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Messages - mudbrook

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316
Big Game Recipes / Protecting your investment
« on: March 22, 2010, 05:55:52 PM »
How much meat do you expect to get off your deer? It has been my experience that I get about 55% of the hanging dressed weight for a deer that is shot with the bow. That is to say a deer with no wasted meat due to the wound. A gun killed deer will yield less meat due to all the bullet damage. Here is what you can expect to get from your deer. Most folks are surprised at how much loss there is to the final weight of the meat you will yield. When I butcher deer for other folks, I record the weights of the things like the head, legs, hide, bone and trim. I show that to them these numbers when they pick up their meat ( I don't want folks thinking I am keeping their meat from them)
The worst case I have ever had was a gun shot fawn that was hit through the hind quarters. I returned that hunter 14 pounds of meat. Shot placement will dictate how much meat you can recover. I guess that is why I am more of a bow hunter than a gun hunter.

Live wgt..................Dressed Wgt..................Boneless meat

90#............................70....................................39
125#..........................99....................................57
150#.........................120...................................68
180#.........................143...................................79
210#.........................170...................................94
240#.........................195...................................108
290#.........................233...................................130



Boneless Hind
1) Eye of Round
2) Bottom Round
3) Top Sirloin
4) Top Round
5) Sirloin Tip
6) Tenderloins
7) Backstraps

Boneless Front
8 ) Neck
9) Shoulder
10) Top Blade
11) Mock Tender]

317
Big Game Recipes / Protecting your investment
« on: March 22, 2010, 05:51:48 PM »
After you have gone through so much work to bring home some fresh venison, you will want to make sure it will taste good even after it sits in your freezer for several months. It is true that no meat is ever improved by freezing but you can make the best of it by protecting your venison from the effects of freezer burn. I prefer a vacuum sealer but not everybody has one. If you wrap your meat in butcher/freezer paper, it won't last long in your freezer. You need to use a heavy plastic wrap first. Wrap your meat in layers and press out as much air as you can. Start with a single layer of plastic wrap. Place the meat on the wrap and roll it up tightly. This will still leave the ends exposed it it is a large cut.


Next, wrap the meat in another layer of plastic wrap but this time, turn the meat and wrap in the other direction. Fold over the plastic wrap to protect the previously exposed ends.


While wrapping, squeeze out as much air as you can. You do not want a layer of air next to the meat. The plastic wrap should be in contact with the meat.


Now that you have two layers of plastic wrap over the meat. Wrap the meat again in a good quality freezer paper that has a plastic coating on one side. Use enough so that when you are finished, you will have two layers of paper over the plastic wrap.


While rolling/wrapping, make sure to tuck in and fold the ends to make a good seal. Again, make sure to squeeze out as much air as possible. Seal the paper with tape, Identify the cuts and the date and this meat should last six months in your freezer. I have come across a lost package or two in the bottom of my freezer that were a year old and they were just as good as the day I wrapped them.


318
PA Game Commision News / PA 2009-10 DEER HARVEST ESTIMATES was the lowest overall harvest in 23 years
« on: March 22, 2010, 02:55:20 PM »
The Pennsylvania Game Commission reported Monday that Keystone State hunters harvested an estimated 308,920 deer in the 2009-10 seasons, marking an 8 percent decline from the 335,850 in 2008-09. It was the lowest overall harvest in 23 years, dating back to 1986-87’s estimated take of 300,014.

PA GAME COMMISSION RELEASES 2009-10 DEER HARVEST ESTIMATES

 
HARRISBURG – The Pennsylvania Game Commission today reported that hunters harvested an estimated 308,920 deer in the state’s 2009-10 seasons, which is an eight percent decline from the previous seasons’ harvest of 335,850.


Hunters took 108,330 antlered deer in the 2009-10 seasons, down 11 percent from the previous license year’s harvest of 122,410, but similar to the 2007-08 harvest of 109,200.  Also, hunters harvested 200,590 antlerless deer in 2009-10, which is a six percent decline from the 213,440 antlerless deer taken in 2008-09.  The 2007-08 antlerless deer harvest was 213,870.


Bureau of Wildlife Management personnel currently are working to develop 2010 antlerless deer license allocation recommendations for the April Board meeting.  Calvin W. DuBrock, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management director, said that in addition to harvest data, the staff will be looking at population trends, deer reproduction, forest regeneration, and deer-human conflict for each Wildlife Management Unit (WMU).


Harvest estimates for 2009-10 seasons are based on 105,192 usable harvest report cards (41,251 antlered; 63,941 antlerless) returned by hunters to the Commission, which included 64,945 reported by mail and 40,247 reported by the new online harvest reporting system.  Reporting rates are determined by cross-referencing these report cards with the data collected from the 24,839 deer (7,942 antlered; 16,897 antlerless) examined by Game Commission personnel in the field and at processors.


