Breaking News

Outdoors

PGC strengthens public requirement in permits

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners at its meeting in July gave preliminary approval to a measure that will strengthen the public hunting component for deer-control permits the Game Commission issues for deer problems on private and public properties, often within suburban and urban areas. The goal of this permit revision is to improve the use and prominence of public hunting without unduly restricting the effectiveness of a deer-control permit. Permit criteria always had stipulated that lawful hunting be allowed on public lands seeking deer-control permits, ...

‘Research and development’ on Juniata a success

MILLERSTOWN — To a recreational angler an evening on the Juniata River is likely viewed as a time for relaxation and escaping the daily grind. For two outdoors writers, however, their outing was all business (wink, wink). They were on a mission of “research and development” — as in researching how many smallmouth bass could be boated and developing an appearance of “working” for any onlookers. Serving as guide and captain of his Fisher 1700 18-foot aluminum river boat powered by a Honda jet 40 hp outboard was Jeff Woleslagle. In the 9-to-5 world, on most days he makes the ...

Expanded opportunity for ‘webless’ birds

HARRISBURG — The 2018-19 waterfowl seasons are similar to the previous year, although hunters will enjoy longer seasons for doves, woodcock, and other “webless” migratory game bird species this year. Annual migratory game bird seasons are selected by states from frameworks established by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Game Commission selections were made after reviewing last year’s season results, population survey data, and input gathered from hunters and the public. Game Commission biologist Jeremy Stempka noted that the goose season restrictions enacted in ...

Commisioners increase fees, delay funding cuts

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission this week increased some fees, installed new board officers and made other changes, while delaying a plan to cut spending on popular items such as fish hatcheries. Commissioners acted on a number of revenue enhancements brought forward by staff designed to counter declines in traditional revenue and escalating costs associated with current programs. Collectively, these revenue enhancements are projected to raise $1.2 million annually beginning in Fiscal Year 2018-19. These enhancements include the introduction of four ...

Snake hunters head to hills

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The hunter and his son scrambled up a secret mountain in Columbia County, and far above them, a serpent knew they were coming. The snake sat coiled in a rock vein, waiting for the sun to warm its cold blood. It sensed every vibration and tasted the hunters’ sweat with its forked tongue. Glen Ellsworth III, 44, and his son, Glen IV, 19, were just about on top of the snake on a recent Saturday morning when it let them know it was there. Nature, thankfully, had balanced out a timber rattlesnake’s formidable fangs with a simple and loud warning system on its ...

CWD cases multiply in state

HARRISBURG — The number of chronic wasting disease cases continues to multiply in Pennsylvania, and more of the state’s residents are being impacted by rules that aim to slow the spread of the disease, which always is fatal to the deer and elk it infects. In 2017, chronic wasting disease was detected in 78 free-ranging deer in Pennsylvania. That’s more than three times the number of free-ranging, CWD-positive deer documented in the state in 2016. Most of the new free-ranging positives either were within or near the boundary of Disease Management Area 2 in southcentral ...