by Phil Burkhouse ‘Twas the night before firearms buck season and all through the house not a creature was stirring, except for a mouse—or maybe several mice. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
by William Crisp The second week of deer season has traditionally been considered a “hungry time.” However, over the past decade that has changed. The best time to hunt Pennsylvania rifle season is at the end of it. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
Meat in the Pot by Phil Burkhouse Aging meat involves hanging the carcass for a period of time after killing the critter. If you are one of the lucky few hunters who connect on a deer this season, you will hopefully take care of the critter and turn it into excellent table fare. Some […]
I’ve been lucky, other than being able to fly a spacecraft; I’ve been able to live out the life I dreamed of as a kid. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
by Phil Burkhouse Last week’s question concerned alphabet deer diseases, and I asked what the abbreviation CWD and EHD stood for. EHD stands for Epizootic Hemorrhagic Disease and CWD stands for Chronic Wasting Disease. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
by William Crisp I’ve noticed a trend that seems to be continuing. It appears that each hunting season, I’m older than the previous one. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
Sinnemahoning Sportsmen’s Association (SSA) recently hosted a one-day Muzzleloader basic program. There were six young people who took advantage of the program to learn more about black powder firearms. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
Those participating in the fall turkey season can file their mandatory harvest reports through the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s online system, the toll-free Interactive Voice Response (IVR) reporting system telephone number, which is 1-855-PAHUNT1 (1-855-724-8681), or via postage-paid postcard. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
by Phil Burkhouse It was Sunday afternoon, October 28th, and Jake and I had spent most of the day hiking ridges in West Creek looking for deer sign. Sandy was on her way up the east coast, but the cloudy and misty weather we were experiencing was from a cold front from the […]
by William Crisp The hunting and fishing culture is a world heavily dependent on the virtue of “experience” and little changes over the years. Even our controversies are current issues which are dressed up in “new” packaging, but read decades old manuscripts and you’ll see the exact same old gripes being repackaged. (Full […]
Pennsylvania Game Commission officials said bear hunters soon will be able to enjoy a four-day statewide bear season, in addition to a full-week archery bear season and a series of extended bear seasons in certain Wildlife Management Units (WMUs) during the upcoming fall months. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s […]
Hunters who harvest a bear during the statewide four-day general bear season must take it to one of the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s check stations within 24 hours. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
Pennsylvania Game Commission officials, in partnership with the state chapters of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), are encouraging hunters to help veterans discover or rediscover the thrills and joys of hunting in Pennsylvania, including the archery bear season that will be open when Veterans Day is observed on Monday, […]
Pennsylvania Game Commission officials point out that one of the biggest mistakes bear hunters make is failing to locate areas with good fall food supplies – acorns, hickory nuts, beechnuts, apples, corn – before the hunting season and overlooking areas of dense cover where bears like to hide. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in […]
by Phil Burkhouse Wes “The Little Bear” Walters is Big Jake’s “Little Brudder” and has now attained the ripe old age of nine. Wes has two spike bucks under his belt but informed me last year when the PGC made it possible for mentored youth to kill a doe for the first […]
byWilliam Crisp There, literally, “ain’t no” steelhead in the Driftwood. Since there are no steelheads in the streams convenient to my residence or exactly where I want to catch them, as I previously threatened, I did go to Erie to do some fishing for a few days. (Rather than writing a letter complaining that […]
Archery Update by Phil Burkhouse Saturday, September 29th, marked the season opener for archery season. Jake and I hiked to a narrow ridge before light and climbed into a two-man tree stand. There were both red and rock oak acorns on the ground, and several buck rubs were visible. We hunted until 10 a.m. in […]
by William Crisp I am, notionally, scribing this article on a piece of bark while deeply embedded in a clandestine area of the forest. I am carefully concealed by camouflage, scent control spray, cigar smoke, and a rolled over keg…not in that order. This communication shall be encrypted and burst out during a […]
by Phil Burkhouse I want to remind all area people about the bike ride, hike, and picnic this Sunday afternoon, October 7th, to honor the 100th anniversary of the present St. James Church in Driftwood. All members of the community are encouraged to join in this celebration by getting outdoors and participating in […]
by William Crisp While scouting and visiting different areas of the Commonwealth and hunting the variety of things I hunt; fishing holes, plants, mushrooms, holy grails, and game, I’ve learned to read the signs. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
Autumn 2012 by Phil Burkhouse Statewide archery season for deer begins this Saturday, September 29th, and runs through Monday, November 12th. Jake, Mary, and I have been doing some preseason scouting trying to pick out a couple of choice spots for the boys to hunt deer. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this […]
by William Crisp Archery season opens on Saturday, beginning my favorite time of the year. I got my hunting license and have been practicing shooting since July. I’ve done habitat management, scouted and set stands. The only thing I had left to do was the hard stuff like check the fluorescent orange requirements […]
Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe recently advised motorists to slow down after sundown and before sunrise to reduce their risk of having a close encounter with a white-tailed deer. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
