A bounty on coyotes – are you kidding?
The coyote bounty bill is misguided and will not be effective at saving deer.
Pennsylvania – Mark Nale
"Time" is on our side
New cover article in magazine touts the benefits of hunting deer and other species
Posted, catch and release trout fishing
Generous landowner stocks stream, opens it to all, posts signs asking no-kill angling
Hunter/angler access on some state forest lands – still room for improvement
Hunters need access to harvest deer on state forest lands. DCNR opens more roads for hunting, but in some cases, parking is lacking.
Deer habitat on northcentral Pennsylvania State Forest Lands recovering
September visits to two different state forests in northcentral Pennsylvania revealed recovering deer habitat – new logging, a lush understory and a regenerating forest.
Pests killing forest — threat isn't "real" until it hits trees at home
Hemlock wooly adelgid, emerald ash borer will alter face of state’s forests — affecting deer, trout and other species.
What is "killing" all of those trees?
Locust leafminer turns hundreds of thousands of trees brown each September, but the insect does little lasting damage
Pickin' wild mushrooms – another way to enjoy the outdoors
Hunting wild mushrooms provides another way to enjoy the outdoors during the dog days of summer.
Man versus nature — you know who wins
Controversy over North Carolina bridge reminds him of Pa.
Lake fishing outing for 4-year-old a success
If you care about the future of fishing, consider using the remaining warm days to expose a youngster in your life to the outdoors
Pheasant 'imprinting' questioned
Pen-raised pheasant “imprinting” study could be a waste of time, effort and money.
Pittman-Robertson funds can be used in many ways
A concerned sportsman’s email prompts a closer look into the way the Game Commission uses funding from federal excise taxes.
White-nose syndrome decimates bats at Canoe Creek State Park
Blair County’s popular Canoe Creek State Park was famous for its large population of bats, however fewer than 100 now remain.
Hunters should be naturalists first
Hunting should be a key to connecting with the natural world, but that isn’t always the case
The comeback of our national symbol in Pennsylvania is a wildlife success story
Eagles always draw a crowd of eager onlookers. Your chances of seeing one in the wild are greater now than any time during the past century.
Can we stop an invasive species or a disease such as CWD?
Millions of dollars will likely be spent attempting to contain or at least slow the spread of chronic wasting disease in our wild deer herd – will it be worth it?
I have my multi-year fishing license – did you get yours?
Will new multi-year fishing licenses be enough to help the plight of the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission?
Reflections on a hunting season without a back tag
To display or not to display, that is the question!”
Chronic Wasting Disease found in wild Pennsylvania deer
Time will tell whether Pennsylvania can contain CWD in its wild deer population – now identified in two of 67 counties.
Mentored Youth Hunting age questioned
Two recent photos in one of the newspapers for which I write certainly grabbed my attention.
Snowcover provides opportunity to study the land
I recently drove north through Philipsburg, Pa., to an area near Frenchville, in Clearfield County, to pick up a custom-made tabletop and oak boards from Quehanna Millwork.
More public relations needed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission
A recent email exchange with Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania president Randy Santucci provides food for thought. Santucci and I were discussing the merits of the Pennsylvania Game Commission spending hunting license dollars to expand the agency’s information and education presence in the elk range — including work at the joint Department of Conservation and Natural Resources-Keystone Elk Country Alliance visitor…
Road Hunters – illegal, not sporting and a negative image of hunters
I live along a rural, little-traveled Centre County road. Each year during deer season, I get to witness a parade of vehicles — usually pickups — driving slowly up and down the hollow. I can actually catch glimpses of the “parade” from two of the treestands that I have on my property. The pickup truck occupants are typically dressed in…
Good news on the chronic wasting disease front – finally
With deer farms quarantined in 16 counties, the chronic wasting disease situation seemed to be getting worse by the day. Now, there is finally some good news. The two free-roaming deer with connections to Ronald Rutter’s New Oxford deer farm — where chronic wasting disease was first discovered in Pennsylvania — have been shot and killed by hunters. Even better…
Chronic Wasting Disease — Pa.’s Agriculture Department a disappointment
Chronic wasting disease is now within Pennsylvania’s borders. With CWD already in New York, Maryland and West Virginia, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl Roe shared his concern with me last Monday.
Fall colors, pleasant temperatures and outdoor opportunities make October a special month
Mother Nature’s curtain is about to drop on the final act of October — my favorite month of the year. Temperatures were cool enough on many days to provide a pleasant environment for archery deer hunting. At the same time, nighttime temperatures were often warm enough to make for very productive trout fishing the following morning. I took advantage of…
