Interesting updates

[Gsseagle]

Couple of interesting articles in the Pa Outdoor News last issue.
First was an article about the invasion of zebra mussels that have been found in the lower Susquehanna river system, that potentially threatens smallmouth bass and other species. Apparently started when, during a shad study, one was found in the intake pipe at the Conowingo Dam on Oct 30th. A search was started and more were found at Muddy run storage reservoir, and at Glen Cove boat launch. Experts say they expect to see the population to grow mainly in the slower waters above the dam sites of Conowingo, Aldred , etc, by next summer.
Second topic was the statewide legalization of the use of crossbows in the statewide archery and bear season in 2009/2010 , with some restrictions on equipment. Stay tuned for more updates on this.

[tomm]

Ken,

The great lakes have zebra mussels and the smallmouth are flourishing. Hopefully the same will happen in the river.

Tom

[takem]

I agree they should let crossbows be used statewide. I shoot both and theres not much difference between them. The modern compound is pretty far removed from archery. Theres a lot of myths about crossbows. They don't shoot much faster and the arrows drop much quicker beacuse of the weight of them. They are very loud with no way to really make them quiet so jumping the string is a problem. Making it a 30 yard weapon in my opinion. I hear stories of people shooting 80-100 yards but your going to have unethical hunters with any weapon. Maybe a open sights only law would be helpful to avoid upsetting vertical bow shooters.

[Gsseagle]

Tom;

The statement about the harming fish population, was from "experts" working with the Pa fish comm, not me. According to Ann Faulds, of the Chester office of Pennsylvania Sea Grant, a program funded by the state, federal government, and utilities. She says the mussels that filter the water, makes the water cleaner but allows light to penetrate deeper causing huge, destructive algae blooms, that deplete oxygen needed by fish and aquatic organisms. "The mussels pose such a threat to game fish in the Susquehanna because they filter plankton and microscopic algae needed by bait fish that the river's larger fish depend on." Also they are dreaded by power plants, and anyone else who draws water from the river, because they float on top of the water into pipes and equipment. Then they colonize on top of one another. As many as 700,000 zebra muscles have been found in one square yard of surface on boats, pilings, and pipes.
Scientists also believe they concentrate harmful bacteria, such as type E botulism, a disease that has resulted in large die-offs of birds and fish in the great lakes.
Zebra mussels also have no nutritional value and no natural predators.

[takem]

Saw on the PGC site that on crossbows you can't have more than 1x magnification. Just the sort of rule I thought would be good.