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Wildfires killed sequoias population

The Associated Press SEQUOIA NATIONAL PARK, Calif. — At least a tenth of the world’s mature giant sequoia trees were destroyed by a single California wildfire that tore through the southern Sierra Nevada last year, according to a draft report prepared by scientists with the National Park Service. The Visalia Times-Delta newspaper obtained a copy of the report that describes catastrophic destruction from the Castle Fire, which charred 273 square miles of timber in Sequoia National Park. Researchers used satellite imagery and modeling from previous fires to determine that between ...

Bishop Carroll grads honored by Game Commission

From Mirror reports Pennsylvania Game Commission Southwest Region Director Jason Farabaugh recently announced the promotion of two officers to supervisory positions and the lateral transfer of one existing supervisor for the Southwest Region. Seth Mesoras has been selected to serve as the Information and Education Supervisor and Matthew Lucas has been selected to serve as the Land Management Supervisor. Also, one current supervisor, Patrick Snickles, recently lateraled from the Information and Education Supervisor position and now serves as the Conservation Administration ...

Wolf kill laws push to revive protections

By Matthew Brown The Associated Press BILLINGS, Mont. — Wildlife advocates pressed the Biden administration this past week to revive federal protections for gray wolves across the Northern Rockies after Republican lawmakers in Idaho and Montana made it much easier to kill the predators. The Center for Biological Diversity, Humane Society and Sierra Club filed a legal petition asking Interior Secretary Deb Haaland to use her emergency authority to return thousands of wolves in the region to protection under the Endangered Species Act. Republican lawmakers pushed through ...

Everyone has a favorite ‘What’s my line?’

By Walt Young For the Mirror Fishing line is the direct connection between an angler and the fish he has captured. Choosing the proper line for where and what you are fishing for can be vitally important for success, not to mention promoting an enjoyable time on the water. Three types of fishing line are currently popular for basic freshwater fishing for bass, trout, panfish and other species using spinning and bait-casting tackle: monofilament, fluorocarbon and braid. Each type has its own set of characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages. Most older anglers likely grew up ...

Several reminders sent out for turkey hunters

HARRISBURG — The Pennsylvania Game Commission wants every spring turkey hunter in the state to attach their tag to the leg of a big gobbler, but to do so, all need to be sure they have their licenses with them while hunting. Hunters in every season must carry their valid general licenses and proper identification. And harvest tags must be carried in any season during which harvested game must be tagged. A recently adopted change to be enacted next license year will allow hunters to carry digital licenses as an alternative to carrying certain paper licenses. But even when this ...

Man survives bear mauling

By Mark Thiessen The Associated Press ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Allen Minish was alone and surveying land for a real estate agent in a wooded, remote part of Alaska, putting some numbers into his GPS unit when he looked up and saw a large brown bear walking about 30 feet (9 meters) away. “I saw him and he saw me at the same time, and it’s scary,” Minish said by phone Wednesday from his hospital bed in Anchorage, a day after being mauled by the bear in a chance encounter. The mauling left Minish with a crushed jaw, a puncture wound in his scalp so deep that the doctor said he ...