User: jsoprano Time: 05-12-2012 20:25 Product: Times_Leader PubDate: 05-13-2012 Zone: Main Edition: Main_Run PageName: outdoors PageNo: 12 C
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OUTDOORS Don’t touch young wildlife that appears abandoned
THE WESTERN POCONO CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED will hold its Memorial Day picnic on Monday, May 28 at the White Haven Sportsmen’s Club along the Lehigh River. The picnic will run from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. and food and drinks will be available. A casting demonstration will be conducted by George Daniel – a certified FFF Fly Casting instructor who has also appeared on ESPN and OLN. Daniel was the head coach of Team USA in the 2011 World Fly Fishing Championship in Italy and eaned a gold medal at the 2008 U.S. National Fly Fishing Championship in Colorado. Autographed copies of his book, “Dynamic Nymphing” will be available for purchase. Fishing will be permitted after the demonstration. Tickets are $18 for adults, $12 for teens 13-17 and children under 12 are free. For more information, call chapter president Paul Raubertas at (570) 768-8409 or email praubert@ptd.net. THE STANLEY COOPER SR. CHAPTER OF TROUT UNLIMITED will host the Wyoming Valley Fly Tyers on Tuesday, May 15 at the VFW Anthracite Post 283 in Kingston. The adult fly fishing camp will be held on May 20 at the American Legion in Mountain Top. The cost is $25 for non-TU members and free to members. For more information call Jay Downs at 814-6998. This year’s youth fly fishing camp will be held on June 9 at the Sedesky property. Contact Joe Ackourey at 574-5956. For more information, visit www.sctu.org. THE GREATER WYOMING VALLEY AUDUBON SOCIETY is offering partial scholarships for area students to attend nature camp during the summer of 2012. Partial scholarships will be available at several sites this year. Applicants may choose to attend camp at the Bear Creek Camp Nature Center, Nescopeck State Park, or the Endless Mountains Nature Center. Applications are available by contacting 570-403-2006 or nescopecksp@state.pa.us Application deadline is May 31, 2012. Scholarship recipients will be notified by June 8, 2012. A limited number of scholarships will be awarded to each age level. Recipients will be responsible for their own transportation to and from camp, and for paying the remainder of the camp fee not covered by the scholarship. For more information call 570-4032006. LAKE WALLENPAUPACK is included in this year’s waterways participating in Cabela’s “Wanna Fish for a Millions?” contest. For a second year, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is partnering in this contest by tagging fish and selecting Pennsylvania waters where participants can be big winners. Most people have heard the phrase “you have to play to win.” Well, in addition to knowing the contest waters, Pennsylvania anglers need to have a fishing license to play. Your license will be your ticket to fish some of the Commonwealth’s best waters in the hopes of cashing-in on big winnings. While purchasing a fishing license guarantees you a gateway into the contest, PFBC underscores that regardless of the contest, a Pennsylvania fishing license is always a winner. In fact, it affords anglers the opportunity to unlock a year’s worth of fishing opportunities in all the Commonwealth’s fishing waters. Cabela’s started accepting registrations on its website on April 19. The contest began on May 5 and ends July 8. The premise is simple: catch specially tagged fish and win prizes ranging from Cabela’s gift cards to boats to $2 million. All rules and requirements, as well as contest details and registration information, can be found at Cabela’s contest website, www.cabelas.com/ fishformillions. In addition, PFBC will maintain its own contest web page at www.fishandboat.com/fishformillions.htm. Here, Pennsylvania anglers will be able to see the listing of contest waters along with photos of tagged fish. Bulletin Board items will not be accepted over the telephone. Items may be faxed to 831-7319, dropped off at the Times Leader or mailed to Times Leader, c/o Sports, 15 N, Main St., WilkesBarre, PA 18711-0250.
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TOM VENESKY OUTDOORS
On any waters, there is some life all its own
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Each spring the Game Commission receives numerous calls regarding fawns that have been abandoned. Sometimes the fawns are picked up by people and taken – an action that often results in a fatal ending for the fawn. PGC officials say fawns that appear abandoned usually are not. The mother is often nearby feeding.
