Outdoors calendar
YOUTH SPORTING CLAYS
The California Hill Gun Club will hold registration for the Smokin’ Guns competitive youth clay target team will hold registration on Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 6 p.m. at the gun club for boys and girls in grades 5-12 and college-aged shooters attending classes at any local college or university. No prior experience is needed and new shooters are welcome. Call (724) 938-3477 for more information.
UNIONTOWN BEAGLE CLUB
The Uniontown Beagle Club’s trials first trial begins at 7 a.m. with the bench show at 10:30 a.m. and the second trial at 11 a.m. Trial dates are: Sunday, Feb.22; Sunday, March 22; Sunday, May 24; Sunday, Sept. 27; Sunday, Oct. 25; and Sunday, Nov. 22. The Pennsylvania State Championship in on Sunday, April 26. The schedule for the Sunday, Dec. 13, trial is one 120-minute round with no bench or second trial. The Hound of the Year winners will be announced after the trial.
NIXON BUS TRIP
Nixon Gun Club will sponsor a bus trip to the Great American Outdoors Show at the Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg on Feb. 9. The bus will leave the Hiller Volunteer Fire Company’s parking lot at 5:30 a.m. and return late that same evening. For more information, call Butch at 724-366-3184 or Denny at (724) 970-4590.
SPORTING CLAY SHOOTS
The Fairbank Rod & Gun Club will hold sporting clay shoots every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m.
SUCCESSFUL TURKEY HUNTING
NOTE: Online registration only; must be at least 11 years old to register. Prior to attending, you should complete the independent study part of this program online. If you don’t want to study online, please telephone the PGC Hunter-Trapper Education Division at 717-787-7015 (M-F from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) to request a printed version of our Successful Turkey Hunting!
Student Manual. The independent-study part of the training will take about 6 to 8 hours to complete.
WINTERFEST
Saturday, Feb. 7, 2015
11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Ohiopyle State Park
Join us for a day of Winter Fun at the Sugarloaf Sledding Area. We will be loaning out our skis and snow shoes for folks to try. Horse drawn sleigh rides will be available for $5/adults, $3/children 4-12, 3 and under are free. Bring a three man team and join the human sled dog race. Bring your sleds for riding the big hill. Food will be available through Friends of Ohiopyle. For more information email bawallace@pa.gov.
SUCCESSFUL FURTAKING
Prior to attending the one-day class, all students must complete the independent study part of the training by clicking on the link “Successful Furtaking! Student Manual” on the website at www.pgc.state.pa.us. If not online, please telephone the PGC Hunter-Trapper Education Division at (717) 787-7015 (M-F, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.) to request a printed version of the manual. The independent study portion of the course takes approximately 6-8 hours to complete.
SUCCESSFUL BOWHUNTER-ED CLASSES
NOTE: All the online Pennsylvania Bowhunter Education Course must be completed before registering for Successful Bowhunting. The online bowhunter education course (Pennsylvania Bowhunter Education Course) and Successful Bowhunting field day to complete the requirements for Pennsylvania bowhunter education.
Online registration only.
HUNTER-TRAPPER INDEPENDENT STUDY COURSE
NOTE: Must be 11 years old to register. Students must attend the 2-3 hour class to be tested and certified.
Students must study entire course content on own online, taking about 8-10 hours to complete.
HUNTER-TRAPPER 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. Must be 11 years old to attend class.
SUCCESSFUL FURTAKING
Prior to attending the one-day class, all students must complete the independent study part of the training by clicking on the link “Successful Furtaking! Student Manual” on the website at www.pgc.state.pa.us.
If not online, please telephone the PGC Hunter-Trapper Education Division at (717) 787-7015 (M-F, 8 a.m.-4 p.m.) to request a printed version of the manual. The independent study portion of the course takes approximately 6-8 hours to complete.
SUCCESSFUL BOWHUNTER-ED CLASSES
NOTE: All the online Pennsylvania Bowhunter Education Course must be completed before registering for Successful Bowhunting.
The online bowhunter education course (Pennsylvania Bowhunter Education Course) and Successful Bowhunting field day to complete the requirements for Pennsylvania bowhunter education. Online registration only.
