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Outdoors

Bear season starts this weekend

The regular statewide bear season begins Saturday and continues through Tuesday, and includes Sunday. This four-day event continues to grow in popularity and now ranks second only to deer season in the number of hunters participating. Last year, 215,219 bear licenses were sold in Pennsylvania, just a few thousand fewer than the all-time sales record of 220,471 in 2020. That is just one reason why we are currently enjoying what could be considered the “Golden Age” of bear hunting in Pennsylvania. Another reason is several extra bear-hunting opportunities earlier in the fall. The ...

Misadventures on hunting trails

The two turkey seasons in 2022 have been the wackiest two seasons of my entire hunting life. It started with a surprise invitation to hunt with a person I have long admired. To avoid embarrassment, I will not disclose the name. It all began last spring with the phone call that yielded the invitation. I was giddy with elation to be asked. This person gave me instruction to this hunting place quite a few miles from Altoona. I have to admit that I was not delighted about having to drive to a location I have never been anywhere near before. My eyes did not want to tackle that drive in ...

’Tis the season for deer-vehicle collisions in our area

By Walt Young sports@altoonamirror.com According to a recent insurance industry report, Pennsylvania led the nation last year in animal-collision claims. Those unpleasant statistics also peg the odds of a Pennsylvania driver hitting a deer or other large animal at 1 in 58, also one of the highest rates in the country. Few drivers in our region probably must be reminded of the likelihood of deer being hazards on the highway. If you haven’t had the misfortune of actually hitting a deer, it’s highly likely that you’ve had at least a close call or two with a deer dashing across ...

Getting you prepared for fall turkey hunting

Hunting for turkeys in the fall has been a tradition from before the pioneers landed at Plymouth Rock. We wait for it religiously, and I couldn’t find the right ammunition this season for my new shotgun. Oh well. The old 12 gauge is very good at helping me bag my Thanksgiving bird. It seems quite possible that we will be hunting them in the snow this year. That opens up a great possibility of bumping into a flock because you can come upon tracks in the snow and still hunt those tracks until you hear or see them in the distance. Spring and fall turkey hunting methods differ so ...

Viral diseases threaten small-game populations

When I started hunting, small-game hunting seemed almost as popular as deer season. We eagerly awaited the middle of October and the opportunity to tramp the woods and fields looking for rabbits, grouse or pheasants. Not only were they great fun to hunt but also wonderful eating after returning home with some weight in the game bag on an autumn afternoon. The first animal I bagged in my hunting career was a rabbit, and I remember it like it was last week. But some of my fondest small-game memories were days afield shared with three or four good friends working together to find our ...

Grouse hunting for experts

Grouse hunters — who hope for good weather for the opener of the season this Saturday — have forever been looked upon as the elite among small game hunters. And why not? Most consider grouse as the king of game birds. The flavor of grouse is exquisite, as is the sight of those purists who hunt grouse exclusively. I know a few of this type and they belong with the fly-fishing purists. The finest shotguns grace their cabinets and their pressed canvas trousers, vests and other regalia signify that they haunt briars and thickets in search of Pennsylvania’s state bird. Like ...