Webworms, Elk and Fishing by Phil Burkhouse If you travel Route 120 west to St. Marys the aesthetic beauty of the drive is reduced by the multitude of unsightly tents that cover the hillsides. The tents I am referring to are the silk tents filled with caterpillars of the fall webworm. At least […]
by William Crisp Recently, I heard a report that fish were found in the Bennett Branch of the Sinnemahoning. The study was done approximately one month after the lime doser was put into operation in the Hollywood, Pa. section of the Bennett Branch. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
While Pennsylvania’s statewide fall archery deer season doesn’t open until Sept. 29, archery hunters with an antlerless deer license for Wildlife Management Units 2B, 5C and 5D started Saturday, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
by Joe Kosack Wildlife Conservation Education Specialist PA Game Commission It’s hard to deny the bald eagle’s importance in American history and particularly fitting to remember its legacy as we prepare to celebrate America’s lasting independence on the Fourth of July, according to officials with the Pennsylvania Game Commission. (Full Story available on the […]
Pennsylvania Game Commission officials, in partnership with the state chapters of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), are encouraging hunters to help veterans discover or rediscover the thrills and joys of hunting in Pennsylvania. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
by Phil Burkhouse My grandfather, Harry Burkhouse, was born in 1896 and spent part of his working life below the surface of the earth mining for coal. He never talked much about his career in the mines, and the only reason I even know about it was I remember his coal miner’s lunch bucket […]
by William Crisp As a parent who does some coaching, it is fair to say I spend a little time around kids. I guess I like them most of the time. I wonder if it is a coincidence that, usually, it is when they are quiet. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in […]
Potter County Junior Conservation School recently concluded their annual week- long program. The program for boys and girls 13 to 15 years old, was established to promote awareness of our environment and the principles of conservation. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
Still Wandering by Phil Burkhouse Three rebel family members toured their old homelands last week, and since they were into woods walking we did numerous morning and evening hikes. Most of the hikes were in the heads of the Hicks Run and May Hollow drainages with occasional adventures in West Creek, and all areas […]
by William Crisp This has been an interesting week. I love learning new stuff and generally I try to ingest a lot of different materials for fun. Recently, there was a class that said taking bath salt based drugs was bad for you. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s […]
Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe said the agency is scheduling more basic Hunter-Trapper Education (HTE) courses for September and October so all new hunters can complete this mandatory course to be eligible to participate in the upcoming fall hunting seasons. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this […]
by Phil Burkhouse Last week I discussed our trip to the western states and included a picture of a hummingbird I took while in Colorado. Our hummingbird is a ruby-throated hummingbird and is common throughout the entire eastern and central United States as well as southern portions of the Canadian Provinces. (Full Story […]
by William Crisp I have worked for an outfitter as a guide and it was pretty fun… except for the guiding part. The outfitter would interview clients and ask them various questions about their expectations, hunting preferences and skills. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
The Pennsylvania Game Commission is looking for experienced hunters and trappers who are interested in becoming volunteer instructors for the agency’s basic Hunter-Trapper Education (HTE), Successful Bowhunting, Successful Furtaking and Successful Turkey Hunting courses, as well as future courses under consideration. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
by Nelson Haas The Social Anthropology of the Whitetailed Deer Before the arrival of the White-Man to Pennsylvania, the white-tailed deer was revered by Native Americans. It provided food, clothing, shelter, tools, weapons and ornamentation for the forest tribes. When a native hunter killed a deer he would leave tobacco as a gift […]
Water, Topsoil & Mixed Northern Hardwoods by Phil Burkhouse Mary and I inherited some wandering blood from our ancestors, and this summer our restless feet ended up in western portions of the United States—again. We traveled with fellow Cameron County wanderers Rick and Pam Means from Driftmahoning and covered 7,643 miles in twenty-two […]
by William Crisp To be, or not to be? That is the question. What do we live for? There are as many answers as there are people I’m sure. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
Hunters looking to participate in this year’s Pennsylvania elk season have until Aug. 26 to submit an application through the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s Pennsylvania Automated License System (PALS). This can be done at any issuing agent or through the “Enter Elk Drawing” icon in the center of the agency’s homepage (www.pgc.state.pa.us). (Full Story […]
by Phil Burkhouse The two oldest grandsons are definitely hooked on fishing and are still going strong late into the summer. In July they hounded the trout that had collected in the cold water at the mouth of many of our small streams and experienced limited success. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in […]
by William Crisp During this season of travelling for vacation, it is important to remember that among the most underappreciated items in the world are inflatable and/or rubber animals. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
A Woods Walk With A Little Person by Phil Burkhouse Cora Kathryn Grovanz is our youngest grandchild, and after three rambunctious boy grandchildren we finally got a rambunctious girl grandchild. Cora is three years old going on fifteen and loves nail polish, jewelry, and most things pink, but she also has inherited a love […]
by William Crisp We humans think we have everything figured out even though we keep screwing up. You name the subject and you’ll find more questions than answers. We’re not even talking astrophysics or quantum physics either. Meteorology? (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
The July meeting of James Zwald Chapter #314, of Trout Unlimited will be held on July 31st, at the outdoor classroom of the St. Marys Middle School at 7 p.m.
