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Outdoors

Conditions right for memorable season

HARRISBURG — An abundance of fall foods will have a huge black-bear population on the move as hunters head out Nov. 18 for the opening day of Pennsylvania’s four-day statewide firearms bear season. Penn’s Woods has been smothered by hard and soft mast this past summer and fall. Leaf-drop also was delayed by uncommonly warm weather into early November. Combined, these conditions have given bears reasons to stay out of dens, and plenty of cover to sneak about the Commonwealth. With cooperative weather, particularly on the opening day, Pennsylvania is poised to take a run at ...

Outdoors TV: The good, the bad, the indifferent

I had the privilege this spring to be a part of an Archery Assassins filming session about my turkey call company and spring turkey hunting. Up until this point I had done nothing other than dabble in self inking a few hunts. A crew of three guys came into my small town of Front Royal, Virginia, from nearly 17 hours away in Kansas with hopes of harvesting a mature gobbler with their bows. No, we were not successful, but that’s not what this story is about. What a learning curve filming for an actual TV show was for me. It seemed there were cameras everywhere and that was ...

Elk hunters achieve a high success rate

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Game Commission reports that 104 elk were taken by hunters during the regular one-week elk season that ended Nov. 4. For those licensed to hunt antlered (bull) elk, the success rate was 100 percent. The 2017 harvest included some large elk. Ten bulls each were estimated to weigh 700 pounds or more, with three of them going more than 800 pounds. The heaviest bull taken in this year’s hunt was estimated at 833 pounds. That bull, which sported an 8-by-7 rack, was taken Oct. 30 by Shawn Latshaw of Franklin. Meanwhile, an 832-pounder with an 8-by-9 rack ...

Archers: Enter The Sentinel’s Big Buck Contest

LEWISTOWN — Hundreds of local hunters will be successful in bagging bucks this year and we look forward to seeing them in The Sentinel’s annual Big Buck Contest. Antlered deer that meet the three-point standard and are killed during the archery season are eligible. Winners will be declared in adult and junior divisions (junior license or mentored youth hunters), with the first-place deer featured on the cover of the Big Buck edition to be published after the traditional rifle season ends. Winners will be rewarded with a gift card. As always, photos of all deer entered in the ...

LL Bean wants to be part of outdoor fun

FREEPORT, Maine (AP) — L.L. Bean has done some soul-searching. The century-old brand known for Yankee durability is putting a renewed focus on the fun of being outside as it tries to invigorate sales in a fast-changing marketplace. “Be an Outsider,” the chain is urging, in a quirky new ad campaign that embraces its hunting and fishing traditions but emphasizes the outdoors as an accessible place to enjoy with friends and family. It’s a contrast to how some competitors position themselves, with the outdoors a landscape to be conquered. “Just step outside your front door and ...

Daughter surprises with hunting desire, success

Last spring my daughter Bella surprised me when she started telling family members she wanted to start deer hunting. I had never discussed taking her as a mentored youth and she previously showed no interest in hunting. The then 8-year-old had loved fishing, kayaking and other outdoor activities we do as a family, but I assumed hunting would not be one of the things I would be sharing with her. After I was informed by a few family members that Bella insisted she was going to hunt, I figured I better address this rumor firsthand. She just smiled and confirmed that she was interested ...