My Hunting Dog "Scrapper"

Scrapper is one of a kind in my book.  I purchased him as a pup from Roger Wagner.  I was 13 years old and full of fire to train my first dog.  We grew up together; I trained Scrap and he trained me how to train him.  There was nothing better as a young man spending the summer of 2006 training a dog morning and evening dreaming of being state and world champions.  All that hard work paid off.  The 2007 year was a breakthrough of the dreams I had.  We gathered many wins and many memories.  Scrapper taught me the joy of winning but the humbling truth of losing.  I (Matt) am now 18 and Scrapper is 5.  I am currently in college at Penn State Wilkes-Barre but Scrap and I enjoy teaming up every few weekends to hit the woods.  I will be entering Scrapper in a few competitive hunts in 2011.

The Beaver Management Plan for Pennsylvania

The Pennsylvania State Game Commission's plan for beaver management will be in effect for years to come.  The three main goals for this plan are to establish sustained beaver populations within suitable habitat, monitor the beaver harvest, minimize beaver damage complaints, increase public awareness and knowledge of the benefits of beavers and their habitat, and provide opportunities to use and experience beavers.  Common names of the North American beaver include beaver, American beaver, Canadian beaver, and el Castor.  Beavers are very common throughout Pennsylvania.  Though they are good to the environment, they can be a public nonsense.  As part of the management plan, the relocation of beavers from public places is smart.  The plan also includes the exploration for new beaver habitats.  More studies will also be done on trapping.  This plan has many pages of information and objectives.  For the complete management plan, visit the PA State Game Commission's website.

White-tail Deer Management

The PA State Game Commission's management plan for White-tail deer is in effect from 2009 to 2018.  The five main goals to this plan are to manage deer for a healthy and sustainable deer herd, manage deer-human conflicts at levels considered safe and acceptable to Pennsylvanians, manage deer impacts for healthy and sustainable forest habitat, manage deer to provide recreational opportunities, and improve the public’s knowledge and understanding of deer and the deer management program.  The management plan's new idea is only allowing hunter's to shoot a buck with 4 antlers or more on one side.  This will allow younger buck to mature.  The Game Commission also pushed back doe season a week after buck started.  I like the idea of this program.  I remember when it was launched there was a lot of speculation in our area.  Turns out, after two years, the plan has had major success.  I like this plan because it allows deer populations to be less destructive on farm land and there are bigger buck in deer season for recreational purposes. 

Homemade Potato Gun

A potato gun can provide endless hours of family friend.  They are not hard to make and not hard to understand the physics behind it.  First, you need to buy 2-inch and 3-inch PVC pipes with a connector and some PVC glue.  Connect the two pipes with the connector and seal the edges with glue.  Next, drill a small hole in 3-inch pipe and insert a fire grill igniter.  Use a file or dremel to sharpen the end of the barrel so that the potato will be cut to size when you insert a potato.  Now, after the glue is dry, the gun is ready to be fired.  Spray a propane-based aerosol down the pipe.  Put the cap back on and take aim.  Press the igniter button and watch the potato fly out of sight.  This happens because the aerosol is ignited and the internal explosion sends the potato out the other end of the pipe. A potato gun is a fascinating feat of physics and its loads of fun.