CLUBS

CLUBS
High-power rifle seminar,Garand Match planned
The Youngstown Rifle and Pistol Club will hold its annual high-power rifle seminar, the M-1 Rifle Clinic, April 9 at the club's facility at 8920 Shaffer Road, off South Lipkey Road.
The clinic will start at 8 a.m. with rifles and ammunition supplied.
Cost of the clinic is $30 for adults and $10 for 18 and under. Pre-registration is required.
The club will also hold its annual John C. Garand Match on April 10.
Competition is open to members of any CMP club, Youngstown Rifle and Pistol Club, NRA or USA shooting clubs.
Cost of the match is $20 for adults and $10 for 18 and under.
For more information on either the M-1 or Garand events, call Mike Policy at (330) 534-5697, e-mail at mpolicy@earthlink.com or visit the club's Web site at www.yrpc.org.
FISHING
Books & amp; Hooks event
On March 26, Ted Fauceglia will be at the Books & amp; Hooks fly fishing shop in the former Maple Street School in Girard.
Fauceglia will be signing his new book "Mayflies" from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The store will also be having a special sale that day.
PENNSYLVANIA
Deer harvest down
The Commonwealth's deer harvest estimates declined about 12 percent over the past year, down from an estimated 464,890 in 2003-04 to an estimated 409,320 in 2004-05, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission figures released today. Historically, this year's deer harvest estimate is the sixth highest since 1986, when the agency began calculating deer harvest results.
The 2004-05 antlered deer harvest was 124,410 and the antlerless deer harvest was 284,910, compared with 142,270 for antlered deer and 322,620 for antlerless deer the previous year.
Bowhunters took 62,460 deer (28,070 antlered deer and 34,390 antlerless deer), compared with 65,100 deer (30,960 antlered deer and 34,440 antlerless deer) in 2003-04. Muzzleloader hunters harvested 31,270 deer (1,090 antlered deer and 30,180 antlerless deer) last year, compared with 35,860 deer (1,240 antlered deer and 34,420 antlerless deer) in 2003-04.
Overall, compared with the 2003-04 harvest results, the 2004-05 statewide antlered deer harvest was down 13 percent, ranging from a decline of 35 percent in Wildlife Management Unit (WMU) 2G to an increase of 13 percent in WMU 4B; and the statewide antlerless deer harvest declined 12 percent, ranging from a drop of 48 percent in WMU 2G to an increase of 51 percent in WMU 2B.
Bigger trout stocked
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission took action this week to boost by 30 percent the average size of the trout stocked from State Fish Hatcheries.
Starting in 2007, the average trout stocked by the Commonwealth will weigh just under two-thirds of a pound, up from the present average of 0.44 pounds.
In addition to 3.2 million 11-inch trout, the commission's new production plan also calls for 30,000 trout averaging a whopping 2 pounds and 16 inches in length along with 9,000 golden rainbow trout averaging 14 inches and 1.5 pounds.
The commission action is in direct response to angler preference documented by participants in the 2002 Pennsylvania Trout Summit and a working group of trout fishing interests who advise the Commission on management issues.
Hatchery open house
The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission will host an open house April 2 at the agency's Linesville State Fish Hatchery at Pymatuning Lake, Crawford County.
The event is open for public visitation from noon to 4 p.m. Visitors are invited to come see methods used in taking and fertilizing musky and walleye eggs, sorting fish from trap nets, determining the age of fish, and more.
Participants can make their own "fish prints" on paper or on a T-shirt (bring your own or buy one there for $3).
Bass workshop April 22-23
Registration has begun for the fifth Pennsylvania Black Bass Workshop April 22-23 at Blue Spruce County Park, near Ernest, Indiana County.
The workshop is designed to offer anglers, resource and facilities managers an opportunity to hear discussions on both black bass and habitat management, angling and other aquatic resource subjects. Boat launches and weigh-in facilities will also be covered.
The workshop is open to anyone interested in black bass conservation. Organizers invite attendees to share their knowledge and experience with other bass anglers, tournament organizers, fisheries biologists, park managers and state and federal agency administrators.
For registration information and other details, contact Denise Darnley, Yellow Creek State Park, 170 Route 259 Highway, Penn Run, PA 15765-5941, or call (724) 357-7913, or e-mail ddarnley@state.pa.us.
SKEET
Registered shoot
The Sportsmen's Shooting Center just northeast of Canton on State Street will offer 20- and 12-gauge targets in the Snowflake Open on Sunday.
Shooting starts at 10 a.m. and runs all day.
Shooters wishing to register in advance should call Jim Murphy at (330) 705-6001 (days). Shooters must be members of the NSSA and the OSSA. Applications are available at the shoot so new shooters can participate.
SHOWS
Winner is named
John Kopesos of Poland was the winner of the Ohio Valley Bass Anglers rod and reel event at the recent Niles sport show.
HUNTING
Youth turkey drawings
The Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Wildlife will be holding drawings April 2 for special, controlled youth turkey hunts at the Mosquito Creek and Killbuck Marsh Wildlife Areas. These events are for hunters 17 years and under. During the hunt they must be accompanied by a nonhunting adult (18 years or older). Youth applicants must be present at the time of the drawing and possess a valid 2005 hunting license.
The drawing at the Mosquito Creek Wildlife Area will be held at the area headquarters, 8303 N. Park Avenue (County Road 236), North Bloomfield (one mile south of state Route 87). Registration is from 8:30 to 9:30 a.m., with the drawing conducted at 12:30 p.m. Ninety permits will be awarded, five per day for the preseason youth hunts on April 16 and April 17 and five per day for each of the four Saturdays and Sundays of the Spring turkey season (April 18 - May 15).
Registration for the Killbuck drawing will begin at 8 a.m. April 2 at the Killbuck Valley Sportsman Club, 8482 Township Road 559, Holmesville, Ohio (1 mile west of SR 83). The drawing will be held at 2 p.m. Thirty permits will be awarded, three per day for the special preseason youth hunts on April 16 and April 17 and three per day for each of the four Saturdays and Sundays of the spring hunting season.
A National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) "JAKES" Day Event will coincide with both drawings.
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