Published November 22, 2009, 12:01 AM EST

by P.J. REILLY, Outdoors Editor

PENNSYLVANIA - There's no doubt hunting is on the decline here in Pennsylvania and across the country.Hunting license sales figures over the past two decades bear that out.But that doesn't mean all types of hunting are showing a dip in participation.Bear hunting in Pennsylvania is more popular now than it ...

Published September 27, 2009, 12:02 AM EST

by P.J. REILLY, Woods and Waters

CHESTER COUNTY, Pa. - The first bowhunt of the year always starts off clumsily.It takes a couple of hunts to get the routine down.So I wasn't a bit surprised to find myself fumbling around the bed of my pickup truck before daylight Sept. 19, after parking at the edge of a Chester County field.It was opening day of th...

Published September 22, 2009, 8:20 AM EST

by AD CRABLE

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. - The Big Dipper is tipped on its end and the dew in the meadow grass refreshingly cool to the touch as we begin strategically planting a spread of about 100 Canada geese decoys.Three young teens move among the group of six adults, using headlamps to assist in the pre-hunt ritual.It is barely 5 a.m., ...

Published September 20, 2009, 12:04 AM EST

by P.J. REILLY, Woods and Waters

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. - How would you rate Pennsylvania's new system for distributing antlerless deer permits?Undoubtedly, the grade you'd give depends on your own experience seeking doe tags this year.I applied to the Lancaster County Treasurer's Office for tags in Wildlife Management Units 5B and 5C, and I...

Published September 20, 2009, 12:02 AM EST

by P.J. REILLY, Woods and Waters

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. - Thousands of bowhunters in southeast and southwest Pennsylvania headed out Saturday for the opening of the state's early archery deer season.This is the third year that an antlerless-only archery season has been held in Wildlife Management Units 5C, 5D and 2B prior to the start of the regular st...

Published September 13, 2009, 12:02 AM EST

by P.J. REILLY, Woods and Waters

ALASKA - Everyone gets lucky at some point in his life.You might find a $10 bill while walking down the street.Or maybe the big buck everyone's been hunting in your area just happens to show up in front of your rifle on opening day.There's no explanation for why these things happen.They just do.But s...

Published September 8, 2009, 12:00 AM EST

by AD CRABLE

LANCASTER COUNTY, Pa. - The diminutive bog turtle, a creature discovered for the world in Lancaster County in the 18th century, is facing yet another threat to its long precarious existence.Already on the federal threatened list and endangered in Pennsylvania, the secretive bog turtles are now turning up dead, possibly vic...

Published September 6, 2009, 12:04 AM EST

by P.J. REILLY, Woods and Waters

PENNSYLVANIA - Bling.Jewelry.Leg irons.Whatever hunters call them, there are scant few experiences in the waterfowling world that can match the excitement of walking up on a downed goose or duck and spotting the tell-tale metallic glint of a leg band just above the bird's webbed foot.It's akin to shooting ...

Published September 6, 2009, 12:02 AM EST

by P.J. REILLY, Woods and Waters

PENNSYLVANIA - Crossbows can be used by any hunter during all archery seasons this year.During a special meeting of the Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners Thursday, a proposal to limit the use of crossbows for the 2009-10 hunting year died in a 4-4 vote.That means the decision by the board earlier this year ...

Published August 30, 2009, 12:02 AM EST

by P.J. REILLY, Woods and Waters

RED ROCK - I'm not sure what weddings have to do with waterfalls, but my trail guidebook proclaimed there were two kinds of matrimonially themed falls on the path ahead.Bridal veil falls and wedding cake falls.A bridal veil waterfall is one where the water flows over a lip and plunges straight to the creek...