Looks can be deceiving By TOM VENESKY tvenesky@timesleader.com
The litter of red fox pups playfully jumped at each other outside of the entrance to their den. While they didn’t have a care in the world, their mother was nowhere to be found. But it didn’t mean the young foxes were abandoned. With a bunch of hungry mouths to feed, the female fox was out hunting prey to feed her litter. She would return. The appearance of young wildlife throughout the area is a certain sign of spring, and it’s also an indicator that the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Northeast Region Office in Dallas will start to get calls about abandoned fawns, rabbits, birds and other newborn wildlife. But in most cases, the young animals haven’t been abandoned and human interference can sometimes bring about a fatal end. “We’re getting calls everyday,” said William Williams, education and information specialist for the PGC. “We’ll get calls about young wildlife from now until midJune.” Topping the list are fawns, Williams said. Does often leave their fawns while they go off to feed, and people often mistake them for being abandoned when in fact they are waiting for their mother to return. PGC biologist Kevin Wenner said an adult doe with fawns needs to feed often so it can produce milk. Leaving the fawn behind, he said, is a defense mechanism. “If she remained with her fawn it would attract predators,” Wenner said. “While the mother is away, the fawn stays motionless to avoid detection.” Williams said the bulk of the calls for supposed abandoned fawns occur during
Nesting season While the fawning season for deer has yet to peak, turkeys have begun the early stages of nesting, according to Wenner. Data from the PGC’s banded hen study – which allows the agency to track turkey hens with GPS, the nesting season is just beginning. The recent warm weather the area experienced had nothing to do with the timing of when hens nest, Wenner said. “Nesting is typically the result of a change in delight,” he said. “It’s called photoperiodism. The change in daylight initiates the pituitary gland to produce hormones. With hen turkeys that hormone is estrogen, and that prepares their oviduct for egg-laying.”
Who to contact Reach the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Northeast Region Office at 675-1143.
the Memorial Day weekend. That’s when fawning season is at its peak, he said, and many people are outdoors. “That combination results in more encounters with fawns and more calls to the office,” Williams said. “Some people do try to take the fawn and nurse it, but usually the formula of milk they use isn’t correct and the fawn gets sick. That’s when they call us and by then it’s too late.” Williams strongly advised against handling any fawns. If you do encounter one simply leave it alone, the mother will return he said. In instances when it’s clear that the mother has been killed – such as a fawn standing next to a roadkilled deer, Williams said call the PGC region office. Aside from fawns, PGC Bureau of Wildlife director Cal Dubrock said young rabbits, birds and raccoons are the other species that people commonly encounter in the spring.
While it may appear that they are abandoned, Dubrock said that’s often not the case. In many instances Dubrock said wildlife rely on the “hider strategy,” which Wenner said is employed by does with their fawns. “While it may appear as if the adults are abandoning their young, in reality, this is just the animal using its natural instincts to protect its young,” DuBrock said. “Also, young animals often have camouflaging color patterns to avoid being detected by predators.” Handling young wildlife is a practice that can be dangerous to people as well. Williams said raccoons pose a rabies risk. If young raccoons are picked up and handled, he said, they will have to be euthanized and tested for rabies. “A lot of people don’t realize that, but by handling them they’re exposed to rabies,” Williams said. “We have to start the process for a rabies test, and that upsets them and it’s not something we want to do either. But it can all be avoided by just letting the young animals alone.” Raccoons are considered a high-risk rabies vector species under a working agreement with state health officials, meaning they must be euthanized and tested after human contact. Other species considered high-risk include skunks, foxes, bas, coyotes and groundhogs. Aside from the risks to wildlife and the health hazards posed to humans, there is also a legal element. Under state law, it is illegal to take or possess wildlife from the wild. The penalty for such a violation is a fine of up to $1,500 per animal. “In most cases with young wildlife, people end up doing more harm than good,” Wenner said. “If you find them, don’t touch or handle them and consult the agency.”
Spring is the peak season for newborn wildlife, and it’s also the time of year when people handle and even take home the animals they encounter, thinking they can lend a helping hand.
