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Jeff Mulhollem

Notes off a soiled cuff: Will Pennsylvania lawmakers dip into Game Commission’s reserve fund?

Featured, Fishing, Hunting, Opinion, Pennsylvania /

Watching and listening to Sen. Greg Rothman question Steve Smith, Pennsylvania Game Commission executive director, about the agency’s humongous reserve fund at a recent Senate hearing was almost painful.
With Pennsylvania facing a projected structural budget deficit of approximately $4.8 billion to $6 billion for the 2025-26 or 2026-27 fiscal years – and Game Commission leaders unable to articulate a plan for the money – you can see where this is going.

Notes off a soiled cuff: Will Pennsylvania lawmakers dip into Game Commission’s reserve fund? Read More »

Pennsylvania Game Commission’s financial reserve is questioned by senator

8 Comments / Discussions, Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, National Hunting, National News, News, Pennsylvania /

The Pennsylvania Game Commission’s gigantic fiscal reserve was again a topic of conversation at a Senate Game and Fisheries Committee hearing March 17.
At the session held to hear the Game and Fish & Boat commissions’ annual reports, Sen. Greg Rothman, committee chairman, asked Game Commission Executive Director Steve Smith if he had plans to spend the money.

Pennsylvania Game Commission’s financial reserve is questioned by senator Read More »

Notes off a soiled cuff: Problem with the Pennsylvania’s fishing summary cover? And an amazing turnaround for the Little Juniata

Featured, Fishing, National Fishing, Opinion, Pennsylvania /

Because I’ve lived relatively near the Little Juniata my entire life, and because I fished the river coursing through Pennsylvania’s Blair and Huntingdon counties so many times over the years, I’ve long been aware of what an awesome wild trout fishery it has become over the last 50 years.
Long, wide, scenic and almost entirely open to the public – and amazingly productive – it’s like no other wild trout stream I’m aware of in the state except the upper Delaware.

Notes off a soiled cuff: Problem with the Pennsylvania’s fishing summary cover? And an amazing turnaround for the Little Juniata Read More »

Notes off a soiled cuff: Assessing a huge problem with ‘forever chemicals’ in Pennsylvania waters

Featured, Fishing, Home Page News, National Fishing, Nature Page & Night Sky, Opinion, Pennsylvania /

Just before this issue’s deadline, when the state Department of Environmental Protection, the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Fish & Boat Commission issued a “Do Not Eat” advisory for all species of fish living in two streams because of PFOS (forever chemicals), we thought we knew which streams were tainted.
Because in a recent edition of Outdoor News, you’ll likely recall, we had the headline, “PF&BC is monitoring PFAS at hatchery,” atop a story reporting on concerns about forever chemicals being detected in waters feeding a Fish & Boat Commission hatchery in Centre County. But it turns out we were jumping to conclusions.

Notes off a soiled cuff: Assessing a huge problem with ‘forever chemicals’ in Pennsylvania waters Read More »

Penn State study shows some pesticides slip beneath riparian buffers into streams

Featured, Home Page News, National News, Nature Page & Night Sky, News, Pennsylvania /

Pesticides can harm aquatic ecosystems and human health, so scientists need to understand how they move from farm fields into streams.
A management tool commonly implemented is riparian buffers – strips of vegetation, like shrubs or grasses, bordering streams – that the U.S. Department of Agriculture advises can reduce the amount of nutrients, sediment and pesticides getting into waterways. But it’s unclear how effective buffers actually are at stopping pesticides from entering streams, according to a multidisciplinary team at Penn State.

Penn State study shows some pesticides slip beneath riparian buffers into streams Read More »

Notes off a soiled cuff: Plenty of mixed opinions about Pennsylvania’s deer herd

Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, National Hunting, Opinion, Pennsylvania /

In watching the town hall meeting held Feb. 11 at the Great American Outdoor Show focused on crop damage by deer (see this story), I was struck – as I always am – by the contrast in the way deer are viewed by farmers, hunters and politicians here … And how the Pennsylvania Game Commission increasingly is caught in the middle between its hunter clients and the farmers who powerful elected officials insist the agency help.

Notes off a soiled cuff: Plenty of mixed opinions about Pennsylvania’s deer herd Read More »

Notes off a soiled cuff: A few thoughts on antlerless harvest in Pennsylvania

Featured, Fishing, Hunting, Opinion, Pennsylvania /

Got a snarky note from a reader recently commenting on our use of “doe” tags in a headline above a story about antlerless licenses.
The guy proceeded to explain how the antlerless category also includes male fawns, and how the number of “button bucks” in the antlerless harvest is an important factor for biologists to consider when managing the deer herd.

Notes off a soiled cuff: A few thoughts on antlerless harvest in Pennsylvania Read More »

Mentored hunters under age 7 get deer, turkey tags in Pennsylvania

Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, National Hunting, National News, News, Pennsylvania /

Game commissioners resolved an emotional issue at their Jan. 24 meeting when they voted 8-1 to adopt a measure allowing all mentored hunters – including those under 7 years old – to get antlered deer and turkey harvest tags with their permits, beginning in the 2026-27 license year.
The decision, intended to improve access to the mentored hunting program and expand hunting opportunities within it, is controversial among the hunting community. Many hunters are skeptical of very young children taking deer, and the issue has been called “tags for tots.”

Mentored hunters under age 7 get deer, turkey tags in Pennsylvania Read More »

Pennsylvania Game Commission OKs debated land swap

Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, National Hunting, National News, Nature Page & Night Sky, News, Pennsylvania /

Pennsylvania game commissioners approved a major land exchange with Limerick Town Center LLC at their Jan. 24 meeting despite being urged not to take the deal by a group of Montgomery County residents, including a state senator.
The board approved the exchange by a 6-3 vote, with commissioners Stanley Knick Jr., Allen DiMarco and Robert Schwalm dissenting.

Pennsylvania Game Commission OKs debated land swap Read More »

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