The Outdoors Insider

That time of the year again

It was so hot out this past weekend, the only thing that kept me from pitching a tent atop an air conditioning vent was the thought that, soon enough, I’ll be freezing my toes off in a tree stand. While Mother Nature is doing her best to test our sweating ability, hunters can cool off with the thought that the season is not all that far off. In fact, this year’s licenses are already on sale and our chance to grab an antlerless tag (an annual tradition for many), is just around the corner.

Pennsylvania residents will have their first shot at doe tags in just a couple of weeks, when county treasurers begin accepting applications on Monday, July 12.  Non-residents will have to wait an extra two weeks to send in their pink envelopes. If you typically procrastinate and put off sending in your $6.70 check, you may not want to hesitate this year. There are significantly fewer tags available across the state.

Here at home, in wildlife management unit 5B, the Game Commission allocated 50,812 tags. It’s not a huge reduction from last year’s 51,000 tag allotment, but if you are the fellow that sends in application number 50,813, it will feel like a big deal. The biggest reduction in tags, as expected, comes from the “Big Woods” region of the state. Unit 2G, which covers parts of Clinton, Potter and Centre counties as well as others, saw its tags cut from 26,000 to just 15,210 tags.

The price of a license hasn’t changed. If you want the standard resident license, it will cost you $20.70. Prices start to rise as you add more tags. $16.70 for archery. $11.70 for muzzleloader. And add in another $16.70 if you want a shot at a bear.

All too soon, the heat will dissipate, the leaves will fall and we will once again be wiggling our toes trying to entice them not scream in pain. A great way to beat the heat and refresh some memories of much colder days is to pull out your old license and insert a fresh one.

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A day to celebrate

Tomorrow is National Hunting and Fishing Day, a day when the nation officially celebrates its sporting heritage. While it’s not an official holiday and we certainly don’t get a day free from work or school, it is a day worth celebrating.

There is no better way to commemorate the nation’s hunting and fishing history than to ensure its future by introducing a youngster to our sport. If the weatherman is correct, tomorrow should be a fantastic day to get a kid on the water or in the fields.

For anglers, there are all sorts of opportunities. I know firsthand the Susquehanna River had plenty of smallmouth bass to go around earlier this week. But if the river is not your first choice, how about Pinchot Lake or Lake Williams? And Lake Marburg to the west has some great potential. With some overcast skies in the forecast, it should be a good day to drown a worm or two.

While hunting season is not quite in high gear, there are a few hunting opportunities. Dove hunting is open through tomorrow and groundhog hunting is always a great way to get a young hunter excited and involved.

But there are plenty of ways to get a youngster outdoors and active without a rod or a gun. September is a beautiful time of the year to be in Penn’s Woods.

But if you ask me, we don’t need a special day just to celebrate the sport. Every day we get outdoors is worth celebrating.

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Ready for Round Two?

It is time for round number two. If you submitted your application for the first round of antlerless tags, there is a good chance the little yellow piece of paper has already wound up in your mailbox. If you want a shot at a second tag, now is the time to take action.

Here is York County, we are in WMU 5B, along with all of Lancaster and parts of Dauphin, Berks and Lebanon Counties. Because this is a farily densely populated region, the Game Commission has allotted 51,000 tags for the unit in an effort to keep the herd at a healthy size. So far, 18,596 tags have been handed out. That means there are still over 32,000 tags up for grabs.

If you have not submitted your tag for the first round of applications, you had better do it now. When the second round opens tomorrow, August 3, they are going to run out quick.

Already, three of the state’s 22 WMUs have sold their entire allocation. As usual, the “Big Woods” area of the state, WMU 2G, sold out first, followed by WMU 2F and most recently, 1B in the northwestern part of the state.

While plenty of hunters oppose taking antlerless deer, there is no doubt it is an important aspect of managing a healthy herd. If you want to take part in the action, send in those applications now. There is not much more time left.

Remember, archery season is just two months away, even sooner for some parts of the state.

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Boating’s most dangerous time of the year

We are just a few days into March and already have more boating fatalities than necessary. Last Friday, a man died in the Susquehanna, just yards from the safety of the eastern shore. And I am sure we have all heard about the missing NFL anglers and their friend. While these deaths are tragic and have the prayers and thoughts of the boating community, they should not have happened.