RICK KOVAL/FOR THE TIMES LEADER
ozens of ducks erupted from the marsh as I crept up to the edge. The area was flooded by a beaver dam two years ago, and the blueberry bushes and tall grass still thrived despite being half-submerged in water. Interspersed among the bushes were pockets of open water, and it was prime habitat for ducks and a multitude of other wildlife. As I knelt at the edge of the marsh and dipped my hand in to check the temperature, I thought about the vital role of water to wildlife. Anywhere there’s water – whether it’s a sprawling lake or a little vernal pool tucked in the forest, there is life. After the ducks quieted down, I gently eased my 10-foot johnboat into the marsh to see what other life this watery world had attracted. There was plenty. With an oar in hand I glided the boat along the calm surface of the water and was soon joined by several American toads, lazily swimming along. It was early April, so the toads were likely males searching for a suitable aquatic lair to begin calling females. The toads were also easy targets. As they kicked and glided across the surface next to the boat, I noticed bunches of small bluegills hovering below. When the toad would kick, the bluegills would dart up and nip at its toes. They would quickly drop back down when the toad floated motionless. It must have made for an annoying day on the water for the toads. With acres of flooded grass and blueberry bushes surrounding me, I decided to maneuver the boat into some of the secluded pockets to see what they held. The ducks – the ones I could identify were woods and mallards, coasted overhead as they returned to the edges where I had flushed them earlier. Hovering above the surface of the open pockets were a few dragonflies. They appeared to be common green darners, but it was impossible to get close enough to tell. The pockets of open water were connected by narrow channels through the thick blueberry bushes. There was just enough water for the little johnboat to glide from one pocket to the next. As I pushed deeper into the marsh I noticed feathers floating on the water. They were from a Canada goose, and as I turned the boat around the corner I came face to face with the source. A few feet away a female goose sprang up from her nest and eyed me suspiciously. I didn’t want to disturb the nest, but the momentum of the boat carried me alongside the goose, who reluctantly hopped in the water and swam a few feet away. The nest was positioned in a large clump of grass just above the water. Three large, white eggs were tucked in the bowl while a fourth – covered in mud, lay along the edge of the water. It had been there for some time, and perhaps the female goose somehow knew the eggs wasn’t any good and rolled it out of her nest. Not wanting to cause any more disturbance for the goose during this critical period, I sunk the oar into the shallow water and pushed the boat back the way I came. As I did, the goose eagerly swam back, stood on the shore and gave me a glaring look before concealing herself back on the nest. Back onto the open water, the wood ducks emitted a few high-pitched whistles from their backwater haunt while the female goose gave a few contented honks now that I had left. I dragged the boat back onto shore and took one last look at the watery world. The ducks had quieted down and life – in all its abundance, returned to normal in the marsh. Tom Venesky covers the outdoors for The Times Leader. Reach him at tvenesky@timesleader.com
User: jsoprano Time: 08-11-2012 19:52 Product: Times_Leader PubDate: 08-12-2012 Zone: Main Edition: Main_Run PageName: outdoors PageNo: 10 C
PAGE 10C SUNDAY, AUGUST 12, 2012
BULLETIN BOARD THE NORTH MOUNTAIN BRANCH OF THE QUALITY DEER MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATION will host a Family Fun Activity Day on Saturday, Aug. 25 at the Factoryville Sportsmen’s Club in Factoryville. The event will feature a 30-target 3D shoot, claybird shooting, horseshoe tournament and a chicken BBQ dinner. A gun raffle and 50/50 drawing will also be held. Registration begins at 9 a.m. and dinner is served between noon and 4 p.m. For more information or to register, contact Chris Denmon at 477-2238 or Linda Coolbaugh at 836-2765. THE PENNSYLVANIA FISH & BOAT COMMISSION will host a Family Fishing Program from 5:30-8:30 p.m. Wednesday at the Wilkes-Barre River Common’s Fishing Pier.This program is being offered in partnership with the Riverfront Parks Committee (www.riverfrontparks.org) and the Luzerne County Keystone Active Zone (KAZ) Passport program (www.kazpassport.org). The program is free, open to the public and a fishing license will not be required. The program is designed for families with children ages eight and older with little or no fishing experience. Families will learn about safety, fishing tackle, regulations and basic techniques like casting and knot tying. Participants will also be given the opportunity to fish together as a family. Equipment and bait will be provided. Participants are encouraged to bring a chair and drinking water. Meet at the River Common fishing pier located along the Susquehanna River in Wilkes-Barre. A map and directions are available at the Riverfront Parks Committee website at www.riverfrontparks.org. Registration is required and available online by visiting the Family Fishing Program schedule at http://fishandboat.com/fish_fundamentals.htm. HUNTS FOR HEALING will host its first Red, White and Blue Rally from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. on