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Outdoors

Volunteers needed to report turkey sightings, count others

The Annual Pennsylvania Wild Turkey Sighting Survey is currently underway and runs through Aug. 31. This project is important for managing wild turkey populations throughout Pennsylvania, and the Pennsylvania Game Commission is looking for reports of turkey sightings this summer from the public. “The turkey survey enhances our agency’s internal survey, which serves as a long-term index of turkey reproduction and is used in our turkey population model,” Game Commission Turkey Biologist Mary Jo Casalena said. “Participants should report all turkeys seen, whether gobblers, hens ...

Licenses go on sale next week

Because the “hunting license year” begins on July 1 and ends on June 30 of the following year in Pennsylvania, new hunting licenses have gone on sale during mid-to-late June for the upcoming fall hunting seasons. Then a few weeks later, the cumbersome process of mailing antlerless deer (doe) license applications in special pink envelopes to county treasurer offices began. That process was changed last year, and for the first time, hunters could purchase their antlerless deer licenses directly, either in person or online, through the electronic licensing system. This was a much ...

There’s finally some time to talk about dry fly fishing

By Walt Young For the Mirror Tying flies has long been one of my favorite winter activities. I derive much pleasure from crafting a supply of the many fly patterns needed to restock my fly boxes for the upcoming trout season. It’s also an opportunity to experiment with new materials and fly designs in the hope of creating a new and effective fly pattern. Last winter, much of my time at the fly-tying vise was spent making dry flies. Having very little snow accumulation during the winter seemed to indicate the streams of our region would likely be relatively low during the ...

An old-school look at new fly-fishing gear

As close as I can recall, I began fly-fishing in 1964, so this year marks my sixtieth year involved with the sport. I would like to think I have learned a few things about it during that time. I am also fascinated that there is always something new to learn, which has helped to continue my interest for six decades and counting. Another fascinating aspect of fly-fishing over the past 60 years, especially for a gearhead like me, is the transformation of fly tackle and some related accessories during that period. For me, the greatest development in fly tackle was graphite replacing ...

Birding app called Merlin helps identify birdcalls

As long as I can remember, I have held a deep fascination for the outdoors. Although hunting and fishing have always been my main attractions, so many other aspects and diversions related to the natural world have often consumed my attention as well. And each new facet of the natural world seems to unlock its own special niche in the grand scheme of things. When I developed an interest in fly-fishing as an eager 12-year-old, for instance, that pursuit soon progressed into the desire to tie my own flies. The need to understand what the bugs that I was trying to imitate actually ...

High water hurts early trout season

Anyone in our area who has ventured out for trout so far this season doesn’t need to be reminded that we have had streams running bank high and dirty a great many days. The opening weekend was a complete bust after heavy rains swelled the streams to flood stage. Just as that troublesome deluge began to subside, another batch of rain pushed most creeks to bank full again. Long ago, I learned not to make broad predictions about upcoming weather patterns as they are almost certain to be wrong, but I would like to be hopeful water conditions are soon going to get back to more normal ...