Nov 1, 2014 3 min read

Now that we’ve reached November, boaters should remember that from Nov. 1 through April 1, they are required to wear a life jacket while under way or at anchor in boats less than 16 feet in length and in any canoe or kayak.

According to the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, almost 80 percent of all boating fatalities happen to boaters who are not wearing a life jacket.

“Life jackets are the most important piece of safety equipment on a boat,” says Laurel Anders, director of the PFBC Bureau of Boating and Outreach. “A disproportionate number of the fatalities occur during the months of November through April. During these cold weather months, boaters are especially at risk due to the water temperature and the risk of sudden cold water immersion.”

• The Greater Pittsburgh and Suburban Rifle season is just three weeks old, but there is already some intrigue to this season.

Last week, Frazier-Simplex hosted Irwin Post 228, with the home team coming out with a 1,481-1,459 victory led by John Husk, Tom Morley and Tom Santelli, all of whom shot 297.

Amy Smith fired the first perfect 300 of the season on the same night to lead Dormont-Mt. Lebanon to a 1,481-1,450 victory over Green Valley.

All of this followed up action in the first two weeks that saw Irwin edge Dormont-Mt. Lebanon, 1,477-1,475 in Week 1 and Dormont-Mt. Lebanon slip past Frazier-Simplex, 1,478-1,473 in Week 2.

Now, Dormont-Mt. Lebanon, Frazier-Simplex and Irwin Post 228 all stand atop the league standings heading into Week 4 with identical 2-1 records.

In the head-to-head matchup between Dormont-Mt. Lebanon and Frazier-Simplex in Week 2, Dean Trew led the winners with a 297, while Smith and Tom Benedict shot 296, Tom Gerner 295 and Matt Piatt 293.

Husk led Frazier with a 297, while Morgan Duerr fired a 295, Cyril Walther and Zac Szabo 294 and Christopher Thomas 293.

• Now that the fall turkey season has begun, it’s officially fall for me.

Remember, in Wildlife Management Unit 2-B, which includes the northeastern corner of Washington County, turkeys can be taken with either a shotgun or bow and arrow and the early portion of the fall season runs through Nov. 21, closes for a few days, and reopens Nov. 27 through 29.

In Wildlife Management Unit 2-A, which includes all of Greene and most of Washington counties, the season runs Nov. 1 through 15 and Nov. 27 through 29.

It’s interesting to note Washington County, by the time pheasant season ends, will have received over 8,400 birds, one-fifth of the pheasant stocked in the 10-county southwest region.

The county received 700 cocks and 80 hens for the junior pheasant hunt Oct. 8-10. For preseason stockings Oct. 22-24, Washington County got 1,980 cock birds. That was matched Oct. 29 through 31 for the first in-season stocking. The remaining inseason stockings, which run Nov. 5 through Nov. 21, will bring another 3,040 pheasant into the county.

Greene County isn’t being overlooked. It will get a total of 4,180 pheasant by the time the season is completed.

I’ve seen some birds out already on my forays around the area.

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