
Now that deer hunting is here, the issue of poaching, unfortunately, moves to the forefront. Of course, it's an issue all year, but seems to get worse at this time. Here is an excerpt from the Game Commission’s news release.
What crimes should I report?
The illegal shooting or taking of big game or protected, endangered, or threatened species, or any crime against those species should be reported through Operation Game Thief. Other violations should be reported to the region office serving the county in which the violation is taking place as quickly as possible.
What information should I provide?
As many details as possible:
Description of WHAT YOU SAW and the SPECIES involved.
DATE and TIME of occurrence.
COUNTY, TOWNSHIP, ADDRESS of where the event occurred.
Description of PERSON(S): Height, weight, hair color, eye color, approximate age, tattoo or other distinguishing feature, clothing, sporting arm, etc.
Description of VEHICLE(S): Color, make, model, dents, decals, bumper stickers, license plate number and state, road/route, and direction of travel. The phone number is 1-800-PGC-8001.
Over the years, our area has become well-known for its brilliant fall foliage. Already, the first signs of color are showing up. This year, it seems to have happened almost overnight. There is, of course, still a lot of green left, but it is interspersed with the bright colors of fall. It might be fun to look at some of the causes of this extravaganza, and some of the trees which play a part in it. At the heart of the color changes are fall’s cooler temperatures and shorter periods of daylight. These cause the buildup of cells at the base of the leaf stem, which blocks the flow of nutrients between the leaf and the tree. Chlorophyll, which makes the leaves green, is no longer produced. As the green fades, two chemicals, carotin, and xanthophyll, which cause leaves to turn yellow, are unmasked. Red leaves, which are the most impressive to look at, occur only when the leaves contain certain sugars or tannins. The red color further depends a lot on sunny days and cold nights, which causes the blocking cells to form before these substances can drain away. In some years, early frosts kill the foliage. Also, a warm cloudy autumn can produce colors. Actually, fall colors can vary a lot from year to year in any one region.
Now, let’s look at some of the players in this panorama of nature. Among the first to change are the red maple, whose leaves, obviously, turn bright red, and the downy serviceberry. In fact, some have already turned bright red along the Allegheny River. After that, we see the bright yellow leaves of the tulip tree and the eastern Redbud. Also, the sugar maple’s leaves turn gold about the third week of fall. This is one of our best-known trees. Depending on location, these trees can also turn bright red. The oak and ash trees wrap up the show each year. In this area, the most common ash is the white ash. It should be noted that ash trees have suffered a decline due to the emerald ash borer.
Sometimes, when you live in an area, you may have a tendency to take its beauty for granted. The fact is that many people travel long distances to enjoy the leaves along the Allegheny. New England is famous for its foliage, but it is hard to imagine that it is nicer than ours. Photographer Jodie Beabout captured the subtle beauty of early Autumn in Western Pennsylvania in this photo, below.

The colors of fall around the bend in East Brady.
Email: salmonangler1@gmail.com
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