Aug. 19 at the American Legion Post 510 in Laceyville. The family event will feature a chicken barbecue, hot dogs, hamburgers, raffles, 50/50 drawing and a baked goods sale. NESCOPECK STATE PARK will hold a birds and butterflies walk today with enthusiast Jonathan Debalko. The walk will meander around the butterfly garden and lake in search of birds and butterflies. Wear sturdy walking shoes and bring binoculars if you have them. The park will have a small supply available to borrow. This is also a Junior Bird Club event. Kids ages 9 and up are invited to attend the birds and butterflies program. There is a one-time $5 fee for new members. This club is supported by the Greater Wyoming Valley Audubon Society. If you need an accommodation to participate in park activities due to a disability, contact the park or make inquiries through the Pennsylvania AT&T Relay Service at 888-537-7294 (TTY). Bureau of State Parks staff will gladly discuss how to accommodate your needs. With at least three days notice, interpreters for people who are deaf or hard of hearing are available for educational programs. HICKORY RUN STATE PARK NATURALIST MEGAN TAYLOR will host the ninth hike in the 2012 Hickory Run State Park Hiking Series at 9 a.m. on Aug. 19. The 2.5 mile hike is classified as difficult. Meet at the Hawk Falls Trailhead on Route 534, east of the park office. This hike will feature some small but very steep and rocky sections on Hawk Falls and Orchard Trail Loop. For more information, contact Taylor at hickoryrunenvedsp@pa.gov or 570403-2006. DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES VOLUNTEER DAVID KRUEL will host an early morning beginners bird walk at 8 a.m. on Aug. 25 at Nescopeck State Park to celebrate the Global Birding Initiatives “Pledge to Fledge” program. From Aug. 24-26, birders across six continents will be sharing their interest in birds by bringing friends and other non-birders out to truly see and enjoy birds for the first time. The goal of the program is to share enthusiasm toward bird watching to transform non-birders and casual birders into citizens concerned about bird conservation and the environment. This program is free and will meet at the wood bridge near the education center at Nescopeck State Park. A limited number of binoculars will be available. Please wear sturdy shoes and bring water along. Registration is required by calling 403-2006. THE STATE DEPARTMENT OF CONSERVATION AND NATURAL RESOURCES will host a bus tour highlighting seven sites throughout Luzerne County that showcase a variety of management techniques such as riparian buffers, rain gardens, parking lot bio-infiltration, grass parking pads, green roofs, pollinator gardens, native grassland meadows, community gardens and more. The tour, which was also organized by Penn State Cooperative Extension and PA Environmental Council, will be held from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., on Sept. 20. Participants will begin at the Kirby Park Natural Area in Wilkes-Barre, where they will board a charter bus and travel to the Plains Animal Hospital, Lands at Hillside Farm, Butler Township Community Garden/Center for Landscape Stewardship and Design, Life Expression Wellness Center, and Nescopeck State Park. The cost for the program is $30 which includes the bus tour, lunch, and a tour booklet highlighting our stops. Tour sponsorships are also available. For more information and to register please contact the Penn State Cooperative Extension at 825-1701.
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Tailwater plan could create wild trout fisheries TOM VENESKY OUTDOORS
Dirt roads offer a great route to serendipity
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The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission recently drafted a proposal to enhance wild trout fisheries on several tailwaters in the state, including the Lehigh River. Pictured are the tailwaters of the Francis E. Walter Dam in White Haven.
Something wild By TOM VENESKY tvenesky@timesleader.com
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission wants to make the churning water that spills out of several of the state’s large reservoirs a bit more wild. Last month, the PFBC board voted to draft a policy that would develop tailwaters into wild trout fisheries, rivaling those found in the western United States. Right now, Pennsylvania has plenty of dams but not many world class wild trout tailwater fisheries. Six dams in the state are under consideration, including the Francis E. Walter Dam on the Lehigh River. The key to transforming their tailwaters into wild trout fisheries is cold water, something that has long been an issue with the Lehigh River. Because the Walter Dam can only release water from the bottom of the pool, much of the coldwater is used up by mid-summer, according to Dean Druckenmiller, president of the Lehigh Coldwater Fishery Alliance. “Our goal is to get water releases that are conducive for trout survival, and right now you can’t do that,” he said. “Water needs to be discharged from the surface in the spring, and that coldwater at the bottom needs to held for later in the summer, but the tower can’t discharge from multiple levels.” Despite the challenge, Druckenmiller was enthusiastic about the agency’s new focus on tailwater fisheries. The policy shows that the PFBC
A proposed PPL power line would cross several tributaries of the upper Lehigh River, which flows into the Francis E. Walter Dam in Luzerne County.
