The POL Expo is fun for the whole family

I can’t believe that it’s time again. It seemed like the last one just wrapped up yesterday and yet, here I am two years later, again inviting you to the Pennsylvania Outdoor Life Expo. An every other year event The Pennsylvania Outdoor Life Expo 2009 begins this Thursday, March 26, and closes on Sunday, March 29 at the Columbia Mall near Bloomsburg in the former Ames department store and in the halls of the mall.

More than 140 exhibitors are booked. Many local conservation groups will offer hands on displays while informing the public about their cause. They include The Pennsylvania Game Commission, The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, The National Wild Turkey Federation, Pheasants Forever, Trout Unlimited, The Pennsylvania Deer Association, Quality Deer Management and The Pennsylvania Trappers Association to name a few.

The Columbia County Bassmasters are holding a casting contest for kids. They expect to give away hundreds of prizes including fishing poles and lures. The Berwick Archery Club and the United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania will once again set up their archery ranges in hopes of inspiring a few new archers into the sport. Two years ago the volunteers looked on as more than 2,000 youngsters pulled back on the string.

Pennsylvania Outdoor Life Field Staff Member Dave Aucker called upon a few black powder organizations to run the flintlock shooting range. Visitors will have the chance to shoot a traditional flintlock rifle. Dave has also organized a black powder gun giveaway with special door prizes of handcraft memorabilia. The National Wild Turkey Federation’s simulated computerized turkey hunt will be up and running. This must see exhibit consists of live turkeys and a safety life-like turkey hunt lesson.

For a fee, expo attendees can get into a cage with Whitetail deer from the Swetland Game farm. The Rolling Hills Red Deer Farm will be on hand to impress everyone with the size of their adult red deer and the Ringneck Ridge Shooting Preserve will offer a good look at some wild game birds.

Live animals can be found in every corner of the expo. Pennsylvania Outdoor Life Field Staff member, Rick Koval, has been collecting critters for weeks. He promises to educate and entertain viewers about white footed mice, deer mice, meadow voles, chipmunks, frogs, rattlesnakes and much more. I spent a day in the field with Rick as he checked his traps for small mammals. Watch Pennsylvania Outdoor Life tonight and see what we managed to trap. We’ll also get you up close and personal with a rattlesnake.

The newest attraction at the Expo comes to us from Sam Burliegh of Turtle World. Sam has recently stepped into the world of heritage farming. This means that he will try and help endangered species of farm animals. I was surprised to learn that many types of animals including breeds of rabbit, chicken and turkey are no longer desired by breeders and there is a chance that they will cease to exist unless interested people keep the breed alive. Sam has chosen a few of these breeds and he will have them on hand in a petting zoo as he educates the public about them. His fainting goat is at the top of the list for me. This heritage breed actually freezes up when startled. It is quite comical to see first hand.

Parking, admission the drawings for two grand prizes are free. We are giving away a 14-foot Jon boat with a 9.9 horsepower Mercy Motor and a trailer from Robbins Marine of Milton. Susquehanna Valley RV of Selinsgrove has supplied our second grand prize, a Starcraft popup camper. Susquehanna Valley RV tells us it can be towed by any vehicle. Once again, you can enter to win for free. We will pick the winner at 4 p.m. on Sunday. You don’t have to be present to win. The drawing will air on Pennsylvania Outdoor Life on Sunday, March 29 at 6:30.

One of my gripes about major public events is the cost of the food. We have invited the First United Methodist Church of Shamokin and the Buckhorn Volunteer Fire Company #1 to supply the food for our event. They promise to sell only homemade reasonably priced fare. They also supplied the food two years ago and I must say it was nothing short of homecooking.

The Columbia Mall is easy to get to. Take interstate 80 to the Buckhorn exit just after the Bloomsburg exit. The mall is located just off the exit. Go to the Pennsylvania Outdoor Life homepage on WNEP.COM for more information. You can also see much more about the expo on tonight’s airing of Pennsylvania Outdoor Life. WNEP-TV will air a special one hour Live presentation from the Expo on Thursday, March 26, at 7pm. Consider this a personal invitation to join us next week. I promise the Pennsylvania Outdoor Life Expo is fun for the entire family. See you there!

Pennsylvania hunters interested in applying for a second spring gobbler tag have until April 1, according to Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe. Applications are available on page 38 of the 2008-09 Pennsylvania Digest of Hunting and Trapping Regulations, which is provided to each license buyer, or by going to the agency’s website ( www.pgc.state.pa.us), and clicking on “Spring Turkey Tag Application” in center of the homepage.

The fee for the special license is $21. Mailed applications for special wild turkey licenses must be sent to: Pennsylvania Game Commission, Special Spring Gobbler License, P.O. Box 61317, Harrisburg, PA 17106-1317.Applications are also being accepted over-the-counter at the local Game Commission regional office in Dallas. The spring gobbler season is set for April 25-May 25, and the daily limit remains one bird. Hunters are allowed to apply for only one special wild turkey license during a license year.

PD Sports

OUTDOORS WITH JAKE

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