At 12:02 PM on Friday, Johnsonburg Fire Dept. has been dispatched to the Hi-Rise for an activated fire alarm.

As was the case last year, hunters can harvest a black bear in some WMUs starting throughout the opening week of deer season in some WMUs.

The extended bear season runs Nov. 26-Dec. 3 in WMUs 1B, 2C, 3A, 3B, 3C, 3D, 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D, 4E and 5A. It runs Nov. 26-Dec. 10 in WMUs 2B, 5B, 5C and 5D.

To participate in the extended bear season, a hunter needs a general hunting license, as well as a bear license. In periods where the extended bear season overlaps portions of the firearms deer season, properly licensed hunters may also harvest deer.

Fluorescent orange requirements for the extended bear season and firearms deer season are identical.

Rules regarding the number of points a legal buck must have on one antler vary by WMU. In most WMUs, a buck with three points to a side, counting the brow tine, is legal. But in WMUs 1A, 1B, 2A, 2B and 2D, a buck must have three points not counting the brow tine.

Junior license holders, mentored youth, disabled hunters with a permit to use a vehicle, and resident active duty U.S. Armed Services personnel, can harvest antlered deer with two or more points on one antler, or a spike three or more inches in length.

For a complete breakdown of antler restrictions, WMU boundaries and other regulations, consult the 2022-23 Pennsylvania Hunting & Trapping Digest, which is provided to hunters at the time they purchase their licenses and available online at the Game Commission’s website, www.pgc.pa.gov.

Deer hunters everywhere statewide, meanwhile, must wear at all times a minimum of 250 square inches of fluorescent orange material on their head, chest and back combined, visible from 360 degrees, during the firearms deer season. An orange hat and vest will satisfy the requirement.

Nonhunters who might be afield during deer season and other hunting seasons should consider wearing orange, as well. And on state game lands between Nov. 15 and Dec. 15, nonhunters are required to meet the 250-square-inch fluorescent orange requirement.

Hunters who harvest a deer are required to affix a valid tag to the ear – not an antler – before the deer is moved. Hunters – especially those considering having their deer mounted – can use a large safety pin to attach the tag, as it won’t damage the ear. The tag must be filled out with a ballpoint pen and notched or cut with the correct date of harvest.

Hunters must then report their harvest to the Game Commission within 10 days. Harvests can be reported online at www.huntfish.pa.gov, by calling 1-800-838-4431 or by mailing in the postage-paid cards that are provided in the digest.

Mentored youth hunters are required to report deer harvests within five days. And hunters with DMAP permits must report on their hunting success within 10 days of the last possible date of harvest, regardless of whether they harvest deer.

It’s one thing to dream of winning the lottery. It’s another to base your entire financial future on the long odds of it actually happening.

The wiser course is to seek out an investment offering reliable, consistent returns.

Something that’s as stable as, let’s say, Pennsylvania deer hunting. Over the long term, hunters here take, on a per square mile basis, more deer than their counterparts almost anywhere in the country. That’s how things have long been. It’s how they remain.

Soon, hunters will have the opportunity to build on that trend again. Pennsylvania’s statewide firearms deer season is set to begin. It kicks off on Saturday, Nov. 26, continues on Sunday, Nov. 27, and runs through Dec. 10. Hunting is closed only on Sunday, Dec. 4.

What hunters will encounter is, by all indications, a deer herd that’s doing just fine.

David Stainbrook, Deer and Elk Management Section Supervisor for the Game Commission, said one way to measure trends is to look at the buck harvest per square mile. That’s a good general barometer of deer population abundance.

According to the National Deer Association, in the 10 hunting seasons between 2011 and 2020, Pennsylvania ranked second in the nation for buck harvest per square mile three times, third twice, fourth three times and fifth twice. Buck harvests over the decade averaged 3.2 per square mile, right in keeping with last year’s take.

Of course, the buck harvest per square mile varies between individual Wildlife Management Units (WMUs), with some producing more than others. WMU 2D, for example, produced 4.9 bucks per square mile each season over the last three, on average. That was tops in Pennsylvania. Seven other WMUs also averaged at least four bucks per square mile over that time, though: 1B (4.7), 4E (4.6), 2E (4.4), 3C (4.3), 2B (4.1), 2A (4.0) and 3A (4.0).

Pennsylvania’s antlerless deer harvest, meanwhile, broken down on a per-square-mile-basis, also annually ranks among the best in the country. For those who want to experience that, antlerless licenses remain available in a few WMUs, as do Deer Management Assistance Program (DMAP) tags in places.

Add it all up and hunters can find deer – bucks and antlerless deer both – this fall across Pennsylvania, provided they’re willing to work for them.

“Success in harvesting deer starts with scouting and knowing the land,” Stainbrook said. “But patience and putting in time are important, too. Persistence matters, as one additional day hunting can make the difference between a successful season and an unsuccessful one.”

A flexible season designed around when many people are off work – the weekend after Thanksgiving – provides the chance for hunters to get out just that way, all while making memories with family and friends.

“Pennsylvania’s firearms deer season draws more than 600,000 hunters to Penn’s Woods every year and it’s not hard to see why,” said Game Commission Executive Director Bryan Burhans. “A productive deer herd that, thanks to antler point restrictions, includes a high proportion of adult bucks, spread out across the Commonwealth, together with a season that’s as user friendly as any we’ve offered, set the stage for an exciting time. I can’t wait.”