For an explanation of the agency’s deer harvest estimating procedure, visit the Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us), click on “White-Tailed Deer” icon in the center of the homepage, then scroll down and select “Deer Research” and click on “Reporting rate variability and precision of white-tailed deer harvest estimates in Pennsylvania.”


Yearling bucks comprised 49 percent of the 2009-10 antlered harvest.  Since 2003, the percent of yearling bucks in the annual harvest has varied between 49 and 56 percent.  Button bucks represented 22 percent of the antlerless harvest, which is the same percentage from the 2008-09 harvest.


The 2009-10 hunting seasons marked the first time crossbows were legal in statewide archery deer seasons for all hunters. In those 19 WMUs outside of the three urban areas, the archery harvest increased 13 percent. The proportion of the archery harvest taken by crossbows in the 19 WMUs increased from 15 percent to 30 percent. Crossbows have been legal in urban WMUs of 2B, 5C, and 5D since 2004.


Total deer harvest estimates by WMU for 2009-10 (with 2008-09 figures in parentheses) are as follows:

 

WMU 1A:  5,500 (5,400) antlered, 10,700 (12,600) antlerless;

 

WMU 1B: 5,100 (7,500) antlered, 9,500 (13,400) antlerless;

 

WMU 2A: 6,800 (6,700) antlered, 13,900 (15,300) antlerless;

 

WMU 2B: 4,300 (4,000) antlered, 20,000 (15,300) antlerless;

 

WMU 2C: 6,500 (7,500) antlered, 10,900 (12,800) antlerless;

 

WMU 2D: 10,000 (9,500) antlered, 16,000 (15,600) antlerless;

 

WMU 2E: 3,700 (5,000) antlered 5,300 (6,200) antlerless;

 

WMU 2F: 5,200 (7,000) antlered, 6,600 (9,100) antlerless;

 

WMU 2G: 5,200 (6,800) antlered, 4,200 (6,500) antlerless;

 

WMU 3A: 3,300 (4,100) antlered, 6,000 (7,500) antlerless;

 

WMU 3B: 4,900 (5,500) antlered, 9,100 (9,900) antlerless;

 

WMU 3C: 6,200 (6,300) antlered, 7,100 (7,300) antlerless;

 

WMU 3D: 3,100 (3,900) antlered, 6,300 (6,700) antlerless;

 

WMU 4A: 3,700 (4,200) antlered, 7,400 (6,900) antlerless;

 

WMU 4B: 4,000 (3,900) antlered, 4,100 (3,800) antlerless;

 

WMU 4C: 4,700 (5,000) antlered, 7,200 (8,000) antlerless;

 

WMU 4D: 5,000 (6,600) antlered, 7,200 (9,300) antlerless;

 

WMU 4E: 4,100 (4,300) antlered, 6,300 (7,200) antlerless;

 

WMU 5A: 2,200 (2,100) antlered, 4,200 (3,800) antlerless;

 

WMU 5B: 6,000 (6,800) antlered, 11,300 (11,200) antlerless;

 

WMU 5C: 7,600 (8,700) antlered, 23,200 (20,200) antlerless;

 

WMU 5D: 1,100 (1,300) antlered, 3,900 (4,500) antlerless; and

 

Unknown WMU: 130 (310) antlered, 190 (140) antlerless.

 

Season-specific deer harvest estimates – such as archery and muzzleloader and rifle – by WMU for 2009-10 can also be calculated using harvest data from processors and report cards.


“Although we do not use season-specific harvest data for management purposes, we recognize the public is interested in these harvest estimates,” said Calvin W. DuBrock, Game Commission Bureau of Wildlife Management director. “For that reason only, we provide estimated deer harvest breakdowns for firearms, archery and muzzleloader seasons, but we only use total deer harvest estimates when making recommendations for each WMU.”


Season-specific deer harvest estimates are as follows:

 

WMU 1A: firearms, 3,300 antlered, 7,700 antlerless; archery, 2,130 antlered, 1,780 antlerless; and muzzleloader, 70 antlered, 1,220 antlerless;

 

WMU 1B: firearms, 3,500 antlered, 7,800 antlerless; archery, 1,580 antlered, 1,100 antlerless; muzzleloader, 20 antlered, 600 antlerless;

 

WMU 2A: firearms, 5,000 antlered, 11,000 antlerless; archery, 1,770 antlered, 1,390 antlerless; muzzleloader, 30 antlered, 1,510 antlerless;

 

WMU 2B: firearms, 1,700 antlered, 10,600 antlerless; archery, 2,530 antlered, 7,930 antlerless; muzzleloader, 70 antlered, 1,470 antlerless;

 

