Outdoors category, Page 24

Opulent is not a word usually associated with overnight accommodations along the Appalachian Trail. Rustic. Spare. Austere. Homey, maybe, if you’re in a particularly charitable mood. But not opulent. Most days on the trail involve walking mile after mile and eating dehydrated food while sitting on a stump or the...

There’s no questioning Barry Wensel’s deer hunting resume. In six years working as a guide, he and his twin brother, Gene, helped more than 200 clients kill Pope & Young class deer with their bows. Their hunters had a 96 percent success rate. Barry has killed four Boone & Crockett...

Notices Outdoors RIFLE/TRAP LEAGUES There were 153 shooters who competed in the Twi-Night Trap League on Thursday, and 20 managed perfect 25 straights. Connellsville and Ruffsdale finished tied for first place with a score of 198 targets. East Huntingdon (195), Hecla (192) and Youngwood (189) rounded out the scoring. Connellsville...

So you want to catch some fish, huh? Well, here’s a tip. Start by casting your line where the fish are. Pretty sage stuff there, I know. Confucius-esque, almost. But if you want to catch fish, you have to know what waters the fish call home and in what sizes...

• Anglers are finding plenty of panfish at Shenango Reservoir, with live bait such as crickets or worms providing a solid option as far as bait is concerned. Crappie are also biting for fishermen who are casting out into the deeper areas of the reservoir. • The Kinzua Reservoir is...

Perhaps they get paid by the bullet fired. The heroes — and the villains, too, to be fair — in contemporary action movies all carry high capacity firearms as a matter of course. They lug around spare magazines like they’re nothing, as well. And brother, do they pull the trigger....

Gear of the week Gear name: Power Armz Company: 4id (everybodyshops.com/power-armz-led-safety-armband.html) Gear type: Lighted armbands Product description: 4id’s Power Armz are a favorite of runners and cyclists because their bright light, which can be set to flash or shine continuously, are powerful enough to make them noticeable and therefore safe....

This is what a snafu looks like. More than a month after 2019-20 Pennsylvania hunting licenses went on sale, tens of thousands of people who purchased theirs online still are waiting to receive them. Licenses bought online are supposed to be printed within 24 hours, mailed immediately thereafter and arrive...

So you want to catch some fish, huh? Well, here’s a tip. Start by casting your line where the fish are. Pretty sage stuff there, I know. Confucius-esque, almost. But if you want to catch fish, you’ve got to know what waters the fish call home and in what sizes...

Lure of the week Lure name: Dartspin Company: A Band of Anglers (abandofanglers.com) Lure type: Soft plastic Sizes and colors: Available in a 5.5-inch model in 18 colors, including black ’n blue, green pepper, solid pearl, purple pearly, glow, copper mine and see-through clear gold. Target species: Largemouth and smallmouth...

Notices Outdoors RIFLE/TRAP LEAGUES There were 136 shooters who competed in the Twi-Night Trap League on Thursday, and 14 managed perfect 25 straights. Connellsville finished in first place with a score of 200 targets. Ruffsdale (193), Hecla (191), Youngwood (191) and East Huntingdon (188) rounded out the scoring. Connellsville (82.5)...

It was, in some ways, an outrageous amount of debate for so little water. But, finally, a decision was made. Anglers who want to fish what’s known as Section 3 of Spruce Creek near Franklinsville in Huntingdon County can do so year-round. They must release any fish they catch. And,...

The evidence is there, in every household, hiding in plain sight in the silverware drawer. Look at the butter knives. At least one will be slightly bent at the tip. And how did it get that way? Because you or someone like you used it as a screwdriver. Hey, been...

• Pymatuning Reservoir is developing into a bit of a hot spot, with fishermen reporting a variety of catches, including crappie, catfish, muskie and walleye. The walleye catches have been on the large side and can be found in about 15-20 feet of water. The crappie bite has been a...

Notices Outdoors RIFLE/TRAP LEAGUES There were 130 shooters who competed in the Twi-Night Trap League on Thursday, and eight managed perfect 25 straights. Connellsville finished in first place with a score of 195 targets. Hecla (192), East Huntingdon (188), Youngwood (186) and Ruffsdale (179) rounded out the scoring. Connellsville (77.5)...

It’s not who you think it is. Each year, park and forest rangers, volunteer firefighters, emergency medical technicians and other search-and-rescue personnel take to the woods to save people in dire straits. There’s never a shortage of them. Yet rarely are the rescued backwoods wanderers, exotic, high-adventure explorers who roamed...

• Anglers are enjoying plenty of action at Conemaugh River Lake, bringing in an assortment of catches, including smallmouth bass, yellow perch, walleye and a handful of freshwater drum. Bass are the most popular catch, with fishermen reeling in solid numbers from the higher concrete walls bordering the lake. Some...

GEAR OF THE WEEK Gear name: Stay Put Company: Sawyer Gear type: Sunscreen Product description: I’ve turned my wife into a paddler. She doesn’t fish, but she loves taking her kayak to cruise rivers and lakes. Unfortunately for her, the same sun that makes me tan burns her relentlessly. So...

So you want to catch some fish, huh? Well, here’s a tip. Start by casting your line where the fish are. Pretty sage stuff there, I know. Confucius-esque, almost. But if you want to catch fish, you’ve got to know what waters the fish call home and in what sizes...

LURE OF THE WEEK Lure name: Butterfly Float’N Harness Company: Northland Fishing Tackle (www.northlandtackle.com/) Lure type: Crawler harness Sizes and colors: Available in two blade sizes, 7/8- and 1 3/8-inch, and 12 color combinations, including blue shiner, clown, electric perch, Wonderbread, pink lemonade and purple tiger. Target species: Walleyes and...

The battle is not over. Pennsylvania state Senators recently approved, by a 36-14 vote, an amended Senate Bill 147 that calls for allowing hunting on three Sundays each year. Supporters called it a victory, albeit a smaller one than they envisioned. But it remains far from a done deal. Questions...

So you want to catch some fish, huh? Well, here’s a tip. Start by casting your line where the fish are. Pretty sage stuff there, I know. Confucius-esque, almost. But if you want to catch fish, you’ve got to know what waters the fish call home and in what sizes...

How would this be for a twist: Across the country, hunters can pursue turkeys in spring and again in fall. Yet, perhaps, the most dangerous time for the birds might be late summer. That’s not hunting season. That’s bug season. Researchers are looking at whether mosquitoes that carry West Nile...

Notices Outdoors HUNTER SAFETY COURSES Note: All hunter safety courses require preregistration at www.pgc.state.pa.us. • Springdale District Sportsmen’s Association, Allegheny County, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. July 13. Class limit 40. • Elrama Sportsmen’s Club, Washington County, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. July 20. Class limit 40. • Shaner Sportsmen’s Club, Westmoreland County, 8...