Williamsport

Explore scenic bike trails, bogs in Cape Cod

OUTDOORS

Page F-7

WILLIAMSPORT SUN-GAZETTE Sunday, September 19, 2010

F

W

By JESSICA WELSHANS jwelshans@sungazette.com

here do you turn if you make a living writing, photographing, painting or televising the great outdoors in Pennsylvania?

Try the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association for a little camaraderie and professional support.

The association has the same objective as it did in the 1950s when it first was organized — to promote excellence and quality in communicating about the outdoors, natural resources and outdoor recreation.

Becoming better communicators

Members of the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writersʼ Association, including Ben Moyer, top front, Tom Tatum and John Harris, on a rattlesnake search on the Pine Creek Rail Trail. The hike was part of the associationʼs annual conference May 19-22. A black phase timber rattler, inset, was the subject of much photography, as Tatum hunkers down for a shot. The hikers also learned about the rail trail from placards along its path.

JESSICA WELSHANS/Sun-Gazette

According to organizers, the association has 168 active members. They have a variety of occupations, including magazine and newspaper writers, artists, photographers, radio and television personalities, and authors. Those who market outdoor products and services can join as supporting members.

Not all of the members live in Pennsylvania.

“We have two dozen members from other states that maintain a affiliation with Pennsylvania for one reason or another,” said Fayette County resident Ben Moyer, past president and now board chairman of the group.

“The theme has always been the outdoors, in some way related to Pennsylvania. Hunting and fishing has always been the thrust of the association,” Moyer said. “In recent years, things like hiking, camping and kayak-

ing have started to be included.”

The association strives to help its members improve their craft and “become better, more knowledgeable and more highly skilled communicators,” according to the association’s website.

“Some members who may be new may have only published a few articles and some may have been doing this forever and have been published in dozen of magazines and books,” Moyer said.

Membership is based on a points system involving requirements in several categories, he said, Some members work with agencies such as the state Game or Fish and Boat commissions or the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.

Others are artists and photographers who are known nationally and internationally.

“Some have been recognized all over the world and their work has appeared in prestigious locations,” Moyer said.

“Some artists are pretty high profile.”

Members include: • Gary Alt, a former employee with the state Game Commission; • Sylvia Bashline, a writer of cookbooks; • Bob Bell, former editor of the Pennsylvania Game News; • Charles Birchfield, writer and radio broadcaster; • Bob Clark, a well known turkey hunter who is a member of the state Wild Turkey Hall of Fame; • Don Daughenbaugh, fly fisherman and Sun-Gazette columnist; • George Dvorchak, writer who specializes in firearms; • Tom Fegely, who has authored 10 books and written hundreds of stories; • Ken Hunter, artist, writer and host of television’s “PA Outdoor Life.”

• Hal Korber, videograph(See WRITERS’, Page F-2)

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

Loyalsock Trail improvement project scheduled for weekend

The Keystone Trails Association and the Alpine Club of Williamsport are sponsoring a Trail Care event on Friday, Saturday and next Sunday on a section of the Loyalsock Trail.

The public is encouraged to participate in helping to improve the trail. Work will involve digging on the sidehill, laying a rock support of the trail and clipping, clearing and blazing the trail.

Tools will be provided.

Camping is free at Worlds End State Park’s Organized Group Tenting Area, Site 3.

Volunteers should bring food and water and should report to the site on Friday evening or by 7:30 a.m. Saturday. Work will continue on Sunday morning if not completed on Saturday.

For more information, call Ruth Rode at 322-5878. If leaving a message on the answering machine, be sure to provide your phone number slowly.

Jeremy Lake, of Winburne, left, and Seth Baker, of Jersey Shore, won a bass fishing tournament last Saturday. They are Penn State University stuPHOTO PROVIDED

Jersey Shore student helps PSU bass fishing team win ERIE — A two-man team from Penn State University — including one student from Jersey Shore — won first place in the final qualifying National Guard FLW College Fishing Northern Division event Sept. 11 on Lake Erie.