This is one of the most dangerous times of the year to be on the water, especially on local waterways. The air temperature may be seductively warm, but water temperatures are still brutally cold. Spend just a few minutes bobbing in a local lake or river and it will not matter if you are wearing a life jacket. The frigid water will suck the life out of you. Without a life jacket, you will be lucky if your survival is measured in minutes.

Another threat to boaters is the fact that many folks have not been on boat since early last fall. Your first trip of the year should not be your last. We all know it takes a few launches to get our “sea legs” back each year. Be aware of this fact and prepare for it. Make the first few trips easy ones.
During winter’s last days, be prepared. Know the weather forecasts. Tell somebody where you are going. Dress in layers. Wear your life jacket. And most importantly, know your limitations. If your boating skills are not up to par or you are still unsure of your boat’s capabilities, do not take any chances. There is always tomorrow.

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Some snow may be just what we need

It looks like March is going to come roaring in like a lion. Now we just have to hope the rest of the month is as quiet as a lamb. This is a tough month for fans of the outdoors. Trying to plan any activity outside is like trying to predict the nightly lottery numbers. You never know what the weather is going to do.

Last week, we enjoyed weather in the mid 50s. Now, we are sharpening our snow shovels and buying bread and milk.

While tonight’s snow is not expected to be anywhere close to a major storm, it will give us some precipitation that will certainly benefit the area’s angler, especially those of us that love to wave a fly rod this time of the year. With some cool, snow runoff bound to be filling the area’s creeks and streams over the next week or so, we have a chance to take advantage of some of the area’s fantastic late-winter trout fishing.

You can bet the folks that line the banks of the Yellow Breeches and Muddy Creek will be drooling as soon as the snow starts falling. As for me, I’ll be thinking of fishing every time a take another scoop of snow off my driveway.

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Back home and ready to hunt

Doesn’t the crisp weather feel great? Fall is finally here and hunting season is in full swing. Waking up to frost on my windshield and fresh leaves in the yard reminds me that deer season is just around the corner. In just over two weeks, the state’s deer hunters will take to the woods and another chapter in a great Pennsylvania tradition will be under way.

I still have plenty of work to do before the season opener. My new wife (not that I have an old one) and I just moved back from another season working in Alaska and are finally settled into our new house. Now, we are surrounded by Penn’s woods and are just minutes away from the Susquehanna River and its famous smallmouth bass.

Even though we still have boxes to unpack and all sorts of missing items to find, I have my rifles laid out and am ready to put a few holes in some targets. The area’s few remaining public rifle ranges are already packed with anxious hunters, so I will dial in my scope behind the house.

After that, I have to sort through all my miscellaneous hunting gear. I have the major stuff, like my tree stands and cold weather gear, safely tucked away, but it is the small stuff that seems to have mysteriously disappeared.

I must admit, though, I am not looking too hard. What I cannot find will simply have to be replaced by another trip to one of those outdoors stores we all drool over. I am sure if I hit enough of them, I will find everything I could possibly need.

My second summer of guiding in Alaska for salmon, halibut and trout was three of the best months of my life (I will certainly post more about it), but it looks like we are back in York to stay. I cannot wait to spend a summer fishing my old summertime holes.

Yes, it feels good to be home.

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A few steps back

It looks like this is going to be another one of those battles when we take two steps forward and one step back. Just a few days ago, gun rights advocates were celebrating a major legislative victory. But the smiles did not last for long. We won in Harrisburg, but now we have to take the fight to Philadelphia.

Apparently, Phillie thinks it is separate from the laws that govern the rest of the state.  Why else would it want to write its own gun laws and introduce stricter firearms legislation? Even though it knows state lawmakers will shoot down any separate gun legislation, Philadelphia’s city council is working to pass a nine-bill package that would further restrict firearms ownership within city limits.

Fortunately, most folks realize the council’s fight is a waste of time. The nation’s Supreme Court has already hinted that it will rule individual municipalities do not have the right to restrict citizens from owning guns.  Those laws are up to the state and ultimately the Constitution. 

It is obvious the battle is not over in Pennsylvania. But we are making progress.  Much of the action is due to the nearly 250,000 National Rifle Association members in the state and their loud collective voice.  With that many folks standing up for what they believe in, it is hard for our elected officials not to pay attention.

If you want to ensure your voice is heard, do not forget to attend the gun rally in Harrisburg next week on April 7.  It is a great opportunity to stand up for your rights. 

