Outdoors calendar
HISTORY HIKE
Sunday, May 24 at 11 a.m. 1 p.m.
Laurel Hill State Park 1454 Laurel Hill Park Road, Somerset, PA. 15501
Join the park naturalist for a walk through time. Discover the fascinating story of Laurel Hill State Park. We will explore a cemetery, CCC buildings, former train routes and much more. Please meet at the parking area below Group Camp #8 (across from the beach area parking).
LAUREL HIGHLANDS HIKING TRAIL QUEST – HIKE 3
Saturday, May 30 at 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Laurel Ridge State Park 1117 Jim Mountain Road, Rockwood, PA 15557
nnThis event is sponsored by Venture Outdoors. Please contact VO directly for more information and to register using the link below or call 412-255-0564.
Completing all 70 miles of the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail is one of the ultimate outdoor challenges that Western Pennsylvania has to offer. Bruce Cridlebaugh leads the series of seven separate day-hikes to complete the entire LHHT starting at mile marker 70 near Johnstown and heading south to Ohiopyle. The shortest hike will be 6.8 miles and the longest will be 13.1 miles. You will traverse state parks, forests, game lands, and other public and private lands. This is an advanced hiking series. You should expect to maintain a pace of 2.5-3 mph (24-20 minutes per mile) with an average of over 10 miles per hike. This third hike is the shortest leg of the Quest, covering 6.8 miles. This section offers fun rock formations, stream crossings and thickets of rhododendron. We’ll take a side trip for lunch. This segment also includes a bit of extra time to explore the boulders of Beam Rocks.
Dates for the remaining hikes: Saturday, June 13, Saturday, June 27, Saturday, July 11 and Saturday, July 25.
To register, please visit https://www.ventureoutdoors.org/activities-calendar/?wppb=program&month=4&calyear=2015&=&tmpl=register&id=587
WEEKEND WALKABOUT
Wednesday, June 3 at 6 – 8 p.m. (More dates through August 19)
Laurel Hill State Park 1454 Laurel Hill Park Road, Somerset, Pa. 15501
Join us for our summer weeknight hiking series. Discover the trails of Laurel Hill State Park. Each session will be a 3 to 5 mile hike. Please meet at the Laurel Hill Visitor Center.
OHIOPYLE MONTHLY VOLUNTEER DAY
Saturday, June 6 at 9 a.m. (More dates through November 14)
Ohiopyle State Park
Every month (usually the first Saturday but check the calendar), the Friends of Ohiopyle head out for trail work, plantings, invasives attacks and other necessary and rewarding volunteer pursuits. Why not join them?
UNIONTOWN CHAPTER OF IZAAK WALTON LEAGUE
Uninotwn IWL dinner meetings at IWL Park in Farmington will be held at 6:30 p.m. on May 19, June 16, July 21, Aug. 18, Sept. 15 and Oct. 20. For more information call 724-550-0615.
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, May 24; Sunday, Sept. 27; Sunday, Oct. 25; and Sunday, Nov. 22. The Pennsylvania State Championship in on Sunday, April 26.
MARIANNA OUTDOORSMEN ASSOCIATION
July 4 and 5 — Stream bank cleanup
July 18 — First annual Catfish Derby
Call 724-344-5135 for more information or to become a member of the M.O.A. Find us on Facebook.
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.
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.
FAYETTE COUNTY
Star Junction Fish and Game, Saturday, May 23, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.; class limit 40; For more information, contact Helen Bittorf at (724) 497-3079.
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.
FAYETTE COUNTY
Fairbank Rod & Gun Club, Saturday, May 9, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.; class limit 60; For more information, contact John Hustosky at (724) 438-3249.
Izaak Walton Park, Route 381 Farmington, Pa., Saturday, Sept. 12, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. Lunch is provided. Call 724-984-3458 for more information.
WASHINGTON COUNTY
Gander Mountain, Saturday, May 23, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.; class limit 50; For more information, contact Rich Joyce at (724) 238-9523.
WESTMORELAND COUNTY
Murrysville District Sportsmen’s Club, Sunday, April 26, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; class limit 55; For more information, contact Dale Emerick at (412) 580-1642.
Kingston Veterans and Sportsmen, Saturday, June 27, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; class limit 50; For more information, contact Jeff Uschak at (724) 694-2591.
Murrysville District Sportsmen’s Club, Saturday, June 27, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m.; class limit 55; For more information, contact Dale Emerick at (724) 580-1642.
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.
CABLE RESTRAINT CERTIFICATION
This is a one-day certification class for any person desiring to complete the Mandatory Cable Restraint Program. Being certified allows for the use of cable restraint devices to trap certain furbearing animals. Certification is required by regulation for any trapper using cable restraint devices to capture foxes and coyotes in Pennsylvania.
Register for these classes at www.pgc.state.pa.us.
FAYETTE COUNTY
Indian Creek Sportsmen’s Association, Sunday, May 31, 8 a.m.-noon; class limit 30; For more information, contact Greg Grimm at (724) 455-2452.
HUNTING SEASONS
A partial listing of 2014-2015 seasons and daily bag limits:
WOODCHUCKS (GROUNDHOGS): No closed season, except on 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.
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): 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, 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.TROUT STOCKINGS
The Fish and Boat Commission no longer lists the number of trout to be stocked.
Back Creek, April 14 (brook, brown), May 5 (brook, brown)
Big Sandy Creek, April 17 (brook, brown), April 21 (brook, brown)
Chaney Run, April 17 (brook)
Dunbar Creek (confluence with Glade), May 6 (brook, brown), Oct. 2 (brook, brown)
Dunbar Creek (at SR1055), May 6 (brook, brown)
Dunlap Creek, May 15 (brown, rainbow)
Dunlap Creek Lake, April 25 (rainbow), May 13 (rainbow), Oct. 1 (rainbow)
Georges Creek, May 15 (brook, brown)
Indian Creek, May 5 (brown, rainbow)
Meadow Run (Beaver Creek), May 14 (brown, rainbow)
Meadow Run (bridge on Dinner Bell Road), May 14 (brown, rainbow), Oct. 1 (rainbow)
Mountain Creek, May 15 (brook, brown)
Virgin Run Creek, April 29 (rainbow), May 8 (rainbow), Oct. 2 (rainbow)
Youghiogheny River, April 22 (brown, rainbow), May 7 (brown, brook), May 19 (brown, rainbow), July 2 (brown, rainbow), Sept. 4 (rainbow)