is serious about enhancing trout fishing in the tailwaters, he said. “As a group we can only do so much. We need to have the PFBC on board,” Druckenmiller said. “This isn’t only for the Lehigh River, it’s for trout fishing in Pennsylvania.” Commissioner Norm Gavlick, who represents the northeast region, said installing additional release points on the existing dam at Francis E. Walter is impossible. Constructing a new tower is a long-range, expensive proposal, he said. Still, the idea is being studied by See TAILWATER, Page 11C
Dams being considered Dams being considered by the PFBC as candidates for creating tailwater trout fisheries: • Francis E. Walter Dam on the Lehigh River – Luzerne and Carbon counties • Quemahoning Reservoir – Somerset County • Lake Wallenpaupack – Pike and Wayne counties • Raystown Dam – Huntingdon County • Cannonsville Reservoir – Delaware County, New York (on the Delaware River which flows into Pennsylvania) • Beltzville Dam – Carbon County
W E E K LY B A S S T O U R N A M E N T R E S U LT S Suskie Bassmasters (Every Wednesday, 6-9 p.m. at the Nesbitt ParkBoat Launch in WilkesBarre (www.suskiebassmasters.comorwww.teamrosencrans.org): Aug. 8 results (44 anglers): 1. Alan Casal - 17 ½ inches, 2.49 lbs. 2. Larry Fetterhoof - 17 5/8 inches, 2.21 lbs. 3. Frank Slymock-16 3/8 inches, 2.02 lbs. 4. Bill Jenkins - 15 ½ inches, 1.91 lbs. 5. David M. McGovern - 14 5/8 inches, 1.76 lbs. • Small fish pool winner – Ed Mrochko - .81 lbs. Top 10 Season Standings (total weight in pounds): 1. Chris Ostrowski - 12.00 lbs. 2. Jim Lacomis - 11.49 lbs. 3. Chuck Saypack- 11.18 lbs. 4. Larry Fetterhoof - 10.64 lbs. 5. Frank Slymock - 10.35 lbs. 6. John Centak - 10.22 lbs. 7. Hunter Lacomis - 9.99 lbs. 8. Joe Halesey - 9.89 lbs.
9. Jeremy Miller - 9.78 lbs. 10. Ed Mrochko - 9.69 lbs. Harveys Lake Wednesday Night Bass Tournament (Every Wednesday, 6-9 p.m. at the state boat launch; for more information, call Duke Dalley at 991-0080): Aug. 8 results (27 boats, 52 anglers): 1. Mike Adamshick - 4.60 lb. largemouth 2. Bob Strunk - 4.39 lb. largemouth 3. John Niezgo - 3.15 lb. smallmouth 4. Rob Polish - 2.91 lb. smallmouth 5. Travis Doty - 2.65 lb. largemouth Top 10 Season Standings (total weight in pounds): 1. Greg Mikulski – 19.42 lbs. 2. Dave Brill – 17.36 lbs. 3. John Niezgoda - 16.44 lbs. 4. Gary Mikulski - 15.98 lbs. 5. Mike Adamshick - 15.15 lbs. 6. Greg Mikulski Sr. - 14.18 lbs. 7. Ken Kosloski - 13.70 lbs. 8.Jim Quinn - 12.90 lbs. 9. Dave Harrison - 12.68 lbs.
10. Tom Bralczyk - 12.25 lbs. Upcoming Tournaments •Catching Dreams at Harveys Lake Tournament Aug. 19, registration begins at 5 a.m. and tournament runs from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.; open buddy tournament; all proceeds benefit Catch A Dream Foundation. For more information, call Nicole O’Connor at 639-7114 or Clarence Hogan at 793-5187. • A bass tournament will be held at White Oaks Pond in Wayne County on Aug. 26, at thePFBCboat launch. Registration opens at 4:30 a.m. and tournament runs from safe light until 1 p.m. Fee is $40 per team and a $10 lunker option. For more information, contact Vincent Sabatiniatbasslunker40@aol.com, or Christopher Jonesatbigbuck326@aol.comor 991-6176. •PA BassCasters Lake Carey Open Buddy Tournament on Sept. 2; Begins at safe light and weigh-in is at 2 p.m.; registration and boat check open at 4:45 a.m.
