Outdoors

Black bears are home in Pa. forests

Pa. Game Commission HARRISBURG — One of the largest, and among the most secretive animals living in Pennsylvania is the black bear, Ursus americanus. The species ranges through much of forested North America from Mexico to Alaska and from Florida to northern Canada. In different regions, black bears exhibit different life patterns, denning times, tolerance of human activity, habitat preferences, travel patterns, reproduction behavior, pelt coloration and even size and weight. Bears are powerfully built animals. Adults are 50 to 85 inches in length, including a three- to five-inch ...

Hummingbirds migrating north to Pennsylvania

One of the greatest joys of spring for many comes from wildlife, which livens up Pennsylvania’s outdoors each year. Perhaps no sight is more beloved than fast-flying hummingbirds visiting your feeders as they migrate north. Here’s what you need to know as hummingbirds get set to return to Pennsylvania. When will they appear? While many kinds of hummingbirds migrate throughout the U.S. each year, no species is more common in eastern states than the ruby-throated hummingbird, which doubles as Pennsylvania’s smallest bird. More than 330 species of hummingbirds live in North ...

What a catch!

Outdoors Calendar

Atkinson Mills Sportsmen’s Club • Meetings — held on the first Wednesday of each month at 7:30 p.m. The club is located at 55 Sportsmen Club Lane, McVeytown; email atkinsonmillssportsmensclub@gmail.com; online at http://atkinsonmills-sportsmensclub.weebly.com. Blue Rock Sportsman Club • Club meetings — 2 p.m. on the fourth Sunday of each month on the gun range, and at 7 p.m. in January and February in the barn. To east end Blue Rock: From Milroy, follow signs to Reeds Gap State Park. Free camping available and kitchen is open during all events except trap ...

PFBC grants to inspire fishing, boating interest

​HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is once again seeking applicants for grants to support education programs that promote new and renewed interest in fishing and boating in Pennsylvania through the recruitment of new participants, retention of existing participants, and reactivation of former participants – collectively known as “R3.” The R3 grants aim to connect Pennsylvanians with the fun of Commonwealth waterways by teaching fishing and boating skills and providing quality locations where these activities can be enjoyed. Organizations are ...

Python invasion has exploded out of Everglades

By BILL KEARNEY South Florida Sun-Sentinel FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Burmese pythons are too good at what they do — they’re nearly undetectable to both humans and their prey, they barely need to move and when they do they’re deadly. On top of that, they have lots of babies. As a result, according to an ambitious new paper produced by the U.S. Geological Survey, their population has exploded in only 20 years from a few snakes at the southern tip of Everglades National Park to an invasion that envelops the southern third of Florida. The reptile’s “invasion front” ...