The Outdoors Insider

Forget the rivalry for one night

I am torn. On one hand there is a great kid-focused outdoors event. And on the other… York’s rival in the War of the Roses, the Lancaster Barnstormers. While I would love to see the Game Commission bring its “youth hunter appreciation night” to the other side of the Susquehanna, I’m not going to let a hometown rivalry stop me from spreading the word about a great event.

Plus, I really want one of those hats.

If you have young children or are merely interested in helping the state’s youth become more involved in our sport, mark your calendars for August 31. That’s the night the Game Commission and the Lancaster Barnstormers are teaming up to help introduce youngsters to the sport of hunting. When the gates open at 5:00 p.m. at Clipper Magazine Stadium, kids from 8-12 years old will have a chance to test their archery and shooting skills with various events set up in the stadium’s outfield. There will even be shooting events (with simulators, of course) throughout the game.

Best of all, those hats. Sure to be a collector’s dream, the first 2,000 kids through the gate will get a blaze orange hunting hat, with the Barnstormer’s logo on the front and the Game Commission’s keystone on the back. In case it’s not already clear, I want one.
To top it all off, the home team will sport special camouflage jersey that will be up for action (along with some other interesting items), with the proceeds going to help fund an upcoming youth field day.

To read more, follow this link. The Barnstormers may be a hometown rival, but the state’s youth, no matter what baseball team they cheer for, deserve an opportunity like this. Besides that, nobody said you can’t wear a Revolution t-shirt to the game.

Popularity: 29% [?]

Now’s the time

If you didn’t realize today was the day to get your antlerless applications to the county’s treasurer, a quick trip to a locals sporting goods store over the weekend would have been an easy reminder. With a day’s worth of rain on Saturday, I decided to hit up some of my favorite local spots to check out some of the latest gear and see if I could convince my wife I needed to take some of it home.

Everywhere I went, one thing was obvious — the line extending from the hunting license counter. Last-minute shoppers were getting their back tags and stuffing those precious pink envelopes into the mail (along with a check for $6.70) in hopes of getting a tag before they run out. One fellow said he was in line for over a half hour.
If you didn’t get your application in just yet, chances are, you’ve still got time. In some of the tighter management units like 2G, where there are just 9,000 tags left, you’d better get in gear. But here at home, unit 5B, last look shows some 50,285 tags available. It’s more than enough for a few weeks worth of procrastinators.

To keep your eye on the action, check out the Game Commission’s daily tabulation of license availability by clicking here.

Popularity: 42% [?]

A life-saving decision

It is amazing how a last-minute decision can change your life. At some point, anybody that has spent time outdoors had a decision to make — shell out our hard-earned cash on some sort of hope-to-never-use safety equipment or take our chances without it.

With a price tag of over $800, few recreational boaters are willing to spend the money on a satellite-based emergency beacon like an EPIRB (emergency position indicating radio beacon). With fuel and tackle costs to worry about, a rarely used piece of emergency equipment is near the bottom of the must-have list.

That’s what a California trio of boaters thought when the planned their offshore adventure on 32-foot sailboat. But a worrisome father knew better. That’s why, at the last minute, he spent $65 to rent an EPIRB for a week and sent it out to sea with his daughter. It turned out to be a lifesaving decision. 

While the weather was calm on the East Coast last weekend, in northern California, it was blowing a gale, pushing seas up to 20 feet. It got so bad, it was obvious to the three boaters their lives were in serious danger. Moments after summoning help by activating their rented EPIRB, the high seas flipped their boat, tossing them into the Pacific’s frigid waters.

Within minutes of hitting a switch on the beacon, the Coast Guard was on their way with an MH-65C Dolphin helicopter to pluck the overboard sailors from the water.  Even with the quick response, the female boater was in trouble, with her body temperature dropping to 79 degrees.

There is no doubt, her father’s last-minute decision to spend some money and pack an EPIRB saved all three lives. Money is tight, but when lives are on the line, there is no substitute for having the proper equipment. 

Popularity: 43% [?]

What it takes to protect liberty

It has been a good week on two fronts. First, because I found a way to put some extra scratch in your pocket. And second, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of all of us firearm owners.

It turns out, it pays to have a PA fishing license, at least if you take advantage of the offer from Shakespeare, the popular fishing tackle manufacturer. The company is offering $10 in cash to anybody that spends more than $30 on its products and can prove they have a fishing license. Really, it’s a win-win situation. You get new fishing stuff AND a few bucks back in your pocket.

I have nothing to do with the offer, just wanted to pass it along. Click here for details.

As for the Supreme Court’s 5-4 decision on McDonald vs. Chicago, bully for the SCOTUS for finally backing the individual’s right to bear arms. But it’s those four dissenting votes that have me worried. As we’ve heard so many times this week, the nation was just a heartbeat away from enduring the freedom-eroding pain of even tighter firearms restrictions.

While this week’s decision was a major victory, it is certainly not the final chapter in the Second Amendment debate. The NRA won’t be closing its doors, declaring permanent victory anytime soon.
As we prepare to celebrate the nation’s independence this weekend, take time to remember what it means. This week’s case was a prime example of what it takes to protect our individual liberty — hard work and dedication.

Popularity: 47% [?]