ut me in the middle of a city with no map or GPS, and I’ll get lost in a second. The asphalt streets turn into an urban maze with left and right turns that seem to offer no way out. While I admit my navigational skills are lacking on the paved city streets, it’s a different story on a dirt road. I never get lost. I’m right where I want to be. When the tires hit the gravel, driving doesn’t feel like the stressful chore that it is in the city. And I know exactly why. Dirt roads offer a sense of adventure and anticipation. Surrounded by mountains or fields, you never know what you’re going to see along a dirt road. Last week I spent much of the day driving the dirt roads in Bradford County. My friend Keith Goyne and I went up for a day of farm pond bass fishing, which is about as relaxing an activity as there is. But the enjoyment doesn’t begin with the first cast. It starts when we turn off the pavement and onto the dusty, dirt roads. That’s when the foot eases off the gas pedal a bit, the air-conditioning is turned off and the windows go down to let the fresh air in. But the truck isn’t the only thing that slows down on a dirt road. Life does as well. Our destination was a farm pond in Wilmot Township that Keith and I have fished for years. It’s loaded with feisty largemouths, slab panfish and chunky bullheads. And the best part about it is it takes miles of dirt roads to get there. As a light dust cloud kicked up behind our slow moving pickup, the stress and hurry of everyday life oozed away. We spotted does with fawns out in the hayfields, a buck standing in the shade of an apple tree and a hen turkey with poults chasing insects in the tall grass. We marveled at the towering mountains in the distance and the ancient barns that still stood as landmarks along our route. We reminisced about all the years we traveled these very dirt roads, beginning not long after we turned 16, and felt relief to see familiar sites that hadn’t changed. When you travel a dirt road, you have time to observe, recollect and appreciate. Highways and interstates may be the main arteries to and from a destination, but if you really want to get to know an area in it’s purest form, take a dirt road. They’ll take you over mountains, through shaded hollows and across expanses of farm fields – places that are nothing but a blur along a highway. Dirt roads are the heart of a rural area, but they are becoming fewer and fewer as “progress” buries them under a layer of asphalt. It’s a shame to think that future generations may never know what it’s like to hear the gravel crunch and pop under the tires and see the dust rise up in the rear view mirror. Much like old barns, dirt roads are vanishing from the rural landscape. After fishing until dark, we loaded the boat in the back of the truck and reluctantly began the drive back home. The dirt roads that welcomed us earlier in the day now guided us back, though neither of us would’ve minded getting lost and prolonging the trip a little bit longer. But we didn’t. We couldn’t. I just can’t get lost on a dirt road. Surrounded by trees, fields and wildlife, if I’m on a dirt road I’m always exactly where I want to be. Tom Venesky covers the outdoors for The Times Leader. Reach him at tvenesky@timesleader.com
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PAGE 10C SUNDAY, JANUARY 8, 2012
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OUTDOORS Man bags jail time for shots Terrance E. Weiss Jr. of Madison Township in Lackawanna County on Dec. 16 pleaded guilty in the Lackawanna Court of Common Pleas to one count of recklessly endangering another person, terroristic threats, and hunting under the influence of alcohol stemming from an incident that occurred during the first day of the 2010 rifle bear season. He was sentenced to 8-23 months incarceration with credit for time served and faces revocation of Pennsylvania hunting license privileges. On the morning of Nov. 20, 2010, Wildlife Conservation Officer Mark Rutkowski and Deputy Wildlife Conservation Officer Edward Page responded to reports of a baited area at a property near Hornbeam/Cemetery Road in Madison Township and entered the rear of the property to investigate. The two were in a wooded area and approaching a small cabin when they heard a man shouting obscenities and threatening to shoot them. WCO Rutkowski reported three shots from a large caliber firearm were fired in their direction and he and DWCO Page scrambled for cover. After being pinned down for several minutes, the two officers were able to retreat to safety and call for backup. A command post was established and a Pennsylvania State Police helicopter monitored the area. Weiss was located outside the cabin and taken into custody by Game Commission personnel. He admitted shooting three shots toward the officers with a 30.06 caliber rifle. The loaded rifle with one empty casing was found in the cabin along with a large quantity of alcoholic beverage containers. Two empty shell casings were also present on the ground below a window of the cabin that matched the caliber of the firearm. A large amount of food items on the ground at the rear of the cabin was consistent with those commonly used to bait bears. Weiss was taken to Moses Taylor Hospital in Scranton for chemical and alcohol testing.
“THERE NEEDS TO be more habitat work and timber management on public lands. There’s too much mature timber on public lands.”
TOM VENESKY OUTDOORS
They should’ve just stuck to license display
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Chris Denmon, of the Quality Deer Management Association, determines the age of a buck brought into the check station in Sweet Valley during opening day of deer season in 2010.
Nature’s rain deer
Deer management association’s findings show correlation between precipitation and buck growth.