Seth Baker of Jersey Shore and Jeremy Lake of Winburne caught four bass weighing 8 pounds, 12 ounces.

The victory earned the team $10,000 to be split evenly between the university and the university’s bass-fish(See COLLEGE, Page F-5)

Reviews of equipment, books and apparel geared toward outdoor enthusiasts Injinji Liner Toesock It was like putting on — well, kind of — nothing. The Injinji Liner Toesock felt like I wasn’t wearing anything between my hiking boot and my foot.

The ultra-thin, lightweight liner sock is perfect for a superhot day, when I hate wearing shoes. If I could hike in flip-flops, I would, even though I love my 5year-old broke-in hiking shoes.

I always have liked toesocks and found comfort in wearing them, but some people may not. I think they give your foot more

(See OUTWARD, Page F-5)

Outdoors

Reflections in Nature:

(From Page F-2) thinking about rabbits, just like ham and eggs.

Just listening to the beagle barking while on the hot trail of a bunny on a frosty morning is an enjoyable event in itself.

Beagles have been developed primarily for tracking rabbits. They have a keen sense of smell and often are used as detection dogs for agricultural imports that are quarantined and to detect food items in luggage.

Beagles are great at ground scenting but not at air scenting, which is why they are not used for search and rescue dogs.

Our word beagle comes from the French word begueler, which means open throat, referring to

the dog’s baying voice.

Begueler comes from two French words: bayer, meaning “open wide” and gueule, meaning “mouth.”

Beagles most commonly are white, black and brown; however, one source stated that they actually change colors throughout their lives.

Beagle puppies are mostly black and white when born and, after a couple of months, a few black areas fade to a brown.

Some older beagles lose almost all of their black color and are only brown and white.

Rabbits are active all year long and are considered crepuscular, meaning that they are most active around dusk and dawn.

Their mating season

Williamsport Sun-Gazette, Sunday, September 19, 2010

F-5

Beagles and rabbits go together like ham and eggs

At one time, rabbits were the No. 1 game species in Pennsylvania. A bounding cottontail was the favorite shotgun game and the supply seemed to be endless, as depicted in this Arthur Frost painting of old-time hunters.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BILL BOWER

runs from February through September, and a female rabbit can have as

many as seven litters a year.

If all the young lived,

one mathematically, female rabbit could produce 35,000 young in just five years.

A typical female will give birth to 25 young over the course of a year.

Juvenile females born in early spring will mate and have a September litter.

However, a lot of young rabbits never make it out of the nest and those that do are food for all kinds of predators and also victims of automobiles.

According to the state Game Commission book, “Wildlife of Pennsylvania,” there are three species of rabbits found in the state: the Eastern cottontail, the Allegheny cottontail and the New England cottontail.

All three of these

species resemble one another in appearance and habits.

Well, I thoroughly enjoyed hearing Ray’s beagles running the rabbit and enjoyed seeing how the rabbit fooled the dogs.

It certainly made me want to buy a beagle and get back into rabbit hunting.

Bower retired after 34 years as a wildlife conservation officer for the state Game Commission. He has published several books about his experiences, the latest being ‘‘Every Day Was Game Day.’’ Questions and comments may be sent to him at 153 Redington Ave., Troy PA 16947.

Reviews of equipment, books and apparel geared toward outdoor enthusiasts

Dushoreʼs Boy Scout Troop 48 Scout Master William Choplick, left, and Scouts Tom Choplick and Ethan Phillips put up a fence at Worlds End State Park on Aug. 21. The new fence will help keep the stream bank from eroding.

PHOTO PROVIDED

Volunteers install fence to help stop erosion at area state park

By CAROL J. KAFER President, Loyalsock Creek Watershed Association

How do you keep stream banks from eroding and destroying historic buildings? Worlds End State Park Manager Bill Kocher and the Loyalsock Creek Watershed Association have been struggling to solve this problem for years.