WMU 2C: firearms, 4,500 antlered, 8,600 antlerless; archery, 1,230 antlered, 1,120 antlerless; muzzleloader, 50 antlered, 1,070 antlerless;

 

WMU 2D: firearms, 6,600 antlered, 11,800 antlerless; archery, 3,320 antlered, 2,050 antlerless; muzzleloader, 80 antlered, 2,150 antlerless;

 

WMU 2E: firearms, 2,700 antlered, 4,200 antlerless; archery, 970 antlered, 560 antlerless; muzzleloader, 30 antlered, 540 antlerless;

 

WMU 2F: firearms, 4,200 antlered, 5,500 antlerless; archery, 980 antlered, 520 antlerless; muzzleloader, 20 antlered, 580 antlerless;

 

WMU 2G: firearms, 4,400 antlered, 2,800 antlerless; archery, 760 antlered, 600 antlerless; muzzleloader, 40 antlered, 800 antlerless;

 

WMU 3A: firearms, 2,700 antlered, 4,800 antlerless; archery, 590 antlered, 530 antlerless; muzzleloader, 10 antlered, 670 antlerless;

 

WMU 3B: firearms, 3,700 antlered, 6,900 antlerless; archery, 1,160 antlered, 970 antlerless; muzzleloader, 40 antlered, 1,230 antlerless;

 

WMU 3C: firearms, 5,100 antlered, 5,200 antlerless; archery, 1,060 antlered, 810 antlerless; muzzleloader, 40 antlered, 1,090 antlerless;

 

WMU 3D: firearms, 2,200 antlered, 4,500 antlerless; archery, 1,050 antlered, 910 antlerless; muzzleloader, 20 antlered, 750 antlerless;

 

WMU 4A: firearms, 3,200 antlered, 5,900 antlerless; archery, 450 antlered, 630 antlerless; muzzleloader, 50 antlered, 870 antlerless;

 

WMU 4B: firearms, 2,900 antlered, 2,800 antlerless; archery, 1,080 antlered, 700 antlerless; muzzleloader, 20 antlered, 600 antlerless;

 

WMU 4C: firearms, 3,200 antlered, 5,200 antlerless; archery, 1,470 antlered, 1,140 antlerless; muzzleloader, 30 antlered, 860 antlerless;

 

WMU 4D: firearms, 3,800 antlered, 5,600 antlerless; archery, 1,150 antlered, 880 antlerless; muzzleloader, 50 antlered, 720 antlerless;

 

WMU 4E: firearms, 2,900 antlered, 4,800 antlerless; archery, 1,170 antlered, 820 antlerless; muzzleloader, 30 antlered, 680 antlerless;

 

WMU 5A: firearms, 1,600 antlered, 3,000 antlerless; archery, 580 antlered, 670 antlerless; muzzleloader, 20 antlered, 530 antlerless;

 

WMU 5B: firearms, 3,100 antlered, 7,000 antlerless; archery, 2,840 antlered, 3,000 antlerless; muzzleloader, 60 antlered, 1,300 antlerless;

 

WMU 5C: firearms, 3,300 antlered, 12,700 antlerless; archery, 4,190 antlered, 8,920 antlerless; muzzleloader, 110 antlered, 1,580 antlerless;

 

WMU 5D: firearms, 300 antlered, 1,200 antlerless; archery, 780 antlered, 2,620 antlerless; muzzleloader, 20 antlered, 80 antlerless; and

 

Unknown WMU: firearms, 0 antlered, 170 antlerless; archery, 130 antlered, 20 antlerless; muzzleloader, 0 antlered, 0 antlerless.

 

319
Big Game Recipes / Venison Runza or Kraut Koogan
« on: March 22, 2010, 01:54:41 PM »
These go by a lot of diff. names but no matter what you call them, they are great.

INGREDIENTS:

Bread dough (2 loaves) Or make your own dough (see below)
2 lbs Venison Hamburger
1 Head cabbage (chopped)
2 Medium onion (chopped)
Salt and pepper to taste (it takes a lot)

DIRECTIONS:

Thaw two loaves of frozen bread dough or make the equivalent amount using your favorite bread recipe. While dough thaws, make the filling.

Brown the hamburger and drain, then return to pan. Add cabbage and onion and cook down. Salt and pepper to taste (1 tsp pepper recommended).

Let dough rise, then punch down and roll a portion to 1/4" thickness. Cut into 4" x 8" pieces and add about 1/2 cup meat mixture to each. Fold dough pieces over and seal the edges, then place seam-side-down on a greased cookie sheet.

Let rise 20-30 minutes, then bake in pre-heated 375 degree oven for 20 minutes or until brown.  

