The best pheasant hunting to be enjoyed this fall season may be the special youth pheasant hunts being offered. These are special hunting opportunities for junior hunters between 12 and 16 years of age, who have successfully completed a basic Hunter-Trapper Education course. Each year, ...

Fly fishing has been a large and rewarding part of my life over the past 50 years. During that time, I’ve had the pleasure to meet and fish with hundreds of folks who share my passion and devotion to this wonderful sport. But few days on the water have been as rewarding as the times spent ...

The Associated Press ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Federal researchers studying critically endangered North Pacific right whales sometimes go years without finding their subjects. Last weekend, they got lucky. A research vessel in the Bering Sea photographed two of the animals last Sunday and ...

Commentary The ongoing efforts to contain the spread of chronic wasting disease in Pennsylvania’s wild deer herd continues to make news, and most of that news isn’t good. On July 26, the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced it was creating a new executive-level position to direct the ...

Commentary August begins to get the outdoors person’s juices flowing. Tints of red and orange are showing on the Sumac, bucks have enough antler growth that they are visible above the ears. Spotters are keeping their eyes on certain fields to try to catch sight of fall turkey flocks and ...

The Associated Press MOON TOWNSHIP — Most mornings, Robert Mowery and his family head down the hill from their Moon Township home to their small farm to tend to their flock of chickens. But over the course of several days in June, a clever coyote — or maybe several coyotes — feasted ...

Commentary For me, one of the greatest attractions to fishing has always been there is so much more to fishing than just catching fish. Make no mistake about it, I love catching fish, but I dearly appreciate the experience of pursuing them on the many wonderful streams, rivers and lake ...

Commentary Occasionally you are privileged to meet and know a real outdoor character. I’ve known a few in my life, one of which was my hunting buddy and friend Buck Alt from the Poconos. No one could tell a story like Buck and I miss him much. Sometimes you meet people through the ...

The Associated Press TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — A “significant” harmful algae bloom was expected to form in western Lake Erie this summer, though it probably won’t be as large as some previous formations that posed health risks and hampered tourism, scientists said Thursday. The ...

The Associated Press SOUTHPORT, England — A former sixth-grade math teacher, Michael Greller is strong in numbers. Jordan Spieth leaned more on his caddie’s words at the British Open. “This is as much mine as it is his,” Spieth said as he clutched the silver claret jug. And then ...

At its meeting on July 11, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission adopted a proposal that I have been hoping to see for about 50 years: eliminating the requirement to display your fishing license while fishing. Having to wear one’s fishing license has always seemed incredibly silly to ...

The first ever Gobblers Camp is coming to town, and it is quite an opportunity for this area for hunters, conservationists and anyone who simply wants to learn more about wild turkeys. A team of wildlife and outdoor professionals teach at the Pennsylvania Gobblers field school from various ...

Early last month, a wild deer in Clearfield County tested positive for chronic wasting disease. The deer, an adult buck, was reported to the Game Commission because it appeared to be sick. Wildlife conservation officers located the animal on state game lands in Bell Township and put it down. ...

I should be dead of a rattlesnake bite 30 years ago. Thanks only, I am sure, to my ever present squadron of guardian angels am I still among the living. I have jumped over rattlers, stepped down beside them, stepped over them, stepped on them and yet not one has made any attempt to strike ...

SENECA ROCKS, W.Va. — The pale ridge rises like the ragged fin of a prehistoric fish in a rolling green sea of low forested mountains in eastern West Virginia. Massive and intimidating, the craggy landscape of Seneca Rocks draws serious rock climbers from Washington, Pittsburgh and ...

Be aware that the anti-gun factions have a new tactic. The folks who organized the “women’s march” at inauguration time last January, have announced that they are now organizing a “women’s march” against the National Rifle Association scheduled for sometime this summer. I must ...

As we enter July, bass will become the focus for many anglers. Both largemouths and smallmouths offer countless fishing opportunities this time of year, but during the summer, bigger bass tend to be easier to catch during the low-light periods of dusk or dawn or after dark. That doesn’t ...

Can you believe it is already time to be readying the doe license applications? Who is thinking of that at this time of year? Baseball Hall of Fame votes, good fishing holes and golf games are more in our purview this time of year. Although for people like me, no matter what else is going on, ...

By this time last year, most of the smaller streams in our region were so low and warm that I abandoned trout fishing on them until well into the fall. It wasn’t because I don’t enjoy challenging fishing, but when some streams began to look like ditches full of wet rocks, challenging ...

Why does a bear show up in town? All across the state this summer will come reports of black bears that wander into populated areas, climb trees and refuse to come down. Police and firemen are called, but it usually ends with the Game Commission having to tranquilize the animal, lower it ...