Gone bowhunting: Taking aim at life's next challenge

November 18, 2008

During my five years on The Morning Call's outdoors beat, I was fond of telling colleagues I had the best job at the paper.

Recent columns

• Fish Report: Nov. 14, 2008

  November 13, 2008

  The weather has turned much colder, and our tackle shop reporters say there are relatively few anglers still hitting the water.

• As archery season winds down, bowhunters push to the finish

  November 11, 2008

  It's the second week of November, and I think I speak for many of my fellow bowhunters when I say I'm running on empty.

• Fish Report: Nov. 7, 2008

  November 6, 2008

  This week's unseasonably mild weather has created near perfect angling conditions locally, while those heading down to the shore are enjoying the season's best striped bass action.

• With rut kicking in, deer poachers are on the prowl

  November 4, 2008

  'Tis the season for deer poaching, and local wildlife conservation officers in Bucks, Montgomery, Northampton and Schuylkill counties all report a recent increase in illegal shootings.

• Fish Report: Oct. 31, 2008

  October 30, 2008

  Halloween is upon us, and I'm sure most Lehigh Valley anglers would agree this week's cold, wet, windy weather was much more trick than treat.

• Catching a late flight: banders lure saw-whet owls

  October 28, 2008

  Saw-whet owls are one of the most common forest raptors in North America, but that doesn't mean finding one is easy.

• Crossbows get preliminary OK from commission

  October 28, 2008

  The Pennsylvania Game Commission has given preliminary approval to a controversial measure that would allow hunters to use crossbows during all of the state's archery deer and bear seasons.

• Fish Report: Oct. 24, 2008

  October 23, 2008

  A combination of cold weather and high winds made for some tough fishing this week, and with more rain and heavy rain in the forecast for Saturday, things don't look much better for the weekend.

• Fish Report: Oct. 17, 2008

  October 16, 2008

  With cooler autumn weather moving in for the weekend, anglers should expect very good fishing conditions locally and at the shore.

• Buck photos a big hit on Lehigh Valley Wild

  October 14, 2008

  Numbers don't lie.

• Fish Report: Oct. 10, 2008

  October 9, 2008

  Lehigh Valley anglers looking for an autumn road trip might want to seriously consider a cross-state drive to Erie, where steelhead are now running out of Lake Erie into numerous tributaries.

• Lehigh Valley Wild is now bigger and better

  October 7, 2008

  Want to see pictures of the 315-pound whitetail buck taken Saturday by a Lehigh County bowhunter?

• Foundation plans research center for Game Commission

  October 7, 2008

  A private foundation run largely by current and former Pennsylvania Game Commission officials wants to build the agency a $16 million, 60,000-square-foot wildlife research and education center in Centre County.

• Fish Report: Oct. 3, 2008

  October 3, 2008

  Autumn weather has finally arrived, and that means some of the best fishing of the year both locally and down at the shore.

• Falling license sales remain hunting's top threat

  September 30, 2008

  At next month's Pennsylvania Game Commission meeting, sportsmen will argue the pros and cons of allowing crossbows in the archery deer seasons.

• Critics say flow plan puts Upper Delaware fishery at risk

  September 30, 2008

  The Delaware River Basin Commission last week postponed its vote on a controversial water release program critics say would devastate the river's nationally renowned trout fishery and exacerbate flooding through the Lehigh Valley and beyond.

• Fish Report: Sept. 26, 2008

  September 26, 2008

  With a major East Coast storm bearing down on the Mid-Atlantic region, Mother Nature is making it difficult to provide a reliable fishing report this week.

• Fish Report: Sept. 26, 2008

  September 25, 2008

  With a major East Coast storm bearing down on the Mid-Atlantic region, Mother Nature is making it difficult to provide a reliable fishing report this week.

• Despite going 0-3, Nir-Kistler still enjoyed the Beijing Paralympics

  September 25, 2008

  Question: How did U.S. table tennis player Noga Nir-Kistler of Salisbury fare earlier this month at the Paralympic Games in Beijing?

• Fishing program provides healing waters for veterans

  September 23, 2008

  On April 22, 2005, Army Capt. David Folkerts was on a routine patrol in Iraq when a bomb exploded beneath his feet.