and didn’t have to compete,” he said. Antler dimensions were also down this year, but only slightly because much of the antler development is based on the buck’s nutritional intake from the year before, according to Denmon. By TOM VENESKY The check station began operating one tvenesky@timesleader.com year after the Pennsylvania Game Commission implemented antler restrictions in Since 2003 several members of the the state. For three years after the move, North Mountain Branch of the Quality Denmon said, antler sizes and body Deer Management Association have weights of the bucks brought to the stachecked more than 400 deer at the check tion increased. They have since peaked station they hold on the first day of rifle and stabilized, he said. deer season each year. While antler restrictions have been a They’ve seen some interesting trends benefit, Denmon said there are other long the way, including a correlation between the spring and summer rainfall and things that can be done to further improve antler growth, along with a spike in antler the state’s deer herd. “There needs to be more habitat work size that has plateaued. and timber management on public lands,” This season 52 deer – all bucks – were he said. “There’s too much mature timber brought to the group’s check station in on public lands. Sweet Valley. The trend of rainfall equa“I’d like to see the Game Lands become ting to bigger antlers and heavier weights a separate management unit. We hunted was reversed a bit. “The first four years when we had high- State Game Lands 57 on the last Saturday this rifle sason and cut seven tracks in the er rainfalls it was mirrored with bigger first half hour. After that we found none. racks and body weights because the vegeDeer numbers need to be studied on tation was more lush,” said branch presiGame Lands and antlerless license allocadent Chris Denmon. “This year looks like it may go the other way because too much tions should be made based on those findings.” rain caused a lot of crop failures in the The largest buck brought into this seaagricultural areas.” son’s check station was a 10-point with an This season the check station results 18-inch spread, and the heaviest buck had showed that average weights were down a field dressed weight of 180 pounds. for the age classes of 1.5 to 3.5 by nine, Denmon said the chapter will keep eight and four percent, respectively. The operating the check station in the future, reason why the weights dropped a little although it is difficult at times to find less for the 3.5 year-old bucks was likely due to competition for food, Denmon said. volunteers. “It’s kind of hard to get guys to give up “The early age classes are still competing for better food sources, while the older that first day of rifle season. It was tough for me to give it up the first couple years deer already had those areas established
T H E TA L E O F T H E TA P E •Results from the 2011 deer check station conducted by the North Mountain Branch of the Quality Deer Management Association: TOTAL – 52 deer (all bucks) Percent by age class 1.5 – 15 percent 2.5 – 29 percent 3.5 – 34 percent 4.5 – 12 percent 5.5 – 10 percent Average weight by age class 1.5 – 97 lbs. 2.5 – 117 lbs. 3.5 – 137 lbs. 4.5 – 145 lbs. 5.5 – 158 lbs. Average antler spreads 1.5 – 8 inches 2.5 – 1 1 7⁄8 inches 3.5 – 15 inches 4.5 – 16 3⁄8 inches 5.5 – 18 1⁄2 inches Average beam lengths 1.5 – 9 3⁄4 inches 2.5 – 13 1⁄4 inches 3.5 – 17 7⁄8 inches 4.5 – 19 5⁄8 inches 5.5 – 21 3⁄4 inches Average antler circumference 1.5 – 2 1⁄2 inches 2.5 – 3 1⁄8 inches 3.5 – 3 7⁄8 inches 4.5 – 4 3⁄8 inches 5.5 – 4 1⁄2 inches
we had the check station,” Denmon said. “But as long as we have guys who are successful in archery season and don’t mind giving up that day, we’ll keep it going.”
OUTDOORS NOTES The North Mountain Branch of the Quality Deer Management Association will hold its annual antler scoring session today at 1 p.m. in the old Noxen School in Noxen. Members and non-members of QDMA are welcome to bring in antlers that they would like to have scored that had been harvested during any year or any location. The North Mountain Branch also encourages folks to come out and see what others may have harvested and possibly learn more about deer management or the branch’s activities throughout the year and hopefully get some new volunteers for some upcoming habitat projects. You can learn more about the North Mountain Branch and their activities by logging onto www.northmtnbranchqdma.org or by calling 477-2238 or emailing cddeers72@frontier.com. The Nanticoke Conservation Club will hold its annual ice fishing derby on Feb. 4 at Frances Slocum State Park. The derby runs from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Weigh-in is from 12:30 to 1 p.m. and registration begins at 7 a.m. in the Environmental Education Building. Adults (16 and older) are $10 and children age 9 and younger
are free. Cash prizes for heaviest fish are in the following categories: bass, perch, trout, crappie, bluegill and pickerel. Thin ice date is two weeks after Superbowl Saturday. An ice fishing clinic will also be offered for all ages. For more information, contact the club at nanticokeconservationclub@msn.com or visit nanticokeconservationclub.com. The Northeast Regional Coyote Hunt sponsored by District 9 of the PA Trappers Association, will be held on Feb. 3, 4 and 5. A $2,000 grand prize will be awarded for the heaviest coyote, a $250 prize for the heaviest coyote turned in each day and $100 will be awarded for all coyotes turned in during the hunt. Coyotes taken in Bradford, Susquehanna, Wayne, Wyoming, Lackawanna, Pike, Luzerne and Sullivan counties during the three-day hunt are eligible. Coyotes must be taken by legal hunting methods only and not with traps or cable restraints. Weigh-in will be held at the Triton Hose Co. in Tunkhannock from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday & Saturday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. Weigh-in ends at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 5. A weigh-in dinner, included in the entry fee, will be held for all entrants
on Sunday from 1 to 3 p.m. A $25 entry fee is due by Jan. 21 (fee includes dinner). After Jan. 21 the fee is $30 and entries will not be accepted after 10 p.m., Feb. 1. For more information call 570-942-6895, 570-679-2318 or emailprice@nep.net. Include “coyote hunt information” in the subject. Huntington Mills United Sportsmen will hold their 10th Annual Coyote Hunt on Friday-Sunday, Jan. 20-22. Weigh-in will be at the clubhouse on 251 Waterton Road in Huntington Mills. The hunt begins on Friday, Jan. 20 at 12:01 a.m. Weigh-in times are Friday and Saturday (Jan. 20 and 21) 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. A $1,000 grand prize will be awarded for heaviest coyote and second place will be $500. There will also be a smallest coyote pool, gun raffle and 50/50 drawing. A breakfast buffet will be served on Jan. 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Entry fee is $25 and must be in by Jan. 18. Entries can be mailed to United Sportsmen Camp 271, P.O. Box 85, Huntington Mills, PA 18622 or emailed to huntingtonmillsunitedsportsmen@yahoo.com. For more information call 2563933 or 683-5472.
