This 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 MORESpring has definitely sprung across the West Branch Valley, and with late March and April showers come May flowers. I especially enjoy the increased hours of daylight and knowing those long days of summer are just around the corner. As you’re reading this, many of our local baseball teams have already thrown their first pitch
READ MORECalendars throughout the area denoted nothing special about March 18. However, at one anxious building on Penn Street in Williamsport, that third Friday in March was indeed a red-letter day. At about the same time, St. John Neumann Regional Academy graduate Kevin Anderson was taking the floor with his Delaware Blue Hens against Villanova in
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 MOREPiper Minier’s shot bounced tantalizingly on the rim two or three times before it dropped through the netting as a large South Williamsport rooting contingent let out a roar of approval. In what has been a miraculous season for the Lady Mountaineers basketball team, it seemed a moment when good fortunes would once again shine
READ MOREWhether you are a hunter or a target shooter, or both, you are keenly aware of just how valuable ammunition is these days. Not only is it usually as scarce as hen’s teeth, but when you find it, it is as expensive as all get out. But, I am not actually referring to ammo for
READ MOREI suspect that most of us never thought of Pennsylvania as being a state where you could rack up a fairly high-scoring big game animal, especially when it comes to elk, but we may have to rethink that a bit. I’m certainly not a trophy hunter by any means, but years ago, I went off
READ MORERecently revealed statistics verified that 2021 was another banner year when it came to firearms sales, and 2022 is headed for another year of robust sales. Personal protection handguns have been and will continue to be a majority of that business. In fact, there were over 5 million firearms purchased by new gun owners throughout
READ MOREI recently attended a “Gun Law Seminar” held at the Old Lycoming Township Volunteer Fire Co. that was scheduled to run from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The meeting was organized and presented by our two area Pennsylvania State Representatives, Jeff Wheeland of the 83rd Legislative District and Joe Hamm of the 84th Legislative District. Jeff
READ MOREEighty years ago, in 1941, three weeks before Christmas, the United States was “suddenly and deliberately attacked” in a sneak attack by the Japanese at Pearl Harbor, plunging us into an unwanted war. What was supposed to be another routine Christmas holiday season was changed utterly by this. People in the Williamsport area and then
READ MOREAs a new basketball season is quickly upon us, I’ve been reflecting on the coaches I was privileged to have in my basketball career, who had — and some who continue to have — a tremendous impact on my life. One never knows who may enter a young boy’s life and either change his direction
READ MOREFor baseball fans, the World Series is the highlight of their favorite pastime. Football fans anxiously watch their teams work their way toward the playoffs and the big day for football fans – the Super Bowl. For those whose greatest sporting challenge is hunting mature whitetail bucks, the wait is almost over. The time is
READ MORETwo weeks ago, I wrote an article about Williamsport native Treyson Potts. The University of Minnesota stud running back had been tearing it up. This all came to an abrupt end. Potts suffered an undisclosed injury serious enough to keep him hospitalized for six days. The details were very hush-hush, and Coach PJ Fleck talked
READ MOREThe statewide archery antlered and antlerless deer season began on October 2. As the season progresses and nears that “magical” time of the rut, bowhunters will be spending an increasing amount of time in the woods. While hunting from the ground or in a ground blind can be successful, most would agree that a tree
READ MOREIf something can be routine and record-breaking at the same time, Pennsylvania’s archery deer season is it. It’s routine in its consistency. Pennsylvania held its first statewide archery season in 1951; this year’s hunt is the 71st in a row since. It stretches across seven weeks, includes a Sunday and gives hunters the chance to
READ MOREIn just a few days, Saturday, October 2 to be exact, The Archery Antlered and Antlerless Deer Season open statewide. Bowhunters across the state will enter the Pennsylvania woods in search of a whitetail deer that will produce some very tasty meals for family and friends. From the time we head out for a day
READ MOREHunting is big business in North America. In 2017, more than 15 million people hunted in the United States. The National Shooting Sports Foundation reports that sportsmen and women contribute nearly $9.4 million to the economy every day. Millions of hunters take to forests and fields every year. Seasoned hunters and novices alike can benefit