• Fish Report: Sept. 19, 2008

  September 18, 2008

  Palmerton's Eli Borger can officially claim the title of champion this week now that the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission has recognized his 13-pound, 8-ounce golden rainbow trout as the new state record.

• Local rifle vs. shotgun issue is getting national attention

  September 16, 2008

  Recent efforts to add the Lehigh Valley to the shotgun-only area for deer hunting got a national mention in the September issue of American Hunter magazine.

• Fish Report: Sept. 12, 2008

  September 11, 2008

  The world's richest bass-fishing tournament will be held next summer in Pittsburgh, with a guaranteed $1 million prize to the winner.

• Fish Report: Sept. 5, 2008

  September 5, 2008

  Labor Day is over and the kids are back in school, but autumn weather doesn't appear anywhere in sight.

• Fish Report: August 29, 2008

  August 28, 2008

  Smallmouth bass and trout action is good in rivers and streams across the region, but we could really use some rain to prevent water levels from falling to critically low levels.

• New public hunting maps far better late than never

  August 26, 2008

  It took almost five years, but it looks as if the Pennsylvania Game Commission is finally making good on a promise to produce a set of maps that shows the locations of private properties enrolled in the agency's public access programs.

• Fish Report: August 22, 2008

  August 21, 2008

  The current weather pattern of comfortably warm days and chilly nights are just about perfect for a day on the water, and local anglers are certainly taking advantage of the conditions.

• Be wary of the ''green'' label on renewable energy

  August 19, 2008

  There's an old journalism adage that goes: ''If your mother says she loves you, check it out.''

• DiMaggio no stranger to the Lehigh Valley

  August 14, 2008

  Question: In the 1960s, Joe DiMaggio was at the George Washington [Motor Lodge] signing balls and autographs. Could you give me some information on this?

• Fish Report: August 15, 2008

  August 14, 2008

  Summer may be winding down, but there is still plenty of time to take advantage of the many excellent angling options on the freshwater and saltwater scene.

• Are there enough deer for all the licenses sold?

  August 12, 2008

  Every August, I watch in amazement as the Pennsylvania Game Commission begins accepting antlerless deer license applications and hundreds of thousands of hunters scramble to submit their paperwork.

• Idea for wind turbine meets stiff resistance

  August 12, 2008

  Proposed development of a utility-scale wind turbine at Blue Mountain Ski Area in Carbon County is shaping up as a classic battle between economics and the environment.

• Football, field and stream: Enjoy our great outdoors, Mr. Favre

  August 8, 2008

  So Brett, you're now a Jet.

• Fishing Report - August 8, 2008

  August 8, 2008

  After a fairly miserable summer down at the New Jersey shore, water temperatures have finally climbed into the lower 70s and fluke action is red hot.

• Fish Report: August 8, 2008

  August 7, 2008

  After a fairly miserable summer down at the New Jersey shore, water temperatures have finally climbed into the lower 70s and fluke action is red hot.

• Fish Report: August 1, 2008

  August 1, 2008

  Today marks the debut of a new format for the fishing report, which is now a two-part feature available both in the paper and on The Morning Call's Web site.

• Crossbow column elicits fiery response

  July 29, 2008

  Bowhunters may represent less than a third of all hunters, but their passion for the sport is legendary.

• Saucon Valley C.C. taking a green approach

  July 15, 2008

  Most of us will never play a round of golf at Saucon Valley Country Club, but that doesn't mean we don't benefit from the course's presence.

• Sojourn connects participants with the river

  July 1, 2008

  If I asked 100 local residents why our region is known as the Lehigh Valley, I suspect about 99 of them would know it has something to do with a river.

• Legal, legislative battles reveal attitudes

  June 24, 2008

  Another battle in the state's ongoing Deer War is about to begin, thanks to last week's Commonwealth Court decision allowing the Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania to proceed with its lawsuit against the Game Commission.

• Sportsmen get free concert and chance to give back

  June 17, 2008

  I've been to my share of memorable concerts over the years, from U2 and Van Halen to Tim McGraw and Toby Keith to James Taylor and Crosby, Stills and Nash.

• Lil-Le-Hi Trout Nursery a jewel in the Queen City's crown

  May 27, 2008

  You probably won't find Allentown's Lil-Le-Hi Trout Nursery on a list of the Lehigh Valley's top tourist attractions, yet the number of visitors the facility hosts each month easily rivals local museums, wineries, art galleries and the like.