by William Crisp My wife is not a native of Pennsylvania, as she grew up in Michigan. I was able to overlook that flaw because a large portion of her family migrated to Michigan a generation ago, from North Central PA and had remained in close contact with their roots. (Full Story available […]
The Pennsylvania Game Commission today announced that GPS-enabled applications, or “apps” as they are commonly referred to, are available to provide outdoor enthusiasts easy access to a host of information about all State Game Lands. The app can be downloaded for most mobile devices through links on the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us). (Full Story […]
by Nelso Haas AMERICAN SPIKENARD American Spikenard, Aralia racemosa, not to be confused with the Far Eastern Spikenard, Nardostachys jatamansi mentioned in the Bible, is a native North American, plant. It was used by the American Indians to treat just about everything. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County […]
Goatsuckers Goatsuckers, also referred to as nightjars, are night hunters with a loud, haunting, ethereal song. Legend has it that this nocturnal family of birds can sense a soul departing and capture it as it flees. The goatsucker I have chosen to write about this week is one of my favorite songsters; the whip-poor-will. […]
by William Crisp The big news before our national Independence Day was the big loss of Independence the ruling elite took from Americans in the “Healthcare Bill.” The Supreme Court ruled that the Bill could stand and that among the more than twenty new taxes the Bill will levy, (the highest tax hike in […]
by Nelson Haas Raccoons Somewhere on a Raccoon Map my house is circled in red with the notation: “FREE FOOD AND SHELTER.” (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo) So, no topic what platonic story you are studying, no subject what theme your theme is on, no count what […]
Native Fishing by Phil Burkhouse The two older grandsons, Big Jake and Little Bear Wes, have terminated their academic endeavors for the summer and are now ready to expend all their energy they had previously devoted to homework and honing their scholarly skills to a razor sharp edge to another important educational milestone: fishin’. (Full […]
by William Crisp I enjoy growing things so I spend a lot of my time pampering plants. One of the projects I’ve got going are blueberries. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
With general hunting license sales underway, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe reminded hunters that county treasurers will begin accepting antlerless deer license applications from resident hunters starting Monday, July 9; and from nonresidents beginning Monday, July 30. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
Lightning Bugs, Fireflies by Phil Burkhouse I grin when I hear an excited youngster suddenly screech out, “Look, lightning bugs!” Lightning bugs or fireflies are a familiar sight on hot summer nights and are a challenge and a delight for kids to chase around the yard and catch so they can watch their light. […]
by William Crisp ville, it came here. ‘It came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. It even came without stocking, news releases and gawking. So I puzzled and puzzled ‘til my puzzler was sore, until I could puzzle no more’. (Full Story available on the […]
With schools on summer recess, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe is reminding all first-time license buyers to make plans to attend a Hunter-Trapper Education (HTE) course now. Also, the 2012-13 licenses went on sale on June 11, and the antlerless deer license process begins on July 9. (Full Story […]
by Phil Burkhouse Two weeks ago I pulled into a large parking lot about three miles west of Emporium. The lot had been covered with limestone chips and was in very nice condition. I exited the truck and was immediately treated to a view of two birds that were each flapping around […]
by William Crisp As the pretext for today’s conversation I have to admit that I was part of a front line that used to like to drive nails with our foreheads as part of our relaxation time (football related concussions were not an issue then… (Full Story available on the newsstands, in […]
SQUIRRELS, Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with or without required license, and mentored youth – Oct. 6-12 (6 daily, 12 in possession limit after first day). (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
by Phil Burkhouse I hate to date myself with this question but what trait do Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and the Eastern Phoebe have in common? The answer, popping into the brains of birders who are also old sports fans, is they are all “flycatchers.” (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s […]
by William Crisp Ah, the “good old days”; smog, dead rivers, endangered species… Oh, wait…there were a lot of deer. Even in the recent past, as few as seventeen years ago, much of the environment had enjoyed a huge bounce back and at the same time, as the story is now told around the […]
By Joe Kosack Wildlife Conservation Ed. Specialist PA Game Comm. It’s an annual chapter in nature that begins in May, peaks in early June and always goes largely and surprisingly unnoticed. But with time, the annual birth of hundreds of thousands of white-tailed deer has the potential to influence the lives of most Pennsylvanians and […]
As the spring gobbler season ends, Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe reminded hunters who harvested a spring gobbler to report their harvest using any one of the three methods offered by the agency. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
by William Crisp Once during a hot summer three month training deployment within the United States, somewhere in North Carolina, I took a moment to poke my head out of the woods and look across a field of private property. (Full Story available on the newsstands, in this week’s Cameron County Echo)
Where’s the Deer? by Phil Burkhouse Last week’s question asked you to compute the number of deer killed per square mile in Pennsylvania. I stated the square mileage of Pennsylvania is 46,058 and last year’s “estimated” deer kill according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission was 336,200 animals. If you divide 336,200 by the entire area […]
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