Outdoors category, Page 17
Fly Fishing Museum inducting Chauncy Lively into hall of fameVideo
It’s a celebration of one man’s life. But it’s more than that, too. The Pennsylvania Fly Fishing Museum Association is inducting Chauncy Lively into its hall of fame in a special ceremony Feb. 29 in Mars. That recognition is really just the centerpiece for a celebration of all things Western...
Determining backpack weight and more outdoor newsVideo
Take a quick look around the outdoors world with a tip, a new piece of gear and more: Tip of the week Pack light. That’s the mantra of the backpacker. But what does that mean? Do you really have to cut off the last three inches off your toothbrush’s handle,...
Number of Pennsylvania chronic wasting disease cases grows againVideo
This isn’t good news by any means. The Pennsylvania Game Commission found more deer with chronic wasting disease in 2019 than the year before. And that’s with some counting still left to do. Hunters will know soon how the agency plans to deal with that. The commission unveiled a draft...
Outdoors notices for Feb. 16, 2020
Outdoors Notices RIFLE LEAGUES • In the Allegheny Valley Rifle League on Feb. 7, Murrysville (7-7) defeated Butler (8-6), 1,169-1,160, in the A-team standings. In the B-team division, Murrysville (7.5-6.5) defeated Butler (6-8), 1,148-1,095. Butler’s Kevin Dufford shot 296 to earn high individual honors. Butler’s Bob Doverspike was the high...
Fishing’s leaky bucket and more outdoor newsVideo
Take a quick look around the outdoors world with a tip, a fishing lure and more: Tip of the week Interest in recreational shooting is on the increase across America, with many of the newcomers, younger ones in particular, focused on handguns. But which one to buy? Walk into any...
Test and Review: BioLite HeadLamp 200 provides lightweight optionVideo
If you enjoy channeling your inner coal miner when roaming woods and trails in the dark, move along. This isn’t the headlamp for you. But if seeing well enough to cook dinner, set up your tent or walk to your treestand without tripping over rocks and roots are priorities, well,...
How to use pup distress calls to target coyotesVideo
It’s not exactly going out on a limb to say Al Morris is a passionate predator hunter. Make that visibly passionate. The three-time world coyote calling champion is one of the hosts of FOXPRO Furtakers on the Outdoor Channel. He travels all over the country for the show. Watch the...
Whitetail Report shows America’s hunters taking more, older bucksVideo
Get two hunters together anywhere, anytime, and one question is more likely to come up than any other. Did you get your buck? In South Carolina, the answer is likely yes, at least lately. In 2018, the most recent year for which data is available, 79% of licensed Palmetto State...
Out-of-sight: Pa. anglers don’t have to wear fishing licenses
Fishing licenses no longer need to be visible on anglers’ clothing as the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is soon ending the longtime regulation. “With this change, we’re making things more convenient for our anglers,” Tim Schaeffer, commission executive director, said in a press release. Apparently, there have been some...
Outdoors notices for Feb. 9, 2020
Outdoors Notices RIFLE LEAGUES • In the Allegheny Valley Rifle League on Jan. 31, Murrysville (6-7) defeated Clymer (6-7), 1,170-1,163, and Butler (8-5) beat Fort Hand (6-7), 1,163-1,159, in the A-team standings. In the B-team division, Murrysville (6.5-6.5) defeated Clymer (11-2), 1,151-1,149, and Fort Hand (2.5-10.5) beat Butler (6-7), 1,109-1,099....
Bobcats a beautiful species making a big comebackVideo
The clock is ticking for bobcats in North America. Not in the sense that they’re in trouble. Far from it. Bobcats were scarce as recently as the 1970s. Deforestation, development, changes in agricultural practices and even bounties hammered the population. But things are dramatically different. A decade ago, researchers with...
Voluntary fishing permits sell better than hoped; plans for funds revealedVideo
This worked out about as well as could have been expected. And maybe better. Late in 2018, Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission officials created four voluntary permits meant to raise funds for fish habitat work, research, angler surveys and more. They started marketing them earnestly early in 2019. One permit,...
Backyard bird count and more outdoor newsVideo
Take a quick look around the outdoors world with a tip, a new piece of gear and more: Tip of the week Compared to the cost of a rifle and optics you mount on it, scope rings are fairly inexpensive. But to get the most from your firearm, you still...