Dough (if you want to make your own):  

2 pkg. Active dry Yeast
2 cups warm milk
1/2-cup sugar
1/2 t. salt
2 eggs - beaten
1/2 cup shortening, margarine or butter
7 to 8 cups all-purpose flour

Put yeast and milk in a bowl.  Let sit for 5 minutes.  Add sugar, salt, eggs and softened butter.  
Mix. Gradually add flour while mixing.  Add flour until dough pulls together into a ball.  Knead for 4
or 5 minutes or until dough is smooth.  (This really works best with a free-standing mixer with a
dough hook)

Put in a greased bowl, cover with a towel and allow to rise until double.  

Punch down and let it rise again.

Remove dough from bowl and divide into thirds.  On a floured surface, roll one portion of the
dough to 1/4” thickness.  Cut into 6” circles.  (Reserve dough you cut off to reroll more.)  

Give each circle an extra roll with the rolling pin before filling.

Making Runzas:

Put a large mound of filling on the center of each dough circle.  Pull sides of the
dough together and pinch to hold. Pinch all edges together to seal in filling.  Turn Runza over and put on a cookie sheet



Space Runzas about 1 inch apart. When cookie sheet is full put a towel over it and let it rise for
about 15 minutes.  

Bake Runzas in a 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes – until they are a deep brown.

Remove from oven and rub butter on the top of each Runza.

Cool on cooling rack or eat them now! They can be frozen and reheated but we never have any leftovers to freeze.

These make a great meal while in the deer woods. Wrap warm in foil and enjoy later.



320
Big Game Recipes / VENISON PATTIES IN ONION GRAVY
« on: March 22, 2010, 01:52:39 PM »
VENISON PATTIES IN ONION GRAVY

·         1.5 lb shoulder of venison

·         3 or 4 slices day-old bread or 1.5 cups loosely pkd crumbs

·         .5 cup finely chopped celery

·         1/3 cup butter or margarine

·         Marrow, if any

·         1 egg, slightly beaten

·         .5 cup water 1½ tsp salt

·         Generous dash of pepper .5 tsp poultry seasoning

1.      Wipe venison with a clean damp cloth

2.      trim off any strong-smefling fat and remove bones

3.      Grind meat twice

4.      Reserve any marrow

5.      Tear slices of bread into small crumbs

6.      Saute' celery in 2 tbsp of the butter for 10 minutes and add to meat, bread, marrow and remaining ingredients

7.      Mix thoroughly

8.      Shape into small patties or balls about 1 inch in diameter

9.      Brown in the remaining butter quickly

10.  lower heat and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes

11.  Add onion gravy and simmer 2 minutes

12.  Makes 3 to 3.5 dozen patties.

6 to 8 servings.

Onion Gravy

·         1.5 tbsp flour

·         2 tbsp butter

·         1 cup water

·         .5 tsp salt

·         1 cup thinly sliced onions, 2 medium

·         1 cup finely shredded lettuce

1.      Combine flour and melted butter in a skillet and stir over medium heat until mixture is browned (not scorched)

2.      add water gradually and cook until mixture is smooth and thickened

3.      stir constantly

4.      Add remaining ingredients

5.      cover and simmer for 15 minutes

321
Big Game Recipes / VENISON LOIN ROAST
« on: March 22, 2010, 01:49:27 PM »
VENISON LOIN ROAST

·         1 deer loin roast, about 3.5 lb

·         Salt and pepper

·         .25 lb suet or salt pork

·         .5 cup water

·         2 or 3 medium onions

1.      Wipe roast clean with damp cloth.

2.      Trim off any strong-smelling fat.

3.      Sprinkle with salt and pepper and place in shallow roasting pan, skin side up.

4.      Cut suet or pork in .25 inch thick slices and lay over top of roast.

5.      Place in a moderately slow oven (325 F) and roast uncovered for 2 hr.

6.      At the end of the first hr, add .25 cup hot water and the peeled onions which have been cut in quarters.

7.      When deer loin is done, remove crisp suet or pork and discard.

8.      Remove onions, skim off extra fat, and add remaining .25 cup water.

9.      Scrape all browned residue from the bottom of the pan to make pan gravy.

10.  Return onions, reheat, and serve hot with the roast.

5 to 6 servings.