READ MOREAny new endeavor can sometimes be intimidating and always involves a learning curve of some sort, but in the case of taking up the sport of bowhunting, the rewards are endless and the process of becoming proficient can be a pleasant experience as well. Developing your ability to consistently place an arrow where you want
READ MORETraumatic accidents and injuries are unfortunately an everyday occurrence. Many people often associate trauma with major events such as car accidents, gunshot wounds, and burns, however, traumatic injuries can also be from something as simple as a fall in your home. While no one plans to be involved with such events, it is vital to
READ MOREI have always been around hunting and shooting sports. I grew up around a shooting preserve, aiding my uncle Raymond P. Sones in the feeding and care of pheasants, chucker partridge, and bobwhite quail. For my family, hunting and conservation go hand in hand. My dad always taught me to pick my shot and not
READ MOREDAY TWO: “The Good, the Bad and the REALLY, REALLY Ugly” It was mid-afternoon on the second day when Travis, our guide, and Walker and I saddled up and headed east on the trail to our evening hunting blinds. Travis in the lead, followed by the pack mule, then Walker, then me. We had only
READ MOREThis year, the Pennsylvania one-day Youth Spring Gobbler season will be held on Saturday, April 24, 2021. The limit is one bird and it must be bearded, which means it could be a young Jake with a short beard, an old Tom with a long beard or even a bearded hen is legal (please note,
READ MORELike King Arthur’s quest for the Holy Grail, legendary, longtime Loyalsock High School basketball mentor, Ron, C. I., Insinger, had his own quest for his own Holy Grail–a state basketball championship title. Well, finally, after 47 years, that arduous quest has ended joyfully with a 75-53 win over Brookville two weeks ago. We at Webb
READ MOREEvery spring, the majority of turkey hunters end the season without success, while the usual suspects 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 seem to plague them every season.
READ MOREThe local sports scene is still buzzing — major props to Coach CI and the Lancers. I can’t begin to tell you how excited I was. No. I wasn’t there in person, but I followed the game via Twitter. 2021 AAA State Champions. Incredible. It takes an entire VILLAGE to pull this off. Everyone played
READ MOREWhere have all the turkeys been? No doubt, hanging out on a limb, roosting above the snow and ice and patiently awaiting this warmer weather that will allow them to scratch and peck for some much-needed food. There were pretty slim pickings over these tougher than usual winter months, but now the turkeys are showing
READ MOREMuch mystery exists in the world of spring turkey hunting. While there are times when success in the field can come more quickly than expected, it is more often the case that bagging a gobbler will take time, patience, and often a bit of luck. Every aspect of spring gobbler hunting carries an air of
READ MOREIt happened last Tuesday. I received a call from a fellow hunter who was all excited about watching 4 long bearded gobblers in his back yard scratching for whatever seeds or morsels they could find. He had been concerned about how they had been doing through the heavy snows and ice layers that were hindering
READ MOREOK, I’ll reveal my age a bit by telling you that there is a Peter, Paul and Mary song, “Where Have All the Flowers Gone,” that has been ringing in my head as I have been putting my thoughts together about this article. It is stuck there and it keeps going through my brain over
READ MOREIf you like big bucks and you cannot lie, this week’s column is for you. That reference is from the Sir Mix-a-Lot hit from 1992, “Baby Got Back.” Yes, I know he’s not talking about big bucks in the song. Isn’t it funny, though, in today’s world of Google, that you read the lyrics and
READ MOREWith a scant one week of shopping days left until the arrival of Christmas morning, we need to take a serious look at a couple of great ideas for that hard-to-buy-for sportsman on your gift-giving list. The ideas will include items that I have used and found to be highly useful and handy for any
READ MOREThis October marked my 40th anniversary of pursuing white-tailed deer with the bow and arrow. I didn’t grow up in a hunting family, so archery and archery hunting were two sciences I had to learn completely on my own. Because I grew up in the city, I had to turn sixteen and get a driver’s
READ MOREFor decades, the black bear population throughout Pennsylvania has been on a slow, but ever-increasing rise. The numbers today exceed 20,000, making our state a popular destination for bear hunters. Not only are the numbers of animals impressive, but the size of some have often exceeded 300 pounds, with animals every year being taken in
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