[ACEarcher]

Anybody hunt SGL 057? I saw a camp for sale near there and was wondering if it is worth a closer look? It is just West of the windmills. Closest town I think would be Noxen. Looks like their isn't a lot of camps in that area. might be an advantage. I know some areas of WMU 3B can be real hit or miss as far as deer that's why I ask.
Thanks

 

[WOL]

ACE: 57 goes all the way east to Ricketts Glen State Park. You also have Mountain Springs Lake back there. We hunt 57 sometimes, via Mountain Springs Lake road off of 487. There's a lot of swamp, small creeks, ponds, marsh and tons of blueberry thickets. I know guys that drive it on occasion and they get some big bucks and bears. There will be a little competition near the road in, but probably nobody if you get off the road a little. It's vast. Also, there's probably a good 10,000 acres of Ricketts Glen that you can hunt.

 

[redrockhunter]

57 is huge, areas of it are dead, but many are good. lots of food plots and habitat enhancement projects done there by quality deer and the turkey federation. get a mountain bike if you can and go back deep and hunt. study the maps and you won't run into lots of hunters if you get off the road a bit.

 

[ACEarcher]

WOL, from where you are I thought you'd hit 013 and 066 more often. The area I'm looking at is Bartlett Mountain. I figured this area is a great bear area. I've been near there before, but never in it. Might have to cover some real estate soon.

 

[redrockhunter]

is the cabin near bowmans creek? or is it up on top near lake jean and rickets , or by the forkston side. sgl 57 is over 60 square miles in size. not counting 13 and 66 gl or the state park.

 

[ACEarcher]

Forkston side

 

[mus42tang]

Ha, SGL 57 was always the place you couldn't get to from here.
Largely undeveloped; the area has few roads. Was timber lumber camps over 100 years ago.
Before going there and deciding, I'd study the google earth map. Type in Noxen, PA.

Hiking in from the periphery, it can work for hikers.
With so few main roads, that area is a hiking foot paradise.

 

[redrockhunter]

not as many roads to the top for vehicles from that side, mostly dutch mtn road, and when you get up on top that is all private. not many spots to get on gl's up there. top is where the swamps are. still it is a great area and there are some good spots along windy valley

 

[ACEarcher]

That's great. That's what I wanted to hear. It looked like it was difficult to access from the bottom along the creek. Yes, it does look swampy from the topos and aerials.

 

[dce]

I grew up not too far from it.I haven't been there in close to 30 years but the hunting used to be good.My favorite part was all the native brooks that ran into the Meshoppen creek.I had a blast catching natives up there as a kid.

 

[Dogface]

Was timber lumber camps over 100 years ago.

The area is laced with dirt roads that are gated by the PGC. The roads are old logging railroad right of ways. The PGC opens some roads during hunting season. It is about as close to "big woods" you will find in NE PA. It reminds me of Maine.

BTW the roads in the game lands are / were owned by one individual. He purchased the old railroad right of ways. He lets the PGC have access to some of the roads.

 

[Dogface]

One more bit of info. The PGC runs a self guided tour each fall. If you want to see what is up there sign up for the tour.

 

[ACEarcher]

Thanks Dogface. That's good info. Still think I might do a hike there soon to check it out for myself. Would be a nice day of snowshoeing (if their is enough snow).

 

[WOL]

WOL, from where you are I thought you'd hit 013 and 066 more often.

I hunt 13 the most as it borders our land. But we used to hunt bear on 57 quite a bit. It's a 5 minute drive on 487 to the Mountain Springs Lake access road. That's a dirt road that goes from 487 and travels 5 miles back to the lake. The lake used to be stocked with trout and we used to fish there a lot as well. In that 5 mile drive, there are several places to park and some turn-offs, if I remember. It's been a few years. There's also some good upland bird and waterfowling back there.

The layout of the land would make your place and my place quite close as the crow flies, but a 30-40 minute drive if you had to take the roads. I'm guessing 487 south to 118 east and back up 29 north. You also have Lackawana State Forest nearby.

 

[jimbridger]

Dce you mean Mehoopany creek. Meshoppen is on the other side of the river.

Know 57 well. The forkston side is steep to reach the rest of the SGL. The Noxen side has better access to the heart of the SGL. The red rock top side has good access and connects to the noxon side via old rr grade.

Seems like lots of camps for sale on the Forkston side for some reason. If I was younger I would grab one up. If you don't mind the hills or join the forkston land owners or Dutch mt land owners you might have a blast.

I belong to South Mt landowners just for better access to 57 on the forkston side but that would not help if you camp is on the forkston side. Waugh!

 

[jimbridger]

One more bit of info. The PGC runs a self guided tour each fall. If you want to see what is up there sign up for the tour.

The tour is a nice ride and shows a lot but it does not show the Forkston/ Dutch side. Waugh!

 

[WOL]

Mehoopany is probably what he means. I've seen small pickerel in it but not trout. I see native trout in the creek going down to Jamison City.

 

[dce]

Sorry,I did mean Mehoopany creek.I used to live closer to Meshoppen creek and used to fish it all the time as WELL.

 

[dce]

Mehoopany is probably what he means. I've seen small pickerel in it but not trout. I see native trout in the creek going down to Jamison City.

I used to catch piles of natives up stream from where the pipe came in at the bottom of Dutch mountain.There used to be a swinging bridge there.It's been 30 years so I couldn't say what it was like.I mainly fished the small brooks that ran into it.Stoney brook,Kasson brooke and Opossum brooks were some that I fished the most.

 

[Dogface]

I see native trout in the creek going down to Jamison City.

That is the west branch of Fishing Creek. It is a good trout fishery.