322
Big Game Recipes / Deer Jerkey
« on: March 22, 2010, 01:47:09 PM »
Deer Jerkey

·  take clean cut deer

·         place in 2 cups warm water

·         4 teaspoons of garlic salt

·         3 teaspoons worcestershire sauce

·         4 teaspoons red cayenne pepper

·         2 teaspoons blackpepper

·         4 teaspoons of salt

1.      mix well

2.      place in cool place over night

3.      pat dry in morning

4.      place in dehydrator until jerkey is done

323
Big Game Recipes / BEAR LOIN STEAKS
« on: March 22, 2010, 01:46:14 PM »
BEAR LOIN STEAKS

·         2 loin steaks, 21/2 lbs .75 inch thick

·         2 tsp lemon juice

·         1 1/4 tsp salt

·         1 tbsp butter o margarine, melted

·         1/2 cup boiling water

·         Generous dash of pepper

1.      Wipe steaks clean with a damp cloth

2.      Trim off all the fat because it is strong flavored This leaves about 1 1/2 lbs lean steak

3.      Place steak on a hot greased broiler rack set 4 inches from heat

4.      Combine butter and lemon juice and brush over top of steaks

5.      Sprinkle with half of the salt and pepper

6.      Broil 7 to 8 minutes

7.      Trim steaks, brush with remaining lemon-butter and remaining salt and pepper

8.      Broil another 7 or 8 minutes for well-done steaks

9.      Remove from broiler to platter

10.  Drizzle 1/2 cup water over rack and scrape down the residue into the drip pan

11.  Remove rack

12.  Stir gravy until well blended

13.  reheat to boiling

14.  Pour over hot steaks and serve immediately

4 to 5 servings

324
Big Game Recipes / Tenakee Venison Stew
« on: March 22, 2010, 01:42:43 PM »
Tenakee Venison Stew

Preheat oven to 225°.

Assemble the following ingredients in a medium-sized casserole or shallow roasting pan.

Enough venison to completely cover the bottom of the casserole or roasting pan, or about one hindquarter or a shoulder with bone in
A generous sprinkle of Montreal Steak Seasoning Garlic
Carrots, chopped Yukon Gold or red potatoes, quartered I've been known to put rutabagas or turnips in this too.

 Don't peel anything.
One whole onion, quartered

A couple of stalks of celery, chopped
2 cans of tomatoes or V-8 juice poured over the top
2 Tablespoons of tapioca sprinkled on top

Cook for 8 hours, covered. Remove and eat. Feeds about 6. Serve with red wine and bread.

325
Big Game Recipes / Maken Bacon
« on: March 22, 2010, 01:39:37 PM »
On Sunday, I finished the long process of making bacon. I will attempt to explain the 2 week process here. Bacon comes from the pork belly but can be made from any part of the pig. Using shoulders gives me a less fatty bacon with more lean meat to enjoy.
 
I bought a 60 pound box of pork trim for sausage making. From this, I set aside 15 pounds of the fatty trim for this bacon. This trim is 72% fat.
 

 

 

 
 
The seasoning, I used was a high Mountain brand. I have had good luck with this brand so I gave it a try.
 

 

 
 
I sprinkled the dry cure and seasonings over the meat and mixed it well
 

 
 
I then placed all the pieces in a container and refrigerated it for ten days. After ten days, I soaked the pieces in cold water for two hours to remove any surface cure.
 

 
 
I placed the pieces of pork on racks and into my pre-heated smoker at 150F.
 

 
For smoke, I use hickory sawdust. I cover the pan with a lid to starve it of air. This allows smoke but no flare ups.
 

 
 
With lid removed
 

 
I smoked the meat until the largest piece reached an internal temp of 165F and then let it cool in the smoker.
 
 

 
I sliced one piece while it was still warm and the fat was still transparent so it's hard to see the fat lines like you see on store bought bacon
 
After cooling overnight I will vacuum seal the pieces whole and slice when I want to fry some
 
 


326
PA Fishing / PA’s Valuable Coldwater Streams
« on: March 20, 2010, 03:07:58 PM »
Fish & Boat Commission, Coldwater Heritage Partnership Supporting Grassroots Work to Conserve PA’s Valuable Coldwater Streams, Trout Fisheries
March 12, 2010

Harrisburg – A cooperative partnership that includes the Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC) is helping local organizations protect and conserve Pennsylvania’s coldwater stream habitats — waterways that are critical to the health of the state’s wild trout fisheries.

The Coldwater Heritage Partnership — which also includes Pennsylvania Trout Unlimited, the Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Foundation for Pennsylvania Watersheds — recently provided more than $42,000 in grants to seven organizations to develop conservation plans that provide a better understanding of coldwater streams, identify challenges and form strategies that engage local communities in addressing these issues.

“This type of grassroots conservation work is vital for the future of the state's coldwater streams and wild trout fisheries,” said PFBC Executive Director John Arway. “We look forward to seeing these conservation plans developed and implemented.”

“Local grassroots conservation efforts are responsible for the return of healthy waterways in Pennsylvania,” said DCNR acting Secretary John Quigley. “The work is far from over, however, as many streams still face threats and degradation. This partnership provides the much-needed funding to continue the long-term stewardship of our world-class coldwater streams.”

