Over the years, we have often heard that the three most important factors in real estate are location, location, and location. Recently, a television ad for an insurance company explains that the most important “three Ps” regarding insurance are price, price, and price! When it comes to hunting wild turkeys, it can be said that
READ MOREUnfortunately, every spring, many turkey hunters end the season without success, while a smaller percentage of hunters seem to always come home with a gobbler. It is not as if the unsuccessful hunters are not trying their darndest, but it seems to boil down to a few common mistakes that plague them every season. So,
READ MOREThe excitement is building, and in less than three weeks, the one-day Youth Hunt for Spring Gobblers will occur — Saturday, April 27, 2024, to be exact. It is a day that many young hunters and their adult mentors have been looking forward to for months. It is held one week prior to the opening
READ MOREAnother spring turkey season is fast approaching, with the mentored hunters 16 and under able to hunt on April 27, followed by the regular statewide spring season from May 4 through the 18th. As usual, when spring begins to move in, we turkey hunters are on the lookout for any sightings of turkeys and especially
READ MOREWhether you restrict your spring gobbler hunting to your home state of Pennsylvania or travel to other states to pursue this great game bird, knowing what they like to eat in your hunting area can be critical to your success. Wherever you choose to hunt, learn and understand the local food sources and preferences of
READ MOREI can still recall taking my first spring gobbler as if it happened yesterday — although it actually happened up Wallis Run over 60 years ago! Since then, well over 100 longbeards have fallen to various weapons that I have used as I pursued them in all 49 states that have a huntable population of
READ MOREI have, and while it occurred more than 25 years ago, I can still visualize the sighting as if it were yesterday. Fresh snow had fallen the night before, and I was hiking a logging road in the deep woods of Lycoming County. The newly fallen snow was ideal for picking out and following any
READ MOREThe ever-shortening days and the cooler temperatures are clear indicators that we have finally entered the fall season. With that come the various hunting opportunities within our state. Sure, many hunters daydream about hearing a bull elk bugle across a mountain meadow in the Rocky Mountains or pursuing big game in the great state of
READ MORESometimes it seems like the only thing that is constant is change. It sounds a bit contradictory but think about it. We graduate from school and leave home, get a job, then change jobs. We move to new areas and sometimes even move to a different state. Meanwhile, all around us, new businesses crop up,
READ MOREI believe most folks would agree that the days seem to go by more quickly with the passage of time. Often, before we realize it, days seem to slip by, weeks click away more rapidly, and months seem to fly off the calendar. Where does the time go? So before hunting season seems to slip
READ MOREAs I write this, the 2023 Spring Gobbler season is less than a week old, and, as usual, a variety of reports have been coming in – everything from “I haven’t seen or heard a gobbler yet,” to hunters who have been working gobblers every morning they have been out. One hunter reported calling in
READ MOREIn an effort to protect wildlife habitat, the Pennsylvania Game Commission plans to spray nearly 110,000 acres of state game lands this spring. Spraying will occur on 43 different state game lands — 109,180 acres in all — and will begin as soon as leaf-out occurs and spongy moth egg masses hatch, likely in late
READ MOREInitially, the mentored hunting program was open only to youth under 12 years of age. Still, the program has expanded in recent years to offer opportunities to unlicensed hunters of all ages. Mentored hunters are not required to take a Hunter-Trapper Education class before obtaining a permit to hunt through the program. The purpose of
READ MORENext week! Yep, in just over a week, the one-day Youth Hunt for spring gobblers will be held on Saturday, April 22nd. It is a day that many young hunters and their adult mentors have been looking forward to for months. It is held one week before the opening of the regular statewide spring gobbler
READ MOREApril is an exhilarating month for the hunting and fishing crowd; we start the month with the opening of trout season, and at the end of the month, turkey hunting for gobblers is on the agenda. While I will enjoy the throbbing of a nice trout on my flyrod, you can bet I will also
READ MORE“Double your pleasure, double your fun – with Double Mint, Double Mint, Double Mint Gum!” This popular jingle was used in years past to advertise a brand of gum that remains popular to this day. But be careful because if you remember this jingle, you may be giving away your age! But “Double your pleasure,
READ MOREFor most of us who live in Lycoming County or the surrounding counties, we are fortunate to have acquired multiple places to hunt, fish, and spend quality time outdoors. Whether we pursue small game or big game and whether we prefer to fish for trout or bass, the majority of outdoorsmen who have resided in
