Outdoors

GIS mapping is a hunter’s good friend

Nearly every state has some sort of public land access that allows hunting. That is really no surprise. What may come as a surprise is that through license purchases and conservation efforts hunters have not only supported these types of environments, but continue to fight hard for the right to keep these properties state owned and hunter-friendly. I grew up exclusively hunting public land in Northern Pennsylvania — Potter County, to be exact. I didn’t know what it was like to hunt a piece of private land until I was much older, and on the state owned land, the struggle was ...

North Dakota club teaches kids to enjoy fishing

COLEHARBOR, N.D. (AP) — Not even deep snow could keep nearly 200 anglers from descending on Lake Audubon. The occasion was the Bis-Man Reel and Rec’s 35th Annual Ice Fishing Derby, an event that has become a “don’t miss” for many fishermen. “This time of year people just want to get out and have some fun,” said Don Schick, Bis-Man president. “It doesn’t matter if it is three feet of snow and cold.” Several of the participants have been fishing the popular derby for many years, Minot Daily News reported. Mike Hutchins of Minot, who caught the largest northern pike ...

Earlier start OK’d for buck

HARRISBURG (AP) — Deer hunting season in Pennsylvania will be starting on a Saturday rather than a Monday beginning in November. The Pennsylvania Game Commission voted 5-3 Tuesday to move opening day of deer rifle season to the first Saturday after Thanksgiving. Rifle season for hunting deer in Pennsylvania has kicked off the Monday after Thanksgiving since 1963. The change expands the firearms season to 13 days, adding a third Saturday. Supporters hope a Saturday opening will bring back people struggling to find time to hunt and help high school and college hunters who don’t ...

Now is the time to scout as often as possible

Up until now most preseason turkey scouting has served more as a cure for cabin fever than knowing where gobblers will be and what they will be doing when the Youth Turkey Hunt sponsored by the Pennsylvania Game Commission is held, Saturday, April 20, and the statewide season begins a week later. Now, however, in a take on the long-running election gag of vote early and vote often, is when those serious about hunting spring gobblers should begin to scout early and scout as often as possible. Pennsylvania native Matt Morrett, who has hunted all four United States turkey subspecies ...

Hunting knowledge, at the press of a button

It’s tough for me to explain to people why I write. Why I feel the need, the calling to share hunting and fishing stories with others. It often comes as a belief that with each story comes a learning experience to gleaned from its depths. Those learning experiences undoubtedly make us better hunters. That is why I do what I do, but somewhere along the line, I found that reading, listening and watching all have their place and time. It’s no secret that some hunters and fishermen are just plain lucky. Some are naturally gifted with killer instincts, while others aren’t so lucky. ...

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