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They did something right

There is good news out of the state’s capital today. A highly unnecessary piece of anti-gun legislation was voted on and shot down.  It is a sign our elected officials are headed in the right direction.

You may have heard about House Bill 1845.  It was introduced by David Levdansky (D-39) and called for all firearms owners to report a lost or stolen firearm or face criminal punishment.  It was a piece of fluff legislation that would do nothing to help this state’s real issues.  The bill merely simply turns a once-innocent victim of a crime into a criminal himself.  You should be glad to see the bill was voted down 128 to 75.

There were two amendments to HB 175.  Both of them were passed through the House.  And once again, you should be glad your representatives did the right thing.  The first amendment allows concealed weapons permit holders to carry their weapons onto state park land.  It passed with a vote of 197 to 5. There is no reason an honest American can not carry a gun everywhere he goes.

The second amendment, which passed unanimously, is the most optimistic piece of legislation in the bill.  It prohibits any government agency from confiscating or regulating firearms during a state of emergency.  You may recall the NRA was outraged after New Orleans officials confiscated guns in the days following Hurricane Katrina.  HB 175 ensures similar actions never happen in the Commonwealth.

I am excited to see our representatives making wise votes. It shows, at least for now, that they have our best interests in mind and the voice of the state’s gun owners is being heard.  We still have many battles ahead, but it looks like we are winning the war. 

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Are you going to eat that?

Although the past season may not have been has bountiful as many would have hoped, there are still thousands of lucky hunters out there with a freezer full of venison.  Pulling a nice roast, steak or strap out of the freezer is a treat that lasts far longer than the thrill of the hunt.  But what if I told you that wild meat may be contaminated?

I was lucky enough to spend the last few days on 4,000-acre ranch in North Dakota.  We all know it is nearly impossible for any red-blooded American man to spend that much time on that much acreage without spending at least a few minutes talking about hunting.  Fortunately, my fiance’s brother, Colter, is an avid hunter and more than filled my daily quota of hunting chat.

It is always fun to head to another area of the country and learn about the topics of discussion in their hunting community.  Here in North Dakota, one of the latest controversies is the safety of bullet-killed game.  It is turning into quite the story.

Recently, two doctors from Bismarck conducted CT scans on 100-pounds of fresh deer meat.  They found dangerous levels of lead in about 60% of the meat.  Today’s high-velocity big-game shells appear to be the problem.  Because the lead is traveling at such a high speed and is nearly liquid as it slams into a deer, it easily travels throughout its entire body. 

The findings were enough to cause a bit of a local panic.  Food pantries pulled donated venison from their shelves and many hunters are tossing their meat.  Does this mean you should?  It is up to you, but I’d wouldn’t.  After all, we have been eating the meat for generations. Health officials merely warn hunters to limit themselves to moderate quantities, while pregnant women and children under the age of six should avoid any meat that may have high levels of lead.

As for me, I am not concerned.  It is just another reason to buy that new bow I have been eyeing. 

One thing is for sure.  I bet we will be hearing a lot more about this interesting story. 

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Opening day is almost here

The big day is just a couple of days away.  The trout have been stocked, the reels have been spooled, and the hooks have been sharpened.  Now all we need is the clock to strike 8:00 on Saturday morning and the 2008 trout season will be underway.

Unfortunately, we have to deal with a fairly strong cold front in the meantime.  If the forecasts are right, we could get as much as an inch of rain between now and opening morning.  While any significant rain before the season opener is always frowned upon, it could be worse.  At least it will not be raining on Saturday.

The creeks may be high and muddy on Friday, but they should be settling down by the time any lines are cast on Saturday.  If history is any indicator, the falling levels will actual help entice the fish to bite.  After two days of murky water and little food, the trout will be eager to grab an easy meal as the water clears up.

If you read my column this week, you will know I am headed out of town this weekend.  It will be the first season opener I have missed in years.  But it is okay.  I may miss the opening-day festivities, but there will still be plenty of good fishing to be had once I get back.  The Fish and Boat Commission and other local organizations do an excellent job of keeping the area’s streams and lakes filled with trout throughout the season.

For details of when your favorite waterway will receive a fresh dose of fish, check out this link: http://pfbc.state.pa.us/pfbc_webgis/TroutStockingDetails.aspx

And for more details and regulations about this year’s trout season, here’s another handy link: http://www.fish.state.pa.us/fact_fast_trout.htm

I will see you on the water.  Enjoy the season!

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