HUNTING SEASONS
A partial listing of 2014-2015 seasons and daily bag limits:
RABBIT (Cottontail): Dec. 26-Feb. 21 (4 daily, 12 possession).
PHEASANT: Male only in WMUs 2A, 2C, 4C, 4E, 5A and 5B. Male and female may be taken in all other WMUs — Dec. 26-Feb. 21 (2 daily, 6 in possession). There is no open season for the taking of pheasants in any Wild Pheasant Recovery Areas in any WMU.
PHEASANT: Male or Female combined in WMUs 1A, 1B, 2B, 2D, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4D, 5C and 5D — Dec. 26-Feb. 21 (2 daily, 6 in possession). There is no open season for the taking of pheasants in any Wild Pheasant Recovery Area in any WMU.
WOODCHUCKS (GROUNDHOGS): No closed season, except on Sundays and during the regular firearms deer seasons. No limit.
PORCUPINES: Sept. 1-March 31, except during overlap with the regular firearms deer season. Daily limit of three, season limit of 10.
CROWS: July 4-April 5, on Friday, Saturday and Sunday only. No limit.
STARLINGS AND ENGLISH SPARROWS: No closed season, except during the antlered and antlerless deer season. No limit.
EURASIAN COLLARED DOVE: Season dates shall run concurrently with mourning dove season. Shall be counted as part of the aggregate daily limits for mourning dove season.
SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only): Special season for eligible junior hunters, with required license, and mentored youth – April 25, 2015. Only 1 spring gobbler may be taken during this hunt.
SPRING GOBBLER (Bearded bird only): May 2-30, 2015. Daily limit 1, season limit 2. (Second spring gobbler may be only taken by persons who possess a valid special wild turkey license.) From May 2-16, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon; from May 18-30, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset.
DEER, ARCHERY (Antlered and Antlerless) WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D: Jan. 12-24. One antlered deer per hunting license year. One antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
DEER, ANTLERED OR ANTLERLESS FLINTLOCK (WMUs 2B, 5C and 5D): Dec. 26-Jan. 24. One antlered deer per hunting license year, or one antlerless deer and an additional antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
DEER, ANTLERLESS EXTENDED REGULAR FIREARMS: (Allegheny, Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties): Dec. 26-Jan. 24. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
DEER, ANTLERLESS (Military Bases): Hunting permitted on days established by the U.S. Department of the Army at Letterkenny Army Depot, Franklin County; New Cumberland Army Depot, York County; and Fort Detrick, Raven Rock Site, Adams County. An antlerless deer with each required antlerless license.
WOODCHUCKS (GROUNDHOGS): No closed season, except on Sundays and during the regular firearms deer seasons. No limit.
2014-15 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 furtaker license.
RACCOONS and FOXES: Oct. 25-Feb. 21, unlimited.
OPOSSUM, STRIPED SKUNKS and WEASELS: No closed season, except Sundays. No limits.
BOBCAT (WMUs 2A, 2C, 2E, 2F, 2G, 2H, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4C, 4D and 4E): Jan. 20-Feb. 10. One bobcat per license year, but all licensed furtakers may obtain one permit.
2014-15 TRAPPING SEASONS
COYOTES, FOXES, OPOSSUMS, RACCOONS, STRIPED SKUNKS and WEASELS: Oct. 26-Feb. 22. No limit.
COYOTES and FOXES (Statewide) Cable Restraints: Dec. 26-Feb. 22. No limit. Participants must pass cable restraint certification course.
BEAVERS (Statewide): Dec. 26-March 31 (Limits vary depending on WMU).
2014-15 FALCONRY SEASONS
SQUIRRELS (combined), BOBWHITE QUAIL, RUFFED GROUSE, COTTONTAIL RABBITS, SNOWSHOE OR VARYING HARES, RINGNECK PHEASANTS (Male or Female combined): Sept. 1-March 31.
Daily and Field Possession limits vary. (Migratory game bird seasons and bag limits for falconers will be set in accordance with federal regulations in August.)
No open season on other wild birds or mammals. Waterfowl and Migratory Game Bird seasons to be established in accordance with federal regulations this summer.
TROUT STOCKINGS
The Fish and Boat Commission no longer lists the number of trout to be stocked.