Pennsylvania Mixed Bag: Women from five states attend RGS Women’s Intro to Wingshooting at Mount Jewett Club

Mount Jewett, Pa. — Women from five states attended the first weekend session of Women’s Introduction to Wingshooting offered by the Ruffed Grouse Society at the Mount Jewett Sportsmen’s Club in McKean County in early July.

Women attended from California, Ohio, New York, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee. The program teaches women the fundamentals of shotgun shooting and hunting game birds in Pennsylvania.

This unique program will finish up in August back at the Mount Jewett Sportsmen’s Club and all graduates will then be offered a bird hunt to test their newfound skills at the Rolfe Beagle Club.

PGC OKs Changes to Crop-Damage Program

Harrisburg — Pennsylvania game commissioners, during their recent quarterly meeting here, adopted two changes to the Agricultural Damage Depredation Permit program, which allows farmers to take wildlife for crop damage.

The board voted to remove requirements that affected agricultural lands be enrolled in a two-year public-access program and that applicants supply a deed for enrolled lands, allowing them to certify their authority instead.

These changes will take effect when they are published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, which usually takes about six weeks.

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Striper Season Reopens in Chesapeake

Annapolis, Md. — Striped bass season reopened in Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay and its tidal tributaries July 31 after being closed for two weeks. This closure, now in its sixth season, is necessary to protect the species, according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources, because when water and air temperatures rise in the hottest part of summer, fish are more vulnerable to dying after being caught and released.

During the season, DNR issues the Striped Bass Summer Fishing Advisory Forecast, which indicates when conditions warrant a “red flag” advisory, days on which anglers are encouraged not to fish for striped bass after 10 a.m. due to excessive heat.

Longhouse Scenic Drive Road Work Update

Warren, Pa. — The U.S. Forest Service announced that Longhouse Scenic Drive, in the Allegheny National Forest, will be closed to through-traffic through mid-October. The road closure is from just south of the entrance to Elijah Run Boat Launch to about a mile north of the entrance to Kiasutha Recreation Area.

The road closure will allow a construction contractor to replace under-road culverts. During construction, all recreation sites along Longhouse Scenic Drive plan to remain open for their respective seasons, as scheduled.

During the closure, to reach the Trails at Jakes Rocks or the Elijah Run Boat Launch, drive south from the intersection of state Route 59 and Longhouse Scenic Drive. To reach Kiasutha Recreation Area, drive north from the intersection of Longhouse Scenic Drive and state Route 321.

Registration Open for Rolfe Beagle Club’s Statewide Fall Coyote and Crow Hunt

Johnsonburg, Pa. — The Rolfe Beagle Club recently announced that it once will again offer its popular Coyote and Crow Hunt over 10 days from Aug. 28 through Sept. 6. This is the 12th annual Fall Coyote and Crow Hunt covering the entire commonwealth.

Registration for the hunt must be received or postmarked no later than Aug. 27. All registrations must be received at the Rolfe Beagle Club, 1016 Long Level Road, Johnsonburg, PA 15845. Registration must include a phone number or an email. Questions may be addressed to wlhab9@gmail.com.

Weigh-in is at 6 p.m. all 10 days. Additional information on the Rolfe Beagle Club Facebook Page.

Ag Tags, Goose Permits for Mentored Hunters

Harrisburg — Pennsylvania game commissioners, during their recent quarterly meeting, voted to soon allow mentored hunters ages 7 and older soon to purchase snow goose conservation permits, as well as Ag Tags for antlerless deer.

After giving preliminary approval in April, the commissioners adopted a measure that, once finalized, will further increase the slate of opportunities available to mentored hunters. As with all hunters, there will no limit on the number of Ag Tags a mentored hunter 7 or older can receive, so long as tags remain available.

These changes will take effect when they are published in the Pennsylvania Bulletin, which usually takes about six weeks.

Allowing mentored hunters 7 or older to receive snow goose permits and Ag Tags provides additional opportunity for them while enabling them to take part in important management initiatives, the commission said.

Man Drowns Swimming in Brandywine Creek

Philadelphia — A man drowned while swimming in the Brandywine Creek at Chadds Ford around 11 a.m. July 20, police said.

Sergio Ayala-Vilchis of Mexico was swimming in the creek near state Route 1 and Mill Road with a woman, and he began to panic in the current near the middle of the stream and was swept away by the current. The woman made it safely out of the creek, but couldn’t see Ayala-Vilchis, according to state police.

Pennsylvania state troopers, multiple fire departments and medics responded to the scene. They later found Ayala-Vilchis’ downstream. His death was ruled accidental.