Apr 14, 2023 3 min read

The trout season opener has come and gone. Many thanks to the local wildlife conservation groups that have led the stocking efforts on behalf of local fishermen. If the number of folks that I have spoken with is any indicator as to the number of those hitting the lakes and streams this trout season, then many families appear to be taking advantage of the fishing opportunities in our area. Great to see.

n The Washington County Sport Show will be held in conjunction with the gun show this weekend, Saturday the 15th (9 a.m.- 7 p.m.) and Sunday, April 16 (9 a.m.-4 p.m.) at the Washington County Fairgrounds. These events are sponsored by the Washington County League of Sportsmen and A.R.H. Sport Shop, respectively. Events will include the presentation of the George Block Conservation Scholarship at 1 p.m. Saturday. The sporting dog show will get underway at 2 p.m. Boone & Crockett, as well as Pope & Young, trophy scoring will be conducted both days of the show, so if you took a nice buck this year, bring it over to the officials and have it scored. There will be a free trout pond as well as a free BB gun range available for the kids. Admission to the sport show is free. Parking is free in addition. There is a nominal charge to attend the gun show. A number of outdoor agencies, conservation groups, and wildlife organizations will be on hand. I hope to see you there.

n Many thanks to the Mount Morris Sportsman Association for hosting the Pennsylvania Game Commission hunter safety course (HTE) Hunter Trapper Education on March 25. The class was well attended with 27 students participating. It was encouraging to see the large number of adults who sat the course with their youngsters. Several adults told me they had taken the course previously but were spending the day with their young person, trying to get started on the right foot.

n The Pennsylvania Game Commission is conducting a study to determine whether some ruffed grouse are exhibiting “tame” behavior. Accordingly, the Game Commission is encouraging Pennsylvanians to report the location of any “tame” grouse they see this spring by sending an email to grousecomments@pa.gov. That email should include the person’s name and phone number, date of the sighting, location of the encounter and a description of the grouse’s behavior.

n Mingo Rod and Gun club secretary Dan Campbell has informed me that the club hosts Appleseed Project shooting events that are scheduled for July 15-16, pistol clinic as well as a Sept. 16-17 rifle clinic. Check the Appleseed Project website for more information. Mingo was not listed on the site at the time.

n The Pennsylvania spring gobbler opener is just around the corner. Opening day is Saturday, April 29 and runs through May 30.

n Now is the time to get out for a walk if you like viewing and identifying the myriad wild flowers blooming in our woods. So many varieties to take in but they don’t last forever. Get out now while you can still enjoy them.