Steelhead anglers may get guaranteed access to three more Erie properties, but the deals won't be completed until at least next year.

At its recent quarterly meeting, the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission agreed to pursue conservation easements on three properties along 1.65 miles of Elk Creek. Funding comes from the sale of Lake Erie permits , trout-salmon and trout-salmon/Lake Erie combo stamps.

The commission also adopted regulations effective Jan. 1, 2009, designed to curb the spread of an infectious disease affecting Great Lakes fish. It's already illegal to transport fish from Lake Erie. Also adopted were regulations forbidding the removal of fish eggs except within the Lake Erie watershed. Find details at www.fishandboat.com.

Curious activity on the Post-Gazette's poll question asking readers if they supported a legislative bill that would permit the use of crossbows during archery seasons. Three days after the poll was published Oct. 5, readers had voted about 70 percent in favor of the crossbow. Later in the week, the tide had changed with about 75 percent of over 18,500 respondents voting "No."

The Allegheny County Health Department has inspected and certified the following facilities that offer deer processing for hunters: Doug Peffer's Deer Cutting and Smokehouse, Ellwood City; Elluinger's Meats, Zelienople; Hoffer's Ligonier Valley Packing, Ligonier; Bruno's Butcher Shop, Sharpsburg; Vic Novak's Choice Meats, Perry Hilltop; and Schwartz's Supermarket, Allentown. Contact information is posted at www.achd.net. Facilities that want to be added to the directory should contact the Health Department at foodsafety@achd.net or 412-687-ACHD. Hunters are encouraged to check the Web site for additions.

Several trout stockings slated for Western Pennsylvania have been postponed because the North Carolina fish supplier is late in furnishing a routine health report. Canonsburg and Virgin Run dams and Dunlap Creek Lake did not receive scheduled fish deliveries, and additional stockings in other waters have been postponed.

The Fish and Boat Commission reports no problems suspected with the 40,000 trout Tellico Fish Hatchery is contracted to provide. Youghiogheny Reservoir, Laurel Hill Creek and Dunbar Creek are expected to be stocked as scheduled. For updates, visit www.fishandboat.com.

-- Deborah Weisberg