The cabins at Worlds End State Park were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps. Nestled in hemlocks with outdoor stone fireplaces and plenty of privacy, the cabins overlooking the Loyalsock Creek are very popular with tourists year round.

But the stream banks by the cabins have been eroding over the years, in some cases right up to the cabin porches.

In 2004, the cabins at Worlds End State Park were closed for renovations.

With no one using the cabins, it soon became clear that one of the major causes of erosion was foot-traffic.

Campers scrambling up and down the banks to access the creek had removed much of the natural vegetation.

Without the vegetation, the soil was left exposed to be washed away by heavy rains.

Input from the Sullivan County Conservation District and the state Department of Conservation and

Natural Resources convinced the directors of the Loyalsock Creek Watershed Association to partner with the park to install a fence that would keep people off of the stream banks.

Director Ruth Rode chose several locations along the bank and helped create permanent paths for campers to access the creek. The old fence did its job, but it was too visible.

Since then, the vegetation on the banks is coming back.

Unfortunately, the fence started showing its age. On Aug. 21, directors, members and friends of the Loyalsock Creek Watershed Association replaced more than 1,500 feet of fence with another fence that is less visible. The team consisted of William Choplick, Tom Choplick, Ethan Phillips, Harold and Fay Sausser, Carroll Kline, Jon Weaver, Ruth Rode, Bill Kocher and Rudy and Carol Kafer.

The old fence was cut down, rolled up and carried away.

The new fence had to be removed from its plastic sleeve and put up with cable ties. More fence posts needed to be pounded into the rocky soil. Tools had to be hauled to keep up with the volunteers installing the fence.

We started at 9 a.m. Two teams worked from the ends toward the center, and the fences were joined by noon.

(From Page F-1) room to move, like a little freedom in your shoe.

Injinji uses a CoolMax fabric that “provides a moisture-wicking and friction-free environment for the feet.”

I would agree. I did, at first, find it hard to convert myself to the new, lightweight material because my other sports socks are pretty thick and cottony.

The socks did seem to slip at first, but with a readjustment of my hiker and its laces, it easily was solved. They are made from Lycra, easily washed and seem to bounce back to shape after a tumble in the dryer or washing machine.

Now, don’t expect to dip your foot into a mud hole or creek and have your feet come out magically dry. If you want that effect, wear scuba flippers. However, when wet, the socks didn’t rub against my feet. Instead, they stayed comfortable.

I have worn the Injinji toesocks by themselves, but I believe they would be perfect to pair with a bulky heavy sock in the winter for added comfort. I’m kind of looking forward to that, actually.

The toesock is comprised of 75 percent CoolMax; 22 percent nylon; and 3 percent lycra. They are offered in mini-crew and crew styles and in heather gray and black.

The cost is $10.

Check the website for available retailers: www.injinji.com.

JanSport Catalyst (8000 Meter) Backpack I have owned a JanSport backpack since the seventh grade when I became a freshmen in a new world. I later bought a new one when I entered college as a freshman.

I still own that backpack, and use it for camping, hiking, picnics, day trips, bus trips, road trips and the gym.

While I may have bought a JanSport back then to be trendy or stylish, now I own them because of their quality and longevity.

Recently I received a new pack, one in the Cloud Ripper series, called the Catalyst. While speaking with a compa-

permit us to go out on the lake so we had to make some adjustments,” he continued. “We went as close to the off-limits mark as we could and targeted rock piles. I caught my largemouth using a Zoom 3-inch tube.”

Due to high winds, teams were confined to Presque Isle Bay, and Penn State was one of the teams that was able to adjust to the elements better than most.

According to Baker, the major adjustment they had to make was to the depths fished. They had planned to fish 25 to 30 feet of water, but instead fished 10 to 15-foot depths.

They knew Erie was famous for its large smallmouth bass and came pre-

pared to whack them using a drop-shot.

