Rolfe Beagle Club

06/13/2026

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Upcoming free event and open to the public! Join the Northwest Pennsylvania Woodland Association in Allegheny National Forest for an educational program on Ruffed Grouse habitat in Northwest Pennsylvania from 8:30 a.m. until 11:30 a.m. on Saturday, June 13th. Aaron Lewis (Ruffed Grouse Society & American Woodcock Society), Greg Sanford (USFS – Allegheny National Forest), and Taylor Chamberlin (DCNR – Cornplanter District) will give a guided tour of grouse habitat while explaining the silvicultural process for sustainable timber harvesting that creates that habitat. Come and learn how to preserve and grow ruffed grouse populations in NW PA; get details and directions here: https://ecosystems.psu.edu/research/centers/private-forests/events/efforts-to-preserve-and-grow-ruffed-grouse-populations-in-nw-pa

06/09/2026

This is a great program for Women!
Women’s Introduction to Wingshooting to be Offered in NC PA in July and August – Registration Required

Coudersport, Pa.: The Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS) is proud to announce that they will offer their popular Women’s Introduction to Wingshooting Program in Pennsylvania this summer. This year it will be held in the NC region of Pennsylvania, but any woman in Pennsylvania or adjacent states is welcome to attend AND you do not have to be a member of the RGS to attend this one-of-a kind shooting program – women teaching women how to shoot or hunt!

The Black Forest Conservation Association near Coudersport will host this year’s Women’s Introduction to Wingshooting program at 189 Back Road, Coudersport, Pa 16915. Women can register by contacting Bethany Ford at [email protected] for details. Four slots are still available on a first come, first serve basis.

The program will occur over two weekends – one weekend in July and a second weekend in August, and you must attend both weekends to graduate the program. The dates for this year’s program are July 18-19, and then August 22-23, 2026. On both Saturdays, the course starts at noon and ends at 4:00 p.m. On both Sundays, the course starts at 10:00 a.m. and ends at 2:00 p.m.

Lodging is available, if needed, but is limited. For women interested in pay-for lodging, consider staying at a local inn, AirBnb, or a Bed and Breakfast, all near Coudersport, Pa.

A hunt will be offered to the graduates on Sunday, September 13, at a nearby birddoggers’ club.

No pre-knowledge of shooting is required. “We pride ourselves on helping a woman who has never even held a shotgun before learn how to become a wingshooter,” says Sue McClelland of Smethport, one of the instructors. “And owning a shotgun is not necessary; we have shotguns that the attendees can try for size and then use during the program. When you finish this training you can go on and shoot at targets for fun or hunt your choice of birds.”

You must register to attend this course, and it is on a first-come, first serve registration basis. “We only take twenty women into the program each year so we can maintain the quality”, offers Maureen McDonald of Coudersport, another instructor.

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Note to reporters: Maureen providing instruction at a previous WIW session.

06/01/2026

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Share it, save it, mark it down — 2026-27 licenses go on sale Monday, June 22, 2026!

The first day to purchase your 2026-27 Pennsylvania hunting and trapping licenses AND resident antlerless licenses for ALL WMUs is Monday, June 22.

Like last year, ALL resident hunters are GUARANTEED an antlerless license in any WMU in the first round, IF purchased prior to July 13. No need to wait in line — you’ll have 21 days to get your guaranteed antlerless license!

Monday, June 22 (8 a.m.) – RESIDENTS ONLY: antlerless licenses on sale for all WMUs, guaranteed to all PA residents.

Monday, July 13 (8 a.m.) – NONRESIDENTS: unsold antlerless licenses available on a first come, first served basis. WMU allocations will apply.

IMPORTANT REMINDERS:

Hunters will need their state identification (driver’s license) OR CID number to purchase licenses in person and online. Your CID number can be found on your previous year’s hunting or fishing licenses.

Prior to purchasing your license, log in to your HuntFishPA account and update your email address. We’ll periodically email important information and updates about hunting licenses and regulations you won’t want to miss!

One antlerless deer license can be purchased per round in the first three rounds. More info at: https://bit.ly/Antlerless.

You DON’T have to purchase your license online; you can still purchase in-person at any license agent. Find the closest one to you at: huntfish.pa.gov/agentlocator/.

Have additional questions? Contact the Pennsylvania Game Commission at 1-833-PGC-HUNT or visit pa.gov/pgc and click on the "Contact Us" button.

06/01/2026

Hoping this works as this is a neat reel.

05/31/2026

Fellow grouse hunters and I were bemoaning the loss of most of the crabapple and hawthorn blossoms with the late frost up here in WMU 2F, and then I ran into this late blooming crabapple that will be heavy with fruit this fall - likely one of only a few. Good to see. See less

05/29/2026

I "think" this beautiful, but tiny, blue flower might be corn speedwell. I seem to find it about this time of the year in open, sunny, but slightly wet spots. I happened to run into this beautiful flower when I had to step over it to get to the golden ragwort in the field. Sometimes the prettiest flowers are at your feet. If anybody has another name of this flower, please let me know. See less

05/28/2026

Golden ragwort - I seem to find this more down along the larger streams or rivers here in NC PA, especially the Clarion River. But, a week or so ago I took a drive down along the Tionesta River and the wet fields along the highway were covered in golden ragwort - so pretty this time of the year.

05/27/2026

Awww, the 'mustards' are everywhere on our roads right now. Garlic mustard, the plant with the white flowers at the top of the stem and the heart-shaped leaves with a garlic flavor that are edible in a salad, are also highly invasive. If you find one in your yard pull the plant and burn it or bag it. If you don't do so, next year you will have dozens of them dominating your ground cover.
Another immigrant from Europe is the black mustard with the bright yellow flowers. You find it anywhere along roadsides that have been disturbed. This plant is in the same family as cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and brussell sprouts. When cooked, the lower leaves and unopened flower buds can be eaten. The seeds are used in pickle recipes and used in making mustard. Birds like the seeds and it is even sold in commercial bird seed.
Figure 1 - garlic mustard
Figure 2 - black mustard See less

05/26/2026

The lowly dandelion - but yet one of the most important early spring pollinators we have here in NC PA. This yellow blossom may even bloom earlier than Coltsfoot, another early pollinator plant. Our bees depend upon dandelions as one of their first food sources. And its those bees that first dine on dandelions that live thru the summer and help pollinate our food supply in our gardens.