Welcome 2014! The end of the year 2013 is fast approaching and traditions state that we should all make some New Year resolutions that will make us a better person.

I guess we all can stand to be a better person if we are honest with ourselves. I think I will work on being more patient with those who vex me whether by accident or on purpose. It seems that patience is a virtue that few people display in this day and age. Patience can pay off in our relationships, our work and even in our hobbies or recreation. For outdoor enthusiasts, patience and good effort often pay off with a good experience in hunting, fishing, photography and just about every pursuit we ponder. Pennsylvanians have long had a tradition of loving the outdoors in all sorts of sports and activities.

Many people don’t realize that the cold winter months bring out all kinds of interests that you may not see any other time of the year. One of many hunters’ favorite pursuits after Christmas and through New Year’s is the primitive hunting season known as late Flintlock Season. It’s primitive due to the use of a black powder rifle that uses loose black powder and a flint sparked ignition system. Although it is primitive compared to modern firearms, the flintlock can be a very successful means of hunting for the well-trained woodsman. I have taken deer with the flintlock, but I have missed quite a few more deer than I have harvested. I think it is the flash of the powder pan that throws me off and consequently, when I jerk away from the flash my shot is pulled offline as well.

Late-season small game comes back in after the Christmas holiday as well. In looking over my Hunting & Trapping Digest I found that squirrel, rabbit, pheasant and grouse come in on December 26th and last until February 22nd. I was invited to go out on a rabbit hunt with my neighbor Frank. He has a brace of beagles that love to chase bunnies and I saw plenty of rabbit tracks as we hunted for deer near the edges of woods and swampy wetlands. Now if only I can forget about my dismal results on sporting clays and refocus on bouncing rabbits. We also have a keen interest in squirrels. The goal is to round up enough squirrels with .22 rifles to make a squirrel pot pie for a wild-game dinner we attend. Patience is required when squirrel hunting as the critters are very wary of predators, which is what they see a hunter as when peering around a tree.

Although the grouse population is on a low cycle around the local areas, it is quite strong in northern counties and a sunny afternoon hunt could really jazz up a hunter having the winter doldrums. The grouse season lasts through January 25th and has a limit of two birds per day of hunting. Grouse have some beautiful color phases from black to gray to chestnut brown. Wing shooting a grouse is quite a feat and many a shotgun shell has been emptied as a salute to the commonwealth/state bird when a miss is recorded. The thunderous flush of a grouse from a grapevine or thicket always gives me an adrenaline rush as they zigzag out of sight.

If hunting isn’t your thing, maybe fishing piques your interest for an outdoor activity. The frigid weather we have had should get the ice anglers ready for a banner year on the hard water. All of the lakes in the area are ice-covered, but the safety factor of having thick enough ice is what we all need to consider. Four inches of ice is a must. More is better, especially when you drag out equipment and buddies too! The 2014 PA Fishing licenses are on sale and they make a great gift for someone hard to buy for.

The PFBC sells gift vouchers that can be used for licenses and other items from the Outdoor Shop. If you want to try your hand at the winter steelhead fishery in Erie you will need a Lake Erie/Trout Combo stamp in addition to your regular fishing license. The thrill of a 15-pound steely is a fishing joy that everyone should experience. Plenty of skill and luck is needed to successfully land these lunkers.

Don’t forget the 114th Annual Audubon Christmas Bird Count that started on December 14th and runs through January 5th. Bird walks and binoculars are bouncing around necks as would-be citizen scientists watch bird feeders, forests and edges in hopes of seeing a special bird for the Audubon Society. This is the longest running citizen scientist project in the record books, so you too can be a part of history and natural science by participating!

Until we meet again … be patient & Happy New Year!