As the result of evidence compiled by an investigation into the illegal killing of a 600-pound black bear in Sept. 2009, Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer Jim McCarthy has filed charges against two Wayne County men from Gouldsboro.

Charges were filed with Magisterial Judge Bonnie Carney in Hawley against Raymond Carl Kresge Jr., 40, and Raymond Carl Kresge Sr., 66. If convicted, the father-and-son duo faces $1,800 each in fines, $5,000 each for restitution in the case and costs of the DNA evidence.On Sept. 29, 2009, a large male black bear was found dumped in the State Game Land 312 parking lot along Route 507, Gouldsboro. It had been killed by a single gun shot to the head and was believed to have been killed a day or two prior to being found, and evidence and information was obtained from the scene.Lehigh Township Police stopped Kresge Sr., Oct. 30, on a moving violation, for which he was charged with driving without a license. After noticing what appeared to be bear hair on the bumper, police notified the PGC Northeast Region office.After confirming that bear hair was on the bumper of the truck, PGC officers impounded the vehicle and obtained a search warrant. Once the warrant was secured, additional evidence was found and sent to Dr. Jane Huffman, Northeast Wildlife DNA Lab at East Stroudsburg University, for DNA testing that confirmed the dead bear had been in the back of Kresge's truck.**********Deer Management Assistance Program antlerless deer permits are now on sale through the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Pennsylvania Automated License System. Hunters may obtain up to two DMAP antlerless deer permits per property, and DMAP permits do not impact a hunter's eligibility to apply for and receive antlerless deer licenses issued for Wildlife Management Units.DMAP permit fees are $10.70 for resident hunters and $35.70 for nonresident hunters and can be used to harvest one antlerless deer on the specific DMAP area. Maps for the properties are to be provided to hunters by the landowners, who may not charge or accept any contribution from a hunter for a DMAP permits or coupons.County treasurers will begin accepting antlerless deer license applications from resident hunters beginning Monday, July 12, and from nonresidents beginning Monday, July 26. Resident licenses are $5.70 and nonresident licenses are $26.70, which includes a 70-cent transaction fee attached to the purchase of each license and permit, which is paid directly to Automated License Systems, the Nashville-based company that runs Pennsylvania Automated License System.By state law, antlerless deer licenses will continue to be sold only by county treasurers, so hunters will need to prepare and mail separate applications for antlerless deer licenses. Hunters must use the official pink envelopes, which are provided to each license buyer by the issuing agents.**********Matt Hough of Johnstown has been appointed as the new Pennsylvania Game Commission deputy executive director for field operations, filling the vacancy created by the recent retirement of Orwigsburg native Mike Schmit from the position. Hough had been serving as PGC director of the Southwest Region."Matt's knowledge of the game laws and the agency's inner-workings from the Wildlife Conservation Officer district level through the regional office structure will make him an outstanding deputy executive director," PGC executive director Carl Roe said. "Additionally, his degree in wildlife management makes him a well-rounded individual for this position."In this new position, Hough will be responsible for the day-to-day operational supervision of the agency's six regions across the state. As region director, he was responsible for all PGC information and education programs and law enforcement activities in the agency's 10-county Southwest Region and oversaw the habitat improvement projects and all other land management activities on 177,800 acres of State Game Lands in the region.Prior to employment by the PGC, Hough was employed by the Bureau of State Parks as a ranger at Ohiopyle.**********Today's guest of Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association member Doyle Dietz on "Experience the Outdoors," from 7:30-8 a.m. on Oldies 1410-AM is Pennsylvania Game Commission Southeast Region commissioner Greg Isabella. A rebroadcast will be heard Sunday from 9:30-10 a.m. on WMGH, 105.5-FM, and is available on the Web at

www.wmgh.com by clicking on the "Experience the Outdoors" link.**********A 3-D course is open for public use from dawn to dusk at Bear's Head Sportsmen's Association, Delano, located off Exit 134 of Interstate 81, daily through Saturday, Oct. 23. Donations are accepted and for information call the clubhouse at 570-467-0331 or e-mail

docblazer@verizon.net.**********This year's Empire State Lake Ontario Tournament dates have been announced. Here is the schedule: Summer, through Sunday, July 18; Fall, Friday, Aug. 20-Monday, Sept. 6. For information and registration, access on the Web at

www.loc.org or call (888) 733-5246.**********A trap shoot will be held, Thursday, July 8, beginning at 6 p.m., at Orwigsburg Gun Club, Gun Club Road, off Route 443 East, Orwigsburg. For information, e-mail

jafone@comcast.net.**********First Frontier Militia, the muzzleloader arm of Bowmanstown Rod and Gun Club, will hold muzzleloader shoots on the following dates: Sunday, July 11, Aug. 6, Sept. 12, Oct. 9 and 10, Nov. 14 and Dec. 12, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bowmanstown Rod and Gun Club is located on Gun Club Road, off Route 248, Bowmanstown. For information, call Roger Fisher at 610-377-2812.**********This year's "Norm Thornburg Youth Conservation Camp," for ages 13-15, will be held Thursday-Saturday, July 15-17, at the Schuylkill County Fairground. For required pre-registration or information about scholarships available through Schuylkill County Sportsmen's Association, call Pat McKinney at 570-622-4124, ext. 113, or e-mail

porcupinepat@yahoo.com.**********This year's "Gunmakers Fair" will be held Friday-Sunday, July 23-25, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., daily, at Dixon Muzzleloader Shop, 9952 Kunkel's Mill Road, Kempton. For seminar schedule and information, access on the Web at

www.dixonmuzzleloading.com or call the shop at 610-756-6271.*********Schuylkill Trout Unlimited will hold a pig roast, Saturday, July 24, from 2-7 p.m., at Bulls Head Road, Pottsville. For reservations, call Bruce Schneck at 717-647-4362 or Randy Emerich at 570-622 1252.*********Schuylkill County Trout Unlimited meets Tuesday, July 27, Aug. 24, Sept. 28, Oct. 26, Nov. 23, Dec. 21, beginning at 7 p.m., at Yorkville Fire Company, South 20th and West Norwegian Sts., Pottsville. For information, call Randy Emerich at 570-622-1252 or access on the Web at

www.schuylkilltu.org.**********Schuylkill Spurs Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation meets, Thursday, Aug. 5, beginning at 7:30 p.m., at West Penn Archery, South Tamaqua. For information, call Kevin Titus at 570-668-5903.*********This year's "Lehigh Valley Hunting and Fishing Extravaganza" will be held Friday-Sunday, Aug. 27-29, at Kempton Fairground. For information, contact Bob Danenhower at 610-398-7609 and

bobstaxidermy@ptd.net or Rick Weaknecht at 610-683-7405 and

pahunter2005@hotmail.com.