Outdoors calendar
Western Allegheny Chapter Conservation & Sportsmen’s Banquet — The 22nd annual Western Allegheny Chapter Conservation & Sportsmen’s Banquet will be held Friday, Feb. 1, at the Ramada Hotel and Conference Center in Greensburg. Individual membership and dinner ticket costs $65, and family membership (and two dinners) cost $120. Additional family dinners cost $50 each and additional youth dinners cost $25 each. Social hour and raffles begin at 5:30 p.m. with the dinner to follow at 7:30. For more information, please contact Lisa M. Rossi at (724) 693-9032 or via email at rgslmt@msn.com.
HUNTER-ED CLASSES
NOTE: All hunter-trapper education students must now register online. To register go to the Game Commission’s website at http://www.pgc.state.pa.us and look for Hunter-Trapper Education. Click on the photo and it will open the link to the registration page. The instructions on how to register are easy to follow.
OPEN SEASONS
SQUIRRELS, Red, Gray, Black and Fox (Combined): Open through Dec. 26-Feb. 23 (6 daily, 12 possession).
RUFFED GROUSE: Open through Dec. 26-Jan. 26 (2 daily, 4 possession).
RABBIT (Cottontail): Open through Dec. 26-Feb. 23 (4 daily, 8 possession).
WOODCHUCKS (GROUNDHOGS): No closed season, except: Sundays and during the regular firearms deer seasons. No limit.
STARLINGS AND ENGLISH SPARROWS: No closed season, except during the antlered and antlerless deer season. No limit.
DEER, ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless) Statewide: Dec. 26-Jan. 12. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
DEER, ANTLERED OR ANTLERLESS FLINTLOCK (Statewide): Dec. 26-Jan. 12. One antlered deer per hunting license year, or one antlerless deer and an additional antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
2012-13 FURBEARER
HUNTING SEASONS
COYOTES: No closed season. Unlimited. Outside of any big game season (deer, bear, elk and turkey), coyotes may be taken with a hunting license or a furtaker license and without wearing orange. During any big game season, coyotes may be taken while lawfully hunting big game or with a furtakers license.
RACCOON and FOXES: Open through Feb. 16, unlimited.
OPOSSUM, SKUNKS and WEASELS: No closed season, except Sundays. No limits.
BOBCAT (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4C, 4D and 4E): Jan. 15-Feb. 5. One bobcat per license year, but all licensed furtakers may obtain one permit.
2012-13 TRAPPING SEASONS
MINK and MUSKRAT: Open through Jan. 6. Unlimited.
COYOTE, FOXES, OPOSSUM, RACCOON, SKUNKS and WEASELS: Open through Feb. 17. No limit.
COYOTE and FOXES (Statewide) Cable Restraints: Dec. 26-Feb. 17. No limit. Participants must pass cable restraint certification course.
BEAVER (Statewide): Dec. 26-March 31 (Limits vary depending on WMU).
BOBCAT (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4C, 4D and 4E): Dec. 15-Jan. 6. One bobcat per license year, and all licensed furtakers may obtain one permit.
TROUT STOCKINGS
The Fish and Boat Commission no longer lists the number of trout to be stocked.
SOMERSET COUNTY
Laurel Hill Lake — (Rainbow) Feb. 6, 2013
FAYETTE COUNTY
Dunlap Creek Lake — (Rainbow) Feb. 5, 2013, 11 a.m.
Virgin Run Dam — (Rainbow) Feb. 5, 2013, 10:30 a.m.
Youghiogheny River Tailraces — (Rainbow) Feb. 6, 2013,10 a.m.
WESTMORELAND COUNTY
Donegal Lake — (Rainbow) Feb. 11, 2013
Keystone Lake — (Rainbow) Feb. 5, 2013
Mammoth Lake — (Rainbow), Feb. 11, 2013
Northmoreland Lake — (Rainbow) Feb. 5, 2013
Lower Twin Lake — (Rainbow) Feb. 13, 2013
Upper Twin Lake — (Rainbow) Feb. 13, 2013
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Canonsburg Lake — (Rainbow) Feb. 11, 2013, 1:30 p.m.