An ice fishing derby will be held at Lake Jean on Jan. 15 – rescheduled from Jan. 8 due to unsafe ice conditions. Registration fee is $10 per person and there’s an optional $5 pickerel lunker. Registration is from 5:30-7 a.m. at the west boat launch off of Route 487. The derby runs from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. A second ice fishingderby will be held at Long Pond in Wayne County on Jan. 22. For more information, email Christopher Jones atbigbuck326@aol.com. The Northeastern Pennsylvania Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society will host its fourth annual Winter Dinner on Saturday, Jan. 21, at the Farmers Inn, 1597 Hillside Road in Shavertown. A social hour will begin at 6 p.m. and dinner will be served at 7 p.m. The buffet style dinner is open to the public at a cost of $22 for adults and $18 for children ages 5-16. Youngsters under age 5 are free. While this is not a typical RGS fundraiser, there will be a few raffle items available to help make this a fun event. All guests are asked to bring a gender-free wrapped gift. For more information and/or tickets contact Brian Clark at 570-983-9918.
’ve lost my wallet once or twice over the years, but I’ve never lost my hunting license. I always knew where it was – in a license holder pinned to the back of my hunting coat. In the fall, my license was pinned to the back of an orange vest that I wear for turkey hunting – same thing with the spring gobbler season. I use the same orange vest for small game hunting, so there wasn’t an issue there. When the rifle deer season rolled around, the license and its holder were always transferred to my heavier, orange coat. Two worn holes held it securely. I wore the same coat for any small game hunting that I did in the late season, so the license stayed put. Same thing with my fishing license. It’s always attached to a brown vest that I wear during trout season. When I switch to bass and panfish in the summer, the fishing license was pinned onto an old baseball cap that I wear during those hot days in the boat. The system worked flawlessly every year. I never lost a hunting or fishing license and never minded pinning it to a coat, vest or hat. I never had a limb tear my license holder off my coat, nor did I ever drop my hat into a river or stream and have my license float away. But it’s all a moot point now. Change of plans Last month Gov. Tom Corbett signed into law House Bill 735, which removes the requirement for hunters and trappers to display their licenses. The new law takes effect on Feb. 13. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission is expected to follow suit soon. Not having to display a hunting or fishing license isn’t a big deal in the grand scheme of things. Certainly there are much more pressing issues out there. But I still don’t think the change was necessary. Having to display one’s license had its benefits. A license pinned on the back of a coat gave initial confirmation to Wildlife Conservation Officers, landowners and even other hunters that you did indeed purchase a hunting license. Sure, the license had to be seen up close to determine if it was valid, but I’m willing to bet that most of the time they are. Another plus that came with displaying a license was the license holder itself. In mine I always stored a twist tie for attaching tags and a pencil to fill them out. I also put my driver’s license inside and left my wallet at home. I’ll continue to do so, as the new law doesn’t prohibit anyone from placing their license in a holder and pinning it to the back of their coat. I’d much rather do that than carry my wallet in my back pocket and worry about it falling out or getting wet. Proponents of the new law argue that Pennsylvania was one of only two states requiring hunters to display their licenses. To me, that’s not much of an argument. When it comes to hunting, Pennsylvania is unique and I don’t care what other states do or don’t do. It’s irrelevant. One concern that I’ve heard about the proposal is perhaps more people will go hunting without buying a license. Since you don’t have to display it, how will anyone know if you purchased one or not? Could this mean that WCO’s will now have to personally check every hunter they encounter, make them break out their wallet and show their license? It seems like an unnecessary burden to me. Hunting licenses have been displayed by hunters for nearly 100 years and the system worked fine. It’s a tradition that should’ve remained pinned on our backs.