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Outdoors

Area man makes splash in MLF event

By John Hartsock jhartsock@altoonamirror.com Ken Thompson has been fishing for bass since the age of 14 and began fishing in competitive events at the age of 16. Now 35 years old, Thompson — a 2006 graduate of Northern Bedford County High School who now lives in Roaring Spring — has some pretty lofty goals in mind concerning his favorite pastime. Thompson, who entered the Major League Fishing organization’s Toyota Series this year, is aiming to qualify for both the MLF Pro Tour in 2024 and the Toyota Series National Championship event this November at Table Rock Lake in ...

Studies of CWD will be beneficial

By Shirley Grenoble sports@altoonamirror.com Like scores of other hunters, I returned from last season’s deer season quite disappointed. The gang I hunt with were feeling the same because we hunted hard every day except for a couple of really rainy days. And we barely saw any deer at all, much less bag any. As usual, every excuse for the shortage of deer was trotted out — every hunter has his or her own opinions on why the deer season had diminished. The one I didn’t hear and did not myself think of is that dreaded word CWD. The chatter about it had quieted down the last ...

Trout stocking set to start

Those wonderful unseasonably warm days last week undoubtedly had many folks longing for the onset of spring. And many of the anglers among us were probably thinking about the opening of trout season. The first day of trout season now happens on the first Saturday of April each year, about two weeks earlier than the traditional mid-April opener that had been in place for generations. This year, trout season will begin on Saturday, April 1 with the Mentored Youth Trout Day on Saturday, March 25. With trout season starting two weeks earlier, the trout stocking schedules have been ...

PGC: Hunters harvest 3,170 bears in 2022 seasons

From Mirror reports Pennsylvania hunters harvested some tremendous black bears in the 2022 seasons, including three of more than 700 pounds and 11 more that topped 600 pounds. Those were among 3,170 taken overall. That was down from 3,621 in 2021, but still enough to rank the harvest as the 14th largest all time. Pennsylvania’s all-time best bear season came in 2019, when hunters harvested 4,653. Hunters in 2022 took bears in 58 of the state’s 67 counties and 22 of its 23 Wildlife Management Units. Notably, the harvest was spread out — more evenly than ever before — ...

Wild Game Feast returns to Altoona

It’s a real pleasure to announce once again the popular Wild Game Feast hosted each year by the Altoona Alliance Church located at 3220 Pleasant Valley Blvd. next to Planet Fitness. After a hiatus because of COVID, the 16th annual installment of this worthwhile event will be held on Saturday, March 18. The buffet style meal will include a variety of delicious wild-game dishes, including elk, moose, bear, deer, rabbit, pheasant and fish, along with sides, desserts and drinks. And there are always some “regular” foods like store-bought turkey and hot dogs. The featured speaker ...

Nature can be enjoyed, even in cold weather

The groundhog told us to expect six more weeks of winter the other day. I imagine that put our moods in a state of euphoria — I am sure! Actually, I try to use the time during the winter period to do some scouting for upcoming seasons. A light snow on the ground is perfect. Ice is not. There is much to see and hear at this time of year. Shed deer antlers lying wherever they fall off a buck’s head is one treasure to find. I was deer hunting about 15 years ago in Alabama and found a great looking shed, and I brought it home and still have it. It’s a time to pay attention to ...