Outdoors category, Page 13
Trout season will look different as pandemic alters rules, regulations
As warmer weather moves into our region, many fishermen are looking forward to trout season, which begins in less than two weeks in Pennsylvania. Due to the ongoing covid-19 pandemic, however, anglers can expect seasons, rules and regulations to be substantially different than in previous years, which means a little...
Cold snap kills several hundred fish in Unity’s Saint Vincent Lake, state says
Several hundred gizzard shad fish were found dead in Saint Vincent Lake this week, officials with the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission confirmed. An officer from the Southwest Regional Law Enforcement office was notified Monday of the fish kill, according to Mike Parker, spokesman for the commission. Parker said the...
Photographer captures images of river otter in Monongahela RiverVideo
Lisa Kaufman had her camera set to capture some migrating Northern shoveler ducks on the Monongahela River recently, in Pittsburgh’s Duck Hollow neighborhood, when a movement near the bank caught her eye. She pointed her camera and for 19 seconds got to see a rarity: a river otter. “This guy...
Pa. Game Commission says game-law violations dip slightly
Wildlife game law violations dipped slightly last fiscal year compared to the year before, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s recently released 2020 annual report. The Game Commission said it pursued 6,708 prosecutions for alleged game-law violations during the fiscal year that ended June 30, down 1.7% from the year...
Pennsylvania commission begins stocking fish ahead of trout seasonVideo
Members of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, along with a few volunteers, braved the snowy weather this month as they began placing trout in streams and lakes across the state in preparation for the beginning of trout season April 3. Overall, 3.2 million trout will be stocked across 700...
ATV/snowmobile fever: Westmoreland, Allegheny lead Pennsylvania in registrations
As the U.S. Forest Service has opened up ATV and off-road vehicle permits for the Allegheny National Forest, the state reports that its licenses for these sports vehicles continue to trend upwards. The U.S. Forest Service offers permits for off-road vehicles to use federal forests, including the region’s closest federal...
Want to hike 35 miles on longest day of the year? Rachel Carson Challenge is on
While the pandemic caused a flurry of event cancellations last year, some outdoor outings are a “go” this summer, including the 24th Rachel Carson Trail Challenge. The 35-mile trek though rugged, hilly terrain only adds to the challenge of the event, which will start in Harrison Hills Park in Harrison...
Trout group to study Westmoreland County’s Linn Run
A fishing organization plans an extensive two-year study of the wild trout in Linn Run and the impacts on their habitat, from the stream’s headwaters atop Laurel Summit, down through Linn Run State Park in Cook Township to where it empties into Loyalhanna Creek in Rector. The Forbes Trail Chapter...
Johnstown Rotarian will hike the Appalachian Trail to help fight polioVideo
When Owen Standley set out to lose a little weight, walking 2,200 miles along the Appalachian Trail was not the plan. But when Standley, 34, of Ferndale, Cambria County, joined his wife in a diet and exercise plan, it included a journaling assignment to list something he thought he could...
Pennsylvania offers hunting, fishing, boating licenses via new website
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission and the state Game Commission have teamed up to offer one website for residents to buy hunting and fishing licenses. HuntFishPA replaces the previous Pennsylvania Automatic Licensing System (PALS) platform known as The Outdoor Shop. It’s accessible on all mobile devices. Previously, licenses for...
Pennsylvania proposes more species for Sunday hunting in November
The Pennsylvania Game Commission proposed three Sundays in November when licensed hunters will be able to harvest permitted game, repeating the Sunday hunting schedule introduced last fall. New this year, the commission plans to expand the species that hunters can target on two of those dates. During its January meeting,...
Hikers told to forgo entire Appalachian Trail due to virus
ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Hikers are being told by the agency that oversees the Appalachian Trail to postpone plans to cover the nearly 2,200-mile (3,540 kilometer) distance this year due to COVID-19. The Appalachian Trail Conservancy made the suggestion because it feels the pandemic makes long-distance hikes unsafe, the Asheville Citizen...