“I hadn’t really used the drop-shot before, but I knew I had to learn in a hurry once I got here,” said Jeremy Lake, a junior in wildlife and fisheries science. “I just kept at it and was able to pull in two smallmouth and one largemouth. It was slow fishing but we were able to grind it out and hang on to the win.”

The National Guard FLW College Northern Regional Championship is scheduled for Nov. 11-13 at Jordan Lake in Raleigh, N.C. The three day tournament will be hosted by North Carolina State University and will be televised on VERSUS Dec. 19 from 12:30 to 1:30 EST.

Park to hold class for trappers; registration limited to 15 Mt. Pisgah State Park will hold a cable restraint certification class from 15 p.m. Oct. 17 at its Nature Center.

Registration is required and is limited to 15 participants. A $15 fee applies.

To register online, go to the Web page h t t p : / / m y . r e g i s t e r ed.com/event/studentchooseevent, or call the Northeast Regional state Game Commission Office at 675-1143.

Reviewer: Jessica Welshans

PLACE YOUR HAPPY

AD TODAY!

Send a Message in the

College student from Jersey Shore helps PSU bass fishing team win (From Page F-1) ing club. The win also helped them advance to the Northern Division Regional Championship where they could win a Ranger 177TR with a 90horsepower engine wrapped in school colors for their school’s bass club and $25,000 for the school they represent.

“What a great experience,” said Seth Baker, a sophomore in environmental systems engineering.

“This was my first FLW Outdoors tournament and my first time fishing on Lake Erie. I can’t believe we won.

“We had prepared for fishing on the lake but when we got here learned that conditions wouldn’t

ny representative, I mentioned that I was in the market for something that could be used for rugged outdoor activities but, at the same time, everyday use, such as taking it to an amusement park or a picnic.

This pack was kind of a surprise. It seemed small and slim.

“I am not going to be able to fit anything in this thing,” I thought.

Was I wrong!

The backpack’s first test was in Florida, at Disney World.

Those who have been to Disney know there is a lot of walking, and you are out all daylong. It is helpful to pack many things, as you would if you were taking a day hike in the woods.

This lightweight day hiking pack is made for virtually anyone.

Real-life testing showed me the Catalyst model has not too many pockets but just enough and they are found all over, so you can stash things yet make sure they all are easily accessible.

I love the shape and the breathable material, especially on the straps, where it can get really sweaty sometimes.

Perhaps some of the coolest and still functional features are the side pockets, which can securely hold water bottles; a locking bungee cord in the front that even can hold in an extra pair of shoes; hiking pole loop holders; a hydration compartment; and a sternum strap, along with a lower pack strap that has zippered storage compartments.

Indeed, this baby can be used for day hiking, camping or even a long day at an amusement park.

Jansport offers a lifetime warranty on their packs.

Other packs available for a variety of users such as rugged hard-core skiers, climbers or long-distance hikers in this series are the Mazama, Salish and Talus.

For prices, options and local retailers, check online at www.jansport.com.

to a relative, friend, co-worker, etc.

Birthdays ✭ Congratulations Anniversaries

Actual Size 1.5”w x 3”

$$ azette $ 42 Color Stop at the Sun-G Only $30 BW or o in form Including Phot building or mail e bl ila ent.

Larger Sizes Ava below with paym

Message (please print exactly how you want it to read) Date you want ad published Size & Cost Pick One

❐

$30.00 BW 1.5”x3”

❐

$42.00 Color 1.5”x3”

❐

$60.00 BW 3.25”x3”

❐

$84.00 Color 3.25”x3”

Enclose check or money order or print credit card info below.

To pay by credit card: Credit Card Type (Circle One) Visa MC Amex Disc Credit Card Number Exp. Date ★ Don’t forget to enclose a photo★ Your Name Your Phone Your Address Your E-mail (optional) Mail to Sun-Gazette, Attn: Happy Ads, 252 W. Fourth St., Williamsport, PA 17701

Don’t forget to mail or bring in your ad early....

Deadline: 3 Business Days Prior to Publish Date