Pennsylvania Mixed Bag: Pine Creek Rail Trail Named Trail of Year

Wellsboro, Pa. — The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources recently recognized the Pine Creek Rail Trail – Lycoming and Tioga counties – as Pennsylvania’s 2026 Trail of the Year.

The Pine Creek Rail Trail traces a historic corridor first used by the Iroquois Nation and later developed as a railroad in the late 19th century. After rail service ended in 1988, the corridor was transformed into a 65-mile non-motorized trail stretching from Jersey Shore to Wellsboro Junction.

Today, the nationally recognized trail attracts more than 44,000 users annually and generates more than $5 million in local economic impact. It serves as a major recreational and tourism asset within the Pennsylvania Wilds.

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Results of Rolfe Beagle Club’s Predator Hunt

Johnsonburg, Pa. — The final results of Rolfe Beagle Club’s 10-day statewide Coyote and Crow Hunt offered from Sept. 3-12 show hunters harvested 21 coyotes and 11 crows.

Team Salter and Roys harvested five coyotes. The trio of Colby Nussbaum, Brady Nussbaum, and Reese Ehrensberger harvested seven coyotes over the timeframe. Ehrensberger also harvested two crows.

The largest coyote of the hunt was harvested by Team Salter and Roys and was a male coyote that checked in at 47 pounds. This male coyote would have been a 50+ pounder come February.

The largest female coyote was harvested by Colby Nussbaum and weighed in at 34.4 pounds. Steve Krug won the top prize for most crows harvested (9) and Reese Ehrensberger won the ghost coyote raffle.

Grants to Inspire Fishing, Boating Interest

Harrisburg — The Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission is once again seeking applicants for grants to support education programs that promote new and renewed interest in fishing and boating in Pennsylvania through recruitment of new participants, retention of existing participants and reactivation of former participants – collectively known as “R3.”

The grant application period extends through Dec. 1. The application and additional information can be found on the commission’s website – Fishandboat.com.

Accessible and inclusive learning opportunities increase fishing and boating knowledge, build confidence in skills, facilitate social support, and empower participants to enjoy the waters in their communities.

The R3 Grant will reimburse qualifying organizations up to $25,000 for eligible expenses for projects conducted from approximately July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2028. The grant requires a minimum 25% match of total project costs.

Changes to Antlerless Deer License Process

Harrisburg — The Board of Game Commissioners, at their recent quarterly meeting here, adopted a change to the regulations governing the sale of antlerless deer licenses, providing the commission greater flexibility in determining how and when licenses are made available to hunters.

Previously, regulations prescribed a specific schedule for antlerless license sales. The change removes that schedule from regulation and allows the commission to establish a sales structure each year that best meets the needs of hunters and reflects the number of licenses available.

The commission will continue to establish antlerless license allocations annually for each wildlife management unit based on the deer management plan objectives for each unit. The regulatory change does not establish a new sales schedule or require a particular method of sale.

The change approved by the board requires that notice be given at least 30 days prior to licenses going on sale, and that the sale of licenses be consistent with the commission’s deer management plan.

Waterways Officer Gets Award from PF&BC

Harrisburg — The Fish & Boat Commission presented the Top Gun Award to WCO Kyle Robinson, whose district includes Mifflin and northern Huntingdon counties in the South-central Region.

This award is presented annually to a WCO who displays outstanding effort in the detection and apprehension of impaired boaters. In 2025, Robinson’s exemplary law enforcement efforts included 30 days of onboard boat patrols, 764 boardings, and nine arrests for Boating Under the Influence.

To further enhance his BUI detection skills, in 2025, Robinson participated in an Advanced BUI Detection and Enforcement Training. This is the fourth consecutive year Robinson has received this award. Robinson is a 2020 graduate of the commission’s H.R. Stackhouse School of Fishery Conservation and Watercraft Safety.

Less Paperwork for Commercial Guides Proposed

Harrisburg — The Board of Game Commissioners, at their recent quarterly meeting here, proposed to eliminate the annual reporting requirement for licensed commercial guides.

The proposed change would eliminate the requirement for guides to submit a separate annual report to the commission. The commission determined that these annual reports are no longer necessary for its operational needs, while existing record-keeping requirements would remain in place.

Commercial guides would still be required to maintain complete and accurate field records of their guided activities, including information about clients, dates of guided activities, wildlife harvested, and accompanying guides. Those records would continue to be maintained and made available for inspection as required by law.