Nov 2, 2013 3 min read

Bob Obremski of Burgettstown recently visited his nephew, Mike, who lives in Wasilla, Alaska, for 17-day hunting excursion he won’t soon forget.

Living in a tent for 17 days in September in the Alaskan wilderness, the pair was pelted by rain for 12 days, then saw the temperatures drop into the 20s for the final five days. One of the constants was the howling of wolves in both the morning and at night.

It didn’t distract them from their task, however, as both had successful hunts.

Bob Obremski bagged an Alaskan bull moose with a 67-inch, 3-by-3 antlers. Mike Obremski shot a 4-by-4, 54-inch moose. As a resident of Alaska, he was also permitted to grizzly and wolf, which he successfully did.

Mike Obremski shot a blond-colored mountain grizzly and a gray wolf during the hunt.

• The Pittsburgh and Suburban Rifle League kicked off its 79th season last week with both Washington County teams getting off to their usual strong starts.

The Dormont-Mt. Lebanon Sportsmen’s Club downed perennial contender Murrysville, 1,478-1,461, while the Frazier Simplex Rifle Club topped Greene Valley, 1,471-1,445.

Dean Trew fired a 299 to lead Dormont-Mt. Lebanon, which also got a 296 from Amy Smith and Tom Gerner, 294 from Nicholle Benedict and 293 from Matt Piatt.

John Husk, the 2013 National Indoor Champion, shot a 297 to pace Frazier, which also got a 295 from Morgan Duerr, 294 from Ryan Stein, 293 from Zac Szabo and 292 from Sylvia Dreistadt.

Dormont-Mt. Lebanon’s score was the high for the week in the league, while Trew won high male honors and Smith took home high female honors.

• If you are going boating this fall and winter, remember it is not mandatory to wear a personal flotation device Nov. 1 through April 30 for all canoes, kayaks and any boat less than 16 feet in length.

• Those wishing to get a doe permit for Wildlife Management Unit 2-A had better get their applications turned in quickly. As of Friday, just 4,103 of 44,000 doe licenses remained available in the WMU, which includes all of Greene and most of Washington counties.

In WMU 2B, which includes the northeast corner of Washington County, 21,377 licenses remain available.

• The fishing in the Lake Erie tributaries is in full swing and at least one local resident has taken advantage.

Joie Barni, a 13-year-old from Washington, caught an Angler Award-sized, 29-inch steelhead near the Walnut Creek Bridge. It weighed 8 pounds, 15 ounces and had a girth of 17 inches.

Reports are that anglers are doing well with steelhead in all of the tributaries.

Outdoors Editor F. Dale Lolley can be reached at dlolley@observer-reporter.com.