A canoe camping checklist for every paddlerVideo
Imagine the movie “Wild Hogs,” but with four kayaks and a single canoe replacing the motorcycles. That’s what our trip was like. Well, sort of. We’re a half-dozen middle-aged guys — trending hard and fast toward old — and last summer’s float was an attempt to add a little adventure...
Pennsylvania hunters killed record 4,653 black bears in 2019
HARRISBURG — Wildlife authorities say Pennsylvania hunters killed 4,653 black bears last year, setting a new record. The Pennsylvania Game Commission said Monday the total is far above last year’s total of 3,153, which was the 11th highest total recorded but was also the lowest in almost a dozen years....
Troubling trends in outdoor recreation participationVideo
Maybe you’ve seen it in the news lately. America is facing a potential french fry shortage because of a poor potato crop. Couch potatoes remain plentiful, though. In fact, some new data suggests that — for the first time in years — while participation in outdoor recreation remains high, the...
Outdoors notices for Feb. 2, 2020
Outdoors Notices RIFLE LEAGUES • In the Allegheny Valley Rifle League on Jan. 24, Murrysville (5-7) defeated Fort Hand (6-6), 1,166-1,158, and Butler (7-5) beat Clymer (6-6), 1,167-1,166, in the A-team standings. In the B-team division, Murrysville (5.5-6.5) defeated Fort Hand (1.5-10.5), 1,138-1,080, and Clymer (11-1) beat Butler (6-6), 1,151-1,080....
A twist on Leave No Trace and more outdoor newsVideo
Take a quick look around the outdoors world with a tip, a fishing lure and more: Tip of the week Anyone who camps, especially off the beaten path, has heard it: practice “leave no trace” principles. That implies getting to a spot, doing your thing, then leaving in such a...
To catch fish, you have to find fish — here’s howVideo
The feeling probably is comparable to that of a prospector who discovers a gold nugget at the bottom of his pan. You’re at a flea market, perhaps, or an estate sale. Wandering among old furniture, tools and the odds and ends of a life not your own, you stumble upon...
Changes to Pennsylvania’s deer season and more appear likelyVideo
Another Saturday opener, the Sunday following and two weeks of concurrent buck and doe hunting. Those are just a few of the highlights that could define Pennsylvania’s statewide firearms deer season this fall. And that’s not all. Additional changes could be coming to bear, archery deer, turkey, raccoon and squirrel...
Saturday opener for deer boosted Pennsylvania hunting license salesVideo
Moving opening day of Pennsylvania’s statewide firearms deer season for the first time in 60 years helped the Game Commission sell more licenses in 2019 than in ’18. The question is whether that’s enough. For decades, opening day always fell on the Monday after Thanksgiving. Last year, commissioners bumped the...
Outdoors notices for Jan. 26, 2020
Outdoors Notices RIFLE LEAGUES • In the Allegheny Valley Rifle League on Jan. 17, Murrysville (4-7) defeated Butler (6-5), 1,164-1,153, and Fort Hand (6-5) beat Clymer (6-5), 1,164-1,162, in the A-team standings. In the B-team division, Murrysville (4.5-6.5) defeated Butler (6-5), 1,153-1,080, and Clymer (10-1) beat Fort Hand (1.5-9.5), 1,150-1,080....
Pro tips to enjoy more success jigging walleyesVideo
Hitting rock bottom generally is considered a bad thing. But not always in Dean Cushman’s world. He’s a Michigan-based guide with Hardcore Charters and an instructor with teachinfishin.com. When he’s not on the water fishing, he’s traveling the country educating others on how to do it. And jig fishing the...
A DIY fishing net tip good for fish, fishermenVideo
Looking for ways to increase your stress levels, raise your blood pressure and put a real shine on your cursing skills? There’s an easy way to do it Starting this spring, go fishing. Pursue a species that likes to thrash — I mean really go wild — at the side...
Outdoor gear storage solutions for home, garageVideo
This, I’m finding, is how the other half lives. No, we’re not talking finances. My wife and I haven’t suddenly come into any wealth. But space, well, that’s another matter. We married relatively young and had two sons in short order. As a result, we went from renting an apartment...