“Pennsylvania Trout Unlimited is excited to award grants to worthy organizations for the conservation and protection of their local streams,” said Dave Rothrock, president of the Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited.

All three partnering organizations contribute funds toward the grants being made to the following organizations during 2010:

    * Northampton County Conservation District, Northampton County:   $6,000 to document baseline data for the Hokendauqua Creek watershed to serve as a foundation for water resource protection through prioritized recommendations; increase community awareness of the watershed; and collect data for potential upgrade to an exceptional value designation.

    * Lehigh County Conservation District, Lehigh County: $6,000 to carry out a watershed and stream assessment for the Coplay Creek Watershed.

    * Juniata Clean Water Partnership, Juniata County: $6,400 to conduct a stream assessment and prepare a conservation plan for Willow Run and Dougherty Run.

    * Dauphin County Conservation District, Dauphin County: $6,273 to assess Clark Creek and raise local awareness in protecting its high-quality cold water fishery classification; and create a coldwater conservation plan.

    * Lycoming County Conservation District on behalf of the Larry’s Creek Watershed Association, Lycoming County: $5,000 to complete a stream assessment and compile a cold water heritage plan for the Larry’s Creek watershed.

    * Somerset County Conservation District on behalf of Paint Creek Regional Watershed Association, Somerset County: $6,000 to work collaboratively and gather data to protect Little Paint Creek;

    * Point Park University (of Allegheny County) for work in Columbia and Sullivan counties: $6,000 to investigate the restriction of native brook trout in the headwaters of Fishing Creek and to develop a plan to improve the habitat and water quality for coldwater fishes.

Funded organizations will be responsible for creating coldwater conservation plans that:

    * Gather existing data about the coldwater ecosystem;
    * Identify potential impacts, threats, problems and opportunities to coldwater streams;
    * Formulate plans of action for proposed conservation and protection strategies; and
    * Build community awareness and support for conserving coldwater streams.

Besides offering grants, the Coldwater Heritage Partnership works to provide technical and educational assistance to organizations interested in protecting coldwater ecosystems. For information, contact Deborah Nardone at the Coldwater Heritage Partnership at (814) 359-5233, or visit www.coldwaterheritage.org.

The mission of the Fish and Boat Commission is to protect, conserve, and enhance the Commonwealth’s aquatic resources and provide fishing and boating opportunities. For more information about fishing and boating in Pennsylvania, please visit our website at www.fishandboat.com.

Media contacts:
Eric Levis, PFBC; 717-705-7806 or elevis@state.pa.us
Terry Brady, DCNR; 717-772-0101

327
PA Fishing / PA's Hatchery Trout Receive Good Report Card
« on: March 20, 2010, 03:06:10 PM »

PA's Hatchery Trout Receive Good Report Card

By Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission

    HARRISBURG – As the 2010 trout season opens next month, Pennsylvanians are reminded that fishing is a fantastic way to enjoy the state’s great outdoors and get some exercise with friends and family. It is also important to remember that fresh trout and other fish can be an important part of a healthy, balanced diet.

“Fish are high in protein and are a valuable source of vitamins, minerals and beneficial oils that are low in saturated fat,” notes John Arway, Executive Director of the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (PFBC). “Trout are especially high in vitamin B-12 and omega-3 fatty acids, which improve cardiovascular health and brain development in children.”

To help Pennsylvanians make educated choices about which fish from the state’s many waters to eat and how often, the Commonwealth conducts regular sampling and testing of wild fish, as well as hatchery trout released to Pennsylvania streams. Because exposure to high levels of various chemicals can increase certain health risks, this testing enables the Commonwealth to make both general and specific recommendations. In 2010, tests have shown no need for additional special guidelines for eating PFBC-raised trout.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, American Heart Association and other nutrition experts recommend eating up to 12 ounces, or 2-3 servings, of fish per week; except for certain large ocean fish (Shark, Swordfish, King Mackerel, or Tilefish). As general guidance, the departments of Health, Environmental Protection, and Agriculture, along with the PFBC, suggest that pregnant and breast-feeding women, women of childbearing age and children can make sport-caught fish the source for one of their weekly meals of fish.

All sport-caught fish in Pennsylvania are subject to a one-meal-per-week consumption advisory. In some instances, testing of wild fish in specific areas suggests they should be eaten less often, or in rare cases, not at all.  Anglers can find these more detailed recommendations in the Pennsylvania Fishing Summary book (http://fishandboat.com/bookfish.htm) issued when a PA fishing license is purchased. The complete and updated recommendations can also be found on the DEP web site (www.depweb.state.pa.us), with additional information available on the PFBC website at http://www.fish.state.pa.us/qpcb2001.htm.

