Where has the time gone? Summer seems to have slipped away as August is ending, and on September 23, fall officially begins! Several weeks ago, I did plant a fall blend of seeds to create several food plots for deer. The mix included wheat, rye, oats, winter peas, crimson clover, radish, collard, turnip, beets, and
READ MOREWith the historic and groundbreaking appearance of a Cuban Little League team in this year’s Little League World Series it brings back memories of a time when the Williamsport professional baseball team, the Grays, could have rightfully had Williamsport proclaimed, “Havana on the Susquehanna.’ During 1944 and 1945, those Grays’ teams were made up mostly
READ MOREThis is the last of the stories from our staycation at the river, except this one didn’t actually happen at the river. In ten days with four people, you sure can accumulate lots of towels and dirty clothes. Obviously, we have no washer and dryer in the camper, so the past few years, over our
READ MORESummertime celebrations with friends, family and neighbors are a perfect way to enjoy the sunshine, warm weather and camaraderie. To satisfy a hungry crowd, though, you’ll need recipes fit for the occasion. Turn to a versatile signature ingredient like Grapes from California, which can be used in dishes of all kinds from refreshing salads and
READ MOREThe Thomas T. Taber Museum of the Lycoming County Historical Society cordially invites the public to attend a viewing of its summer exhibit, during First Friday, August 4, 2023, from 6-8 pm. “In the Wilds of Pennsylvania and Beyond” includes taxidermy-mounted specimens and artwork from the permanent collections of the museum, as well as the
READ MOREFor several years now, Pennsylvania hunters have been able to mentor youths while hunting for several species of game birds and animals. Pennsylvania was the first state to adopt a Mentored Youth Hunting Program, and the program has enjoyed a growing success as adults take young hunters under their wing and spend valuable time outdoors
READ MOREBe sure you are buying tickets DIRECTLY from the Williamsport Crosscutters. There are literally dozens of resale sites online that try to make you think you are actually buying from the Cutters when you are not. If you purchase your tickets through a third-party resale site, you will not only pay more money for tickets
READ MOREDo I apologize now for missing certain dates, or just wait till the end of the year to do so? Good grief. First, Mother’s Day, then Father’s Day. It’s scary how fast time goes. It doesn’t help that I write a week ahead, plus I have a one-track mind lately. It was perfect that I
READ MOREThe springtime birth of this year’s crop of young birds and animals is still going on. For the next few weeks, the tail end of the process will continue, offering us the chance to observe the antics of the newborns. While whitetail does have been dropping their fawns for several weeks now, there will still
READ MOREIt happens every spring, without fail. It has been happening for several weeks now, and if you are fortunate, you may witness this phenomenon over the next few weeks as well. It is Mother Nature’s replenishing of the species — the birth of birds and mammals throughout our fields and forests. If you have been
READ MOREOn Sunday, June 18, Father’s Day will be upon us, and it is the one unique day annually that we can show our Dad, our Pop, our Father how special we really think he is. Fortunately, with a little over a week to go, there is plenty of time for shopping and planning to make
READ MOREAs an avid outdoorsman and a wildlife artist, I am obviously very interested in our surrounding wildlife, and I like to keep tabs on what’s happening in the wildlife community. Recently a story on the possible sightings of Ivory-billed woodpeckers caught my attention. Understand that Ivory-billed woodpeckers were never a part of Pennsylvania’s wildlife, but
READ MOREThe Pennsylvania Game Commission is currently exploring the idea of returning one of the last extirpated native mammals back to its native landscape in the Pennsylvania wilds. In recent years another mammal, the fisher, was reintroduced and with great success. I have personally seen fishers on several occasions, and I have talked with others who
READ MOREHunters are the “salt of the earth.” Yes, without a doubt, there are a few exceptions — you know — the ones who usually make the news, like the occasional slob hunter or poacher. They are the ones who seem to be talked about most often, especially by those who hold some degree of opposition
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 walked out my back door last Friday all was right with the world. The birds were singing and in the distance; you could finally hear a turkey gobbling, announcing his presence. It was the first morning in a long time my 4-legged son Finn wasn’t soaking wet after returning from his visit to
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 MOREAs you head to the woods in pursuit of a spring gobbler, there are a few things you should give some thought to. The majority of those who get up every morning well before daylight, trudge deep into the woods ahead of the sunrise, and sometimes spend countless hours in pursuit of this magnificent bird
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 MOREThere are just a couple more nights of restless sleep to endure, then, almost magically, at 5:38 a.m. on Saturday, April 29, legal shooting hours begin on what is the first day of this year’s spring gobbler season. With little time remaining before that long-awaited moment, there are a couple of steps yet to take
READ MORECooking meals that bring your loved ones joy is often objective No. 1 but creating those flavorful favorites on an appropriate budget is an important aspect of well-rounded, family-friendly recipes. A few simple steps, like developing good grocery shopping habits, can put smiles on hungry faces without leaving a dent in your finances. Consider these
READ MOREWith just over a week remaining until the opening day of Spring Gobbler season, take a few minutes now to check all the gear you carry in your turkey hunting vest. When it comes to hunting, there is probably no segment of hunters that is more eager to have the “latest gadgets and gear” than
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 MORESoon, Spring Gobbler season will be upon us, so as an enticement, let’s get you salivating over some rather tasty ways to make great meals with free-range, non-GMO, organic wild turkey meat that is devoid of any government-approved chemicals! Many who have tried wild turkey meat agree that it has a better flavor than pen-raised
READ MOREIt’s funny how we associate different events with different parts of life. For me, the Little League World Series marks the beginning of the end of summer. And the West Branch Builder’s Home Show is the unofficial kick-off to spring. I always look forward to spending a couple of hours at the show each year.
READ MOREWhether you are fortunate enough to be a private landowner or perhaps are a member of a hunting club, the efforts you make in habitat improvement on your acreage will benefit the native wildlife for years to come. Let’s take a look at some of the things you should consider doing now that will yield
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 MORESpring is certainly a favorite season for many sportsmen. Cabin fever and the winter doldrums are finally behind us, we can finally get outside, and so many things are available to explore and enjoy. Foraging for wild edible plants can begin as the daily temperatures begin to rise, the snow has melted, and spring rains
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 MOREMost people would agree that if you are serious about accomplishing a goal, you need a plan. This becomes even more critical when you are looking at a complex set of goals, and time and money may be limited. Such just might be the case if you are a landowner, a member of a hunting
READ MOREWhen my wife and I head off somewhere in a vehicle, I’m usually quick to grab the passenger seat, and for good reason — I like to gaze around, looking for whatever wildlife I can spot as we head down the road. I’m always looking for turkeys, deer and other wildlife, including winged critters flying
READ MOREThroughout Pennsylvania and neighboring states, the coyote breeding season runs from the beginning of January until the end of February. That means we are in a prime time of the year to hunt one of our state’s most prolific predators. Both males and females are out and about during daylight hours more than usual, working
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