Deer hunters in Pennsylvania killed an estimated 335,850 deer during the combined 2008-2009 deer seasons, a 4 percent increase over the previous license year.

Hunters took 122,410 antlered deer, an increase from the previous season's harvest of 109,200, and 213,440 antlerless deer, about same number as were taken in 2007-2008.

The estimate shows that eight years into the Game Commission's "quality deer management" plan, harvest rates have averaged about the same over the last five license years.

Under the plan, hunting seasons are added, eliminated, expanded or maintained, and county allocations of antlerless permits are manipulated, in an effort to use hunters as a tool to create and maintain healthy deer populations.

"About one quarter of all antlerless deer licenses issued were used to harvest an antlerless deer," said deer and elk supervisor Christopher Rosenberry, "which also is on average with the harvest success rate for the past five years."

"It is important to note that in 2008-2009 there was a shorter antlerless deer season for firearms deer hunters in Wildlife Management Units 2D, 2G, 3C and 4B. As a result, in three of the four WMUs, the antlerless harvest dropped. In WMU 2G, the antlerless harvest was similar to last year."

Recommendations for 2009's antlerless allocations will be presented at the commission's April board meeting.

Penn's Woods West Trout Unlimited will host its annual free fly fishing seminar Saturday at St. Bede Activities Center, 509 South Dallas Ave., Point Breeze.

The class includes an overview of the basics of fly fishing, equipment, knots and fly casting lessons. Lunch is provided.

The seminar runs 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and is open to TU members, non-members, adults and children. For details call 412-521-0714.

Plans to stock the lower section of Chappel Fork in McKean County were called off due to stream-quality issues associated with an oil spill that occurred in 2008.

The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission reported that a February survey showed inappropriate levels of oil remaining in the stream.

The impacted section flows about 2.2 miles from North Fork Chappel Fork to the mouth. March 23, April 22 and May 11 stockings were cancelled.

Stocking will continue as planned on a 4.7 mile section of Chappel Fork upstream of the oil spill.