The 2010 Pennsylvania trout season starts at 8 a.m. on April 3 for 18 counties in southeastern and parts of southcentral Pennsylvania, and on April 17 for the entire state. Anglers can easily purchase fishing licenses online through the PFBC website and conveniently print them at home. Gift licenses can also be purchased. For more details, including information on the location of great trout fishing waters all over the state, select the link http://fishandboat.com/fact_fast_trout.htm.

The 18 counties where the season will open on April 3 are: Adams, Berks, Bucks, Chester, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Lehigh, Montgomery, Northampton, Perry, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, and York.

Also, the PFBC has scheduled the annual Fish for Free Days on Saturday, May 22, and Sunday, June 6. No fishing license is needed to fish on either of these days. It’s a great way to introduce someone to the world of fishing.  Remember that all other regulations apply.

The mission of the Fish and Boat Commission is to protect, conserve, and enhance the Commonwealth’s aquatic resources and provide fishing and boating opportunities. For more information about fishing and boating in Pennsylvania, please visit our website at www.fishandboat.com.

328
Black Bear / The Bathtub Bear By Dan Infalt
« on: March 19, 2010, 01:01:48 PM »
The Bathtub Bear
By Dan Infalt
I got a little excited when a good friend, Dave, showed me a picture of a monster bear that was coming into a friend's brother's backyard deer feeder near Wausau, Wisconsin. The feeder was an antique bathtub filled with corn. The bear in the picture had two legs on each side of the feeder, it looked like a big black bus parked over the top of the tub. The next picture was of a big old bear tooth. Dave explained the $400 camera was ruined, the bath tub bear had chewed the lens right off of the camera. The only thing salvaged was the film.

Then Dave says nobody in his group drew a tag to hunt this beast and he is living on the public property surrounding the cabin where he was filmed. By now, my mind is going a million miles a minute trying to think of some clever way to trick Dave into letting me hunt this incredible bruin. Suddenly Dave breaks the momentary silence by saying, Don't you have a kill permit for this year? Why don't you come up here with your bow and whack that beast? It took me a few seconds to regain my speech, then I just kept mumbling.

The very next weekend found me heading for Wausau with a truck load of bear goodies. When I got there I met Dave's brother, Bob, who took me to the feeder where the bath tub bear was hanging out. There were monster paw prints all over the tub and ground. I followed a beaten path through the woods till it entered a swamp about a 1/4 mile from the cabin where I thought the bear was probably bedding. I found a good area where several different trees could be bowhunted out of with consideration for the daily wind directions, and set up a bait.

The bait was very close to the trail that the beast was traveling on, I had a very good feeling about this spot, but I set up a second spot in a different area just in case. Bob made me a happy hunter when he offered to bait for me every other day.

I traveled back the next weekend to check on things and was pleased to find out the monster bear was hitting the bait daily leaving his huge tracks in the mud. It looked like he had the bait to himself. I have noticed that when big bear bed close to baits they keep other bears from hitting that bait, they kinda, take it over. Bob had seen another bear near his friends cabin with a white "V" on its chest. He was sure it was coming in to the back up bait. I told him, its the bath tub bruin, or nothing.

I got up really early opening morning and made the trip up to Wausau by 10 AM. I met Dave and his brother at the cabin. Bob said, I got some bad news. Your bait hasn't been hit all week, and a large group of bear hunters set up there campsite 100 yards from your bait. I went out there and looked the situation over. Yep. the bait had not been touched. I could hear the campsite 100 yards away. I went to check on my secondary bait, suddenly the white "V" bear sounded like a keeper. However, bad news turned worse. There were two hunters set up near my 2nd bait. One hunter covering each trail to and from my bait. I am sure these guys didn't know my bait was there, they just saw all the bear sign and set up.

I thought about how I was thinking nothing could ruin this hunt, heck I was even looking at taxidermy catalogs trying to pick out a form. I felt like a fool. I walked back to the cabin hanging my head, like a dog that had been kicked. My two buddies were half asleep, tired from there night shift jobs. It was 12:00 midday, I sat there for a while, but couldn't stand being in the cabin. I said go ahead and get some sleep, I am going to go sit in the bath tub bear stand for the rest of the day.

I crawled up into my Lone Wolf hang-on and got comfortable. I could see the hunters in the campsite 100 yards away. They were playing loud music and partying. I was just starting to wonder what else could go wrong when the 1st few rain drops hit me. I stared up at the heavens and cursed my foolishness, how could I not realize this was going to happen? Its public land. I am hunting 100 yards from a dirt road, what did I expect.

I glanced back down towards the earth below and was greeted with an unbelievable site; It was the bath tub bruin! He was walking straight at me at 1:00 in the afternoon. I slowly moved for my bow that was resting in the bow holder on my stand platform. By the time I slipped the bow out and slid to my feet the monster had walked right trough my bait site and just kept heading up the trail, straight towards the corn feeder. I suddenly realized, He was still using this trail, he was just preferring to eat the corn over my hard candy and fruit. I quickly drew the bow and made the shot in one fluid motion, just before he disappeared into the thick canopy. In a moment the bear was gone.