           Upper Allegheny Health System (UAHS) parent company of Bradford Regional Medical Center (BRMC) and Olean General Hospital (OGH) continues to focus on the patient experience as a top priority.  Giving Tuesday which is held on Tuesday, November 29 is the perfect time to help contribute to a cause that will have an enormous impact on the community.

            Lindsay Miller, director of quality and chair of the newly established patient experience committee, is spearheading initiatives to help not only improve quality but to have a positive impact on the patient experience. 

While we are all aware that healthcare has changed in every conceivable way since the pandemic, it is important to recognize that when you become a patient, your needs for high quality care persist.  We recognize that we need to make changes to improve the experience and meet these needs for our patients and the communities that we serve.

            “The goal of our patient experience committee is to quickly and transparently provide immediate effective changes to improve the patient experience,” said Lindsay Miller, director of quality, patient experience committee chair. “We’re listening to the experiences patients have had under our care throughout the entire health system.  We’re striving for open and honest communication so we can make improvements in care as this initiative ranks amongst the top focuses for UAHS.”

            The first initiative launched by the committee was acquiring feedback, having our patients tell their story about their experience to the that staff that oversaw that patient’s care.  This initiative has been very bold and vulnerable, yet impactful.  We’ve instituted mandatory training for all staff — Language of Caring curriculum — which is aimed at taking active listening to a higher level.  Staff will become better communicators when dealing with patients and family members.  The committee meets regularly to measure results and continue to build upon the current initiatives to make more improvements.

            To help aide in improving the patient experience this year, BRMC and OGH are raising funds in an effort to support those that have been admitted to the hospital.  When a patient is admitted they find themselves out of their comfort zone and this is something that the hospitals want to address.

            “It’s not only the season of giving but also the holiday season,” said Jill Owens, MD, president, BRMC, OGH.  “It’s difficult to be away from family and friends around this time of year.  Any little gesture that we can do to create a better experience for our patients when they’re here with us, we’re going to try.”

Both hospitals are looking to alleviate the stress and uncomfortable feeling of being admitted into the hospital by providing patients with a patient care package.  The package includes a medical mug, neck pillow, ear plugs, and face mask.

“We’re fully committed to making improvements in quality and patient experience at both BRMC and OGH,” Dr. Owens said.  “These have and will continue to be our top priorities as we strive to be the region’s choice for healthcare.”

            To support the cause in creating a better patient experience that will help make a difference for your neighbor, friends, family, and community, visit www.cattaraugusgives.org/organizations/olean-general-hospital-foundation or contact the foundation office at (716) 375-7445 for OGH and to donate to BRMC, please visit www.brmc-ogh.org/foundations/brmc, select “Bradford Hospital Foundation General Fund” when processing payment, or contact the foundation office at (814) 362-8288.

On November 24, at 8:05 PM. Roulette ambulance was dispatched to Sartwell Creek Road for woman ill.

The United Way of the Bradford Area, Inc. will be hosting a winter theme Paint & Sip with Michelle Huber Chapman on Thursday, December 1st at the Bradford Brew Station at 6pm. The cost is $40 and includes the supplies, instruction by Michelle and light snacks. Cash bar is available. All proceeds will benefit the UWBA’s Annual “Rise to the Challenge” Campaign. Signups must be made Friday, November 25^th to the UWBA office by calling 814-368-6181 or email sarah.lonzi@uwbanews.org during regular business hours of Monday-Friday, 8am – 2pm.

Hunters Sharing the Harvest (HSH) is a nonprofit venison donation program unique to the state of Pennsylvania founded in 1991. Since 1991, the HSH venison donation program has coordinated the processing and distribution of donated deer from hunters to people in need throughout Pennsylvania. Over the last 30 years, HSH has collected and distributed nearly 2 million pounds of hunter-donated nutritious venison to hungry Pennsylvanians through soup kitchens, community centers, churches and directly to families in need. Last year more than 4,000 hunters donated deer providing 822,000 meals to people in need. One donated deer provides up to 200 meals.

All 67 PA counties are active in the HSH Program. Generations Forestry, Inc. of Kane, PA is the McKean County volunteer coordinator of the Hunters Sharing the Harvest Program and is now accepting donations of legally harvested deer for the upcoming 2022-2023 hunting season. Hunters are not charged a fee for deer donated to HSH, and the distribution of processed venison is provided at no cost to those in need. All donated venison will remain in McKean County helping our local communities.

To donate a deer in the Kane area, simply drop off the deer at Generations Forestry, Inc. located at 26 Payne’s Road, Kane, PA 16735. Business hours for Generations Forestry, Inc. are Monday – Friday 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. After hours and weekend donations are most common and are accepted by calling 814-598-0232 to arrange a drop off time.

To donate a deer in the eastern part of the County, you may drop off the deer at John & Judy Stratton’s Tree Farm at 2296 East Valley Road; Smethport, PA 16749. They will arrange to get the deer to Generations Forestry and the processor.

Please consider being one of the 4,000 + PA hunters to support the program helping to feed our local communities at no cost to you. Generations Forestry, Inc. and HSH would like to recognize three local sponsors and landowners who have helped make the McKean County HSH possible: Collins Pine – Kane Hardwood Division, Forest Investment Associates, and RAM Forest Products. Please consider becoming a McKean County HSH sponsor and donating to this worthy cause by contacting Generations Forestry, Inc., 814-837-9391.