Pennsylvania sets early start, statewide schedule for trout season
Pennsylvania’s trout season will open earlier than usual this year, and statewide, on April 3. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission on Monday set the opening date and also approved a single statewide Mentored Youth Trout Day on March 27. As a result of the consolidation, separate regional mentored youth...
Pa. game commission proposes ‘unlimited’ antlerless tags for deer hunters statewide
Year-in and year-out, Pennsylvania’s deer hunters look forward to July, which marks the start of the antlerless deer license application process. This year, they may need to pay close attention to the process, especially if they apply for more than one or two permits, because the state is considering revamping...
Beat the winter blues with wildlife and Westmoreland’s beautiful viewsVideo
The winter of 2021 is shaping up to look much like the spring, summer and fall of 2020 — at least when it comes to most forms of in-person socializing. But one place that has remained safe for activity throughout the pandemic has been the great outdoors, and that certainly...
Kansas game warden frees tangled deer with single gunshotVideo
WICHITA, Kan. — A Kansas game warden is getting attention for a video that shows him firing a single shot from a handgun to disentangle the antlers of two whitetail stags. The Kansas Wildlife, Parks & Tourism agency released the video from the warden’s body camera showing his sharpshooting skills...
Hunting, fishing licenses will be unavailable next week as Pennsylvania updates system
Pennsylvanians who plan to go hunting or fishing in the next few weeks but have yet to get a license should do so soon, according to the state Game Commission and Fish and Boat Commission. Pennsylvania’s Automated Licensing System will be down for several days next week as it undergoes...
Trump administration scales back wild bird protections
BILLINGS, Mont. — The Trump administration on Tuesday finalized changes that weaken the government’s enforcement powers under a century-old law protecting most American wild bird species, brushing aside warnings that billions of birds could die as a result. Federal wildlife officials have acknowledged the move could result in more deaths...
Volunteers gathering at Bradford Woods Reserve for Audubon’s annual bird count
For the seventh consecutive year, the Bradford Woods Conservancy is seeking nature lovers interested in participating in the Audubon Society’s annual Christmas Bird Count on Jan. 2. A small team of conservancy members and volunteers is scheduled to be in the Bradford Woods Reserve at 10 a.m. “looking, listening and...
Hunter charged with homicide in fatal shooting at Pa. state park
BEDMINSTER — A hunter who fatally shot a man he apparently mistook for an animal at a state park has been charged with homicide and weapons counts, authorities said. Kenneth Troy Heller, 52, of Warminster made his initial court appearance Wednesday and was jailed after the judge denied him bail....
Watch those birdfeeders for rare northern finches visiting Western Pa.Video
Linda Croskey guessed it’s been about 30 years since she has seen the rare winter migrant, the evening grosbeak, show up at her birdfeeder at her West Deer home. Then, after last week’s snowstorm, Croskey was elated to see at her feeder the rare visitor. It looks like an overgrown...
Pa. game commission plans to release 23,000 pheasants
The state game commission plans to release 23,000 pheasants on Dec. 22-23, as part of the seventh and final release of 2020. Pheasant hunting is open across Pennsylvania. All hunting is closed on Christmas, but the season reopens on Dec. 26 and continues through Feb. 27. “These pheasant releases just...
Coronavirus safe: Online sales of fishing licenses double, 2021 licenses now available
Buoyed by a 20% increase in fishing license purchases this year over 2019, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is offering fishing licenses for 2021, which are also valid for this month. Although fishing licenses are still available through local bait and sporting goods stores, the commission is promoting the...
Pennsylvania deer hunters to be afield Saturday, Sunday in firearms season for 1st time
For the first time in Pennsylvania history, deer hunters will be able to hunt for a full weekend during the statewide firearms deer season. Hunters will go afield Saturday throughout the commonwealth for the opening day of firearms season for the second consecutive year. Then, those who don’t fill their...
Pennsylvania firearms hunting season for bear closes as 2020 bear kill tops 3,100
Hunters killed 78 black bears on Tuesday, the final day of the 2020 firearms hunting season for bear, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. That bumped the total harvest for the four-day season to 1,155 — a relatively low number for the firearms season — and to 3,135 for all...