I sat down, trembling, did it really happen? Did I get him? It was like someone started turning the volume back up. I came back to reality and could hear the nearby party and music, then suddenly there was an erie death cry from where the bear ran.

The beast was mine, and I knew it.

I took my tree stand down after sitting and just taking it in for a while. Packed up my stuff and headed back to the cabin. I walked in an hour before dark surprising the two sleeping buddies of mine. Then Bob starts to lecture me about hunting till dark...Bob didn't know me really well.

"You have to sit in that stand till there ain't no shooting light left" he growled at me.

I went along with the flow and said, "But its raining!"

"What? You can't take a little rain" Bob screeched.

Then Dave smiled and said, "How big?" ...Dave knew me well.

I smiled back and said, "It's the bath tub bear. He is at least 300 pounds."

When we got to the bear, none of us could believe the size of it. We could barley move it. Later at the check-in station, the slob bear weighed in at 500 pounds. I got a life size mount of him and a lifetime of memories. The skull measured 20 5/16".

The bathtub bear weighed 500lbs and had a 20 5/16" skull

Check out Dan's hunting DVD  http://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com/huntingmarshbucksdvd.htm
http://www.wisconsinoutdoor.com

329
Black Bear / THE BEARS ... Once in a life time!
« on: March 19, 2010, 12:58:11 PM »
THE BEARS

Black bears typically have two cubs, rarely one or three. In 2007, in northern New Hampshire , a black bear sow gave birth to five healthy young. There were two or three reports of sows with as many as four cubs but five was, and is, extraordinary. I learned of them shortly after they emerged from their den and set myself a goal of photographing all five cubs with their mom, no matter how much time and effort was involved. I knew the trail they followed on a fairly regular basis, usually shortly before dark. After spending nearly four hours a day, seven days a week, for six weeks I had that once in a lifetime opportunity and photographed them in the shadows and dull lighting of the evening. Due to these conditions the photograph is a bit noisy as I had to use the equivalent of a very fast film speed on my digital camera. The print is properly focused and well exposed with all six bears posing as if they were in a studio for a family portrait. (Read on...)



I stayed in touch with other people who saw the bears during the summer and into the fall hunting season. All six bears continued to thrive. As time for hibernation approached, I found still more folks who had seen them and everything remained OK. I stayed away from the bears as I was concerned that they might become habituated to me, or to people in general, as approachable friends. Thi s could be dangerous for both man and animal. After Halloween I received no further reports and could only hope the bears survived until they hibernated.

This spring, before the snow disappeared, all six bears came out of their den and wandered the same familiar territory they trekked in the spring of 2007. I saw them before mid April and dreamed nightly of taking another family portrait, an improbable second once in a lifetime photograph. On April 25, 2008 I achieved my dream. (Read on )



When something as magical as this happens between man and animal Native Americans say, We have walked together in the shadow of a rainbow.

And so it is with humility and great pleasure that I share these photos with you.

Sincerely,

Tom Sears





330
Black Bear / PA BEAR ATTACK WRONG PLACE AT WRONG TIME
« on: March 19, 2010, 12:56:46 PM »
BEAR ATTACK WRONG PLACE AT WRONG TIME

JERSEY SHORE, Lycoming County “ Following an investigation into an incident in which a hunter was injured by a bear in Clearfield County, Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer David Carlini said that he has concluded that no illegal actions took place and was simply a matter of the hunter being in the “wrong place at the wrong time.

On Nov. 25, in Lawrence Township, a hunter was following fresh bear tracks in the snow that went into the cornfield. While he was in the middle of the cornfield he heard and then saw a bear run away from him from about five or six cornrows away and then it turned and ran back toward the hunter.  As this bear ran by him at about three feet away, the hunter sensed something to his rear and, as he was turning around to look, was hit by a second bear.

 The victim suffered puncture wounds, bites and gashes, but nothing life threatening.  As the two bears ran off, the hunter walked to a dirt road and was taken for medical treatment.

To search the cornfield, WCO Carlini enlisted the assistance of Onyx, a female Labrador retriever specially trained by the Game Commission to locate evidence related to wildlife-related crimes and to retrieve hidden evidence, and Lancaster/York Counties Land Management Group Supervisor Linda Swank, Onyxs exclusive handler since her recruitment into the agencys canine division in 2001.

 â€œWe found no evidence of a wounded bear or bears, no blood trails and no den sites, WCO Carlini said.  It simply appears to be a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time: in between two bears.  Why these two bears were together is unknown.

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