PITTSBURGH — Cesar Izturis' $5.85 million option was declined Friday by the Pittsburgh Pirates, who will pay the infielder a $300,000 buyout.

The 27-year-old Izturis already had filed conditionally for free agency. Before the end of the season, he had said he would like to return to the team if given the chance to play full-time.

Pirates general manager Neal Huntington had expressed an interest in bringing the shortstop back next season at a lower cost.

ERIE — Presque Isle State Park is accepting applications for its three-day annual deer hunt through Dec. 4.Up to 85 hunters a day will get licenses to harvest some of the estimated 60 deer that roam the 3,200-acre state park in Erie.Hunters cab use shotguns with slugs, black-powder muzzleloaders or archery equipment during the hunt on Dec. 5 to 7.The hunt is meant to thin the herd to protect the park's vegetation and to promote the health of the surviving herd.