It’s that time of year …when hunters need to be mindful of the dates on the calendar.

The 2012-2013 hunting licenses are now required and on sale at all license vendors as well as the PGC Regional Offices, County Treasurer’s Office and online.

If you like to wait until the last minute, you may lose out on the annual antlerless deer drawing as the submission for the first round of licenses goes in effect Monday for resident hunters.

The annual special drawing for a PA Elk tag is also time sensitive. As of this time, the drawing will be held in September, but the PGC has not released the exact date and time. Hunters should remember that purchasing your elk license application only guarantees that you will be in the annual drawing and does not cover the additional elk license if you are selected for the 2012 hunt.

Other licenses that are now with time restraints include black bear, which now has many different hunting options. There is a regular firearm season, archery only and even a muzzleloader season to consider.

The tricky part of this is to not only watch the dates but also the WMU. Bears can be a big problem in some areas and an unusual sight in others. The problem areas have additional hunting dates that need to be tuned into and may be unique to that WMU.

The good news is that the license fees are unchanged for 2012-2013; however the cost of purchasing every tag and stamp to go hunting in the Commonwealth can be staggering if you enjoy all types of outdoor pursuits.

The general license covers small game, buck deer and turkey, both fall and spring. However, the extras include; archery, second gobbler, muzzleloader, antlerless deer, waterfowl/migratory birds, black bear, furbearer license, bobcat, fisher and elk application to name what most hunters may be interested in purchasing.

Adding up all the extras can lead up to a hefty license fee which can be a deterrent for those who are financially limited, but like the outdoor opportunities that all the seasons and variety of wildlife represented.

This would be a good time to give licenses as gifts to the hunters and trappers you count as friends or loved ones. For example, if you have issues with certain wildlife like raccoons or muskrats or weasels, it might behoove you to offer to purchase a trapper’s furbearer license.

In return, the trapper could focus on nuisance species in your area or property; it’s a win-win for everyone. I have given fishing licenses as gifts and the Outdoor Shop for the PGC and PFBC make it as easy as pie!

Try it sometime and watch the smile it brings to the folks who you can never figure out what to give them when the occasion arises such as a birthday, holiday gift or special day.

The fishing adventures keep 2012 on my calendar as a special year. We recently took a charter out of Ashtabula, Ohio, with Trophy Charters and found the fishing to be outstanding.

Walleye was our quarry and we were able to boat quite a few nice-sized fish. The highlight of the day was when Emma “Toddy” Anderson, a member of our party, landed a 28-inchwalleye that was large enough to get a Lake Erie Trophy Citation — not bad for a grandmother!

She claims that she is going to frame the award and put it on the wall of her family room, so sons Greg and Jeff know who the fishing champ is in the family.

My wife, Renee, who did quite well, also commented that if she knew that fishing on the Great Lakes was this much fun she would have been on the water much sooner!

I’m not sure what I started, but I don’t think we’ve seen the last of these ladies. Until we meet again, get that license purchased and keep your eye on the calendar.