Two 19-year-olds from Dauphin County are the first offenders to be charged under the new anti-poaching penalties, which took effect on Sept. 7, according to Pennsylvania Game Commission officials. Making the arrests were Pennsylvania State Police troopers Greg Boyer and Nathan Hahn, who were on routine patrol, at 12:34 a.m., Tuesday, Sept. 21, when they heard gun shots in the area of Mill Road and Carlson Road in East Hanover Township.

Upon investigating the gunshot sound, Boyer and Hahn encountered Robert A. Young of Hummelstown and Cody M. Shirk of Grantville traveling in a Dodge Ram at a high rate of speed. When the troopers pulled over the vehicle, Young and Shirk were in possession of an illegally-killed, six-point buck, a shotgun and shells, archery tackle and a spotlight.As a result, PGC wildlife conservation officer Michael Doherty filed charges before District Judge William C. Wenner against both Young and Shirk of one count of illegally killing a deer in closed season, which now carries a fine of between $1,000-$1,500, up to three months in prison and the loss of hunting/trapping privileges for three years; one count of illegal possession of a firearm while spotlighting, which carries a fine of between $100-$200; illegal use of a vehicle while hunting, which carries a fine of between $250-$500; and one count of unlawfully driving on farm fields, which carries a fine of $50. Additionally, the defendants could be accessed replacement costs of $800 for the deer.**********Limited archery/muzzleloader hunts for antlerless deer have been scheduled for Wednesday, Dec. 15, and Wednesday, Jan. 19, 2011, at the controlled access areas of the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, Kleinfeltersville.Both hunts will be held outside of any regular statewide deer season, and the only hunting occurring on these days will be by permitted hunters within the management area. In order to participate, hunters must be properly licensed and be eligible to take an antlerless deer in Wildlife Management Unit 5B on the day they hunt.Hunting will be by special permit only, and 100 permits will be issued by random drawing for each hunting day. Applications must be on a standard postcard and contain the hunter's name, complete mailing address, general license back tag number, muzzleloader and/ or archery stamp number and antlerless deer license number for WMU 5B if applicable.Only one application per hunter may be submitted, by Monday, Nov. 8, and mailed to Pennsylvania Game Commission MCWMA; Box 110; Kleinfeltersville 17039. A public drawing will be held at the Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area Visitors Center Wednesday, Nov. 10, at 10 a.m.*********The Pennsylvania Board of Game Commissioners will hold its final quarterly meeting of the year, Monday and Tuesday, with doors opening at 7:45 a.m. and the sessions beginning at 8:30 a.m. both days, at the Quality Inn, 880 Kidder St., Wilkes-Barre. A copy of the agenda for the meeting is posted on the agency's website at

www.pgc.state.pa.us and can be viewed by clicking on the "Commissioners' Meeting" in the "Quick Clicks" box in the right-hand column of the homepage.**********Pennsylvania Game Commission board of game commissioners president Jay Delaney is 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; Sunday, from 9:30-10 a.m., on WMGH, 105.5-FM; and on the Web at

www.wmgh.com by clicking 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 Friday, Oct. 8. Donations are accepted and for information call the clubhouse at 570-467-0331 or e-mail

docblazer@verizon.net.*********A trap shoot will be held, Thursday, Oct. 7, beginning at 6 p.m., at Orwigsburg Gun Club, Gun Club Road, off Route 443 East, Orwigsburg. For information, e-mail

jafone@comcast.net.*********Schuylkill Spurs Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation meets, Thursday, Oct. 7, beginning at 7:30 p.m., at West Penn Archery, South Tamaqua. For information, call Kevin Titus at 570-668-5903.*********First Frontier Militia, the muzzleloader arm of Bowmanstown Rod and Gun Club, will hold a muzzleloader shoot, Sunday, Oct. 9 and 10, 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.*********A "Backyard Composting Clinic" we be held, Wednesday, Oct 13, from 6-8 p.m., at the Schuylkill County Ag Center, Gordon Naugle Trail. For required pre-registration, call 570-622-4124.**********Schuylkill County Trout Unlimited meets Tuesday, Oct. 26, 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.*********A "Monster Rockfish Tournament" will be held, Saturday, Oct. 30, from 5 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., out of Solomons, Md. For information and registration, access on the Web at

www.MonsterRockfishTournament.com.*********Columbia County Open Buddy Bass Tournament will be held, Sunday, Nov. 7, from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Williamsport Linden Access Area on the Susquehanna River. For information, call tournament director Mike Monico at 570-752-3223.