enjoy some steeper terrain for your muzzleloader hunting, try the south shore of the park west of Route 528. The Wyggeston Trail leads off a trailhead on Christley Road and winds across a 1,400-foot elevation. If you get off the trail, you'll be heading straight down to the shoreline -- a fairly fast drop in some places.

WMU 2-D
Last year, the leader in muzzleloader antlerless hunting across the state was WMU 2-D. Encompassing Armstrong County and portions of Butler, Indiana, Jefferson, Clarion, Venango and Westmoreland counties, this region produced 2,350 antlerless deer and 90 antlered deer last season.

Undoubtedly, most of these deer were taken on private lands, but the region does have some public hunting, particularly in the northwest boundary between Armstrong and Butler counties.

The largest public hunting area in Armstrong County is SGL 105. Under a 2001 oil rights contract that increased SGL 105 to 2,673 acres, muzzleloader hunters now have more access to land along the Allegheny River in Brady's Bend Township.

State Route 4099 cuts through the heart of SGL 105, while Pine Run Road provides access on the western side. Both roads are reached from Route 68 west of East Brady. Another way into this wooded river land is from Frogtown and Route 268 from the south. Follow Route 268 north to state Route 4099. A number of rural roads to the east lead into SGL 105.

West of Route 268 at Foster Mill is a very small game lands. SGL 259 contains just 351 acres, but the terrain is rolling and lightly wooded and great for deer hunting.

SGL 259 is off state Route 4013 south of Browns Crossroad.

Not far over the Armstrong-Butler county line is SGL 304, another small public ground with 457 acres. This public land is east of Fenelton along Ibwin Road.

SGLs 259 and 304 are relatively close together and worth checking out, particularly because there is a dearth of public land in this part of WMU 2-D.

WMU 2-C
Ranking third in the state for muzzleloader antlerless deer harvests, WMU 2-C contains some of the most rugged land in the southwest corner of the state.

It also contains a substantial amount of public land. There are state forests and state park lands along Laurel Ridge, and WMU 2-C also encompasses Ohiopyle State Park and surrounding SGLs 111 and 51.

Ohiopyle State Park has over 18,000 acres of huntable land, much of it mountainous and heavily wooded. Muzzleloader hunters looking to work portions of the park that aren't as heavily visited as some of the areas near the famous waterfall should head west to the Greenbriar region west of Bruner Road and north of state Route 1055. The area may also be reached by taking state Route 2019 west from the popular falls area.

Another parcel that is less traveled lies on the northeast side of the Youghiogheny River. A designated trail above the river actually connects at least three township roads on this side of the river. The Laurel Highlands Trail crosses T-896 near the Somerset-Fayette counties border, then winds west to T-868, and continues on toward T-523.

Once clear of this latter area, the ground above the trail and the land below the trail heading down toward the river is huntable.

The Laurel Highland Trail also leads into a portion of SGL 111. To get to this section, use T-896. SGL 111 is a substantial holding with over 10,500 acres. The bulk of this land is along Laurel Hill and presents a rugged challenge for muzzleloader hunters.

SGL 111 is crisscrossed with trails, many of which may be accessed from the Drakestown area on the eastern side of the ridge and from roads north of Bidwell Station on the western side.

In addition to these game lands, there is also huntable ground in Laurel Ridge State Park west of Scullton.

Wildlife conservation officers working in the area say the only thing that stops the Laurel Highlands from producing more deer is a lack of hunters.

FOR MORE INFORMATION
For information about accommodations across the state, call (800) VISIT-PA.