READ MOREWe have had amazingly pleasant weather these past few weeks, and according to the latest forecasts, it appears that it will continue for at least a few more weeks. It is so nice that some of the usual snowbirds have been delaying their regular trip south so that they can take advantage of the unseasonably
READ MOREI was driving home one morning last week when something strange caught my eye; two turkeys were only a few yards off the road on the bank to my right. I pulled over expecting the turkeys to flee — they didn’t. Now seeing turkeys while driving somewhere around here is certainly not a strange sight,
READ MOREAs the summer days shorten and fall is almost upon us, let’s take a look at what we can do over the next month or so to improve our habitat for the wildlife we hope to aid through the upcoming winter months. Even though the daytime temperatures are slowly dropping as fall approaches, we can
READ MOREWhether you are seeking to fill your second spring gobbler tag or you are still looking to connect with the first bird, beginning on Monday, the 16th, all-day hunting is permissible throughout Pennsylvania. You have until close of season on Tuesday, May 31, to seal the deal, and with all-day hunting in effect starting Monday,
READ MOREIf you are serious about your hunting and are really focused on putting your tag on a trophy buck, a respectable long-bearded turkey, or a Pennsylvania black bear, then rainy weather and blustery conditions should not hold you back. In fact, lousy weather conditions may actually up your odds of success. Whether the forecast is
READ MORESleep may become a bit restless as the one-day Youth Hunt for Spring Gobblers will occur this coming Saturday, April 23rd. With the regular statewide Spring Gobbler season opening up on the following Saturday, the 30th, there are a couple of steps to prepare for opening day. First, if you have not already done so,
READ MOREThis year, in just over a week, the one-day Youth Hunt for spring gobblers will be held on Saturday, April 23rd. It is a day that many young hunters, as well as their adult mentors, have been looking forward to for months. It is held one week prior to the opening of the regular statewide
READ MOREThe one-day Youth Hunt for spring gobblers is Saturday, April 23, 2022, and the following Saturday, the 30th, is the opening day of the month-long Pennsylvania statewide spring gobbler season. With less than a month to go before the season begins, the timing is perfect to spend time scouting for spring gobblers. Preparation for spring
READ MOREThe statewide Pennsylvania trout season begins in just a few days — Saturday, April 2, to be exact. The statewide spring gobbler season starts on Saturday, April 30, and the Youth Hunt for spring gobblers will be held on Saturday, April 23. With those dates in mind, it might be a great time to examine
READ MORECongratulations! You live in Lycoming County or perhaps one of the surrounding counties. Or maybe you are a frequent traveler who comes to our neck of the woods to enjoy what this “slice of Heaven” of Northcentral Pennsylvania has to offer. In any case, if you are into the outdoors, welcome to Paradise! Throughout my
READ MOREFinally, the daytime temperatures are reaching into the 50s and 60s, we have seen the last of the late winter snows (hopefully!), and it’s time to get outside and tackle a few springtime chores. The bluebirds have been showing themselves for a while now, but if you have not yet done so, you should (carefully)
READ MOREI was on my way home one morning last week from sipping some coffee with friends at a nearby McDonald’s when I glanced over at a still snow-covered field, and much to my surprise, I spotted two gobblers. I was even more impressed when I saw how long their beards were-definitely trophy birds. That sighting
READ MOREAs a wildlife artist and an avid outdoorsman, I am obviously very intrigued by wildlife, especially when something new or unusual shows up. I recently read in an outdoor publication about a woman who had taken an unusual buck with a crossbow. The deer had an 18-point rack, but when her husband started to field-dress
READ MOREIt is a commonly heard phrase among turkey hunters: “If you can’t kill a turkey, then kill a coyote!” It does happen on occasion when calling spring gobblers that you may be unpleasantly surprised as a coyote shows up – slinking his way toward you in response to your calling. So what should you do?
READ MOREAnother spring gobbler season has come to an end, and as always, some hunters have managed to fill their tags, and others, despite their efforts, were not successful. I’m sure in some instances there are hunters who, after their first few times out, haven’t seen or even heard a gobbler, and they gave up thinking
READ MORELast week I penned an article regarding “The Newborns of Spring,” and just yesterday morning something happened that makes me revisit that topic. Although I had begun an article about something completely different, I feel compelled to share just what happened. A landowner in northern Lycoming County has for years allowed me permission to hunt
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