Read closely, it's complicated: As the regulations stand, crossbows are legal sporting arms during most 2009-2010 Pennsylvania deer seasons, including archery seasons.

But in July, the Board of Game Commissioners gave preliminary approval to regulatory changes that would ban use of the sporting arm during the final weeks of archery.

After that vote was held, several members were replaced by new commissioners.

The new board meets for the first time at noon Thursday for a special meeting with a single agenda item: the final vote on the proposal to limit crossbow use. If all commissioners honor previous statements on how they'll vote, they'll reach a 4-4 tie and the crossbow's status will remain unchanged, meaning the sporting arm will remain legal during seasons including archery.

If a commissioner were to change his mind...

G. Warren Elliott, a government consultant and marketing analyst from Chambersburg, Franklin County, has been sworn in as one of the Fish and Boat Commission's two at-large boating representatives. From 1996 to 2007, Elliott was a Franklin County commissioner and chairman of the board. He helped draft the county's latest comprehensive plan and natural area inventory, and has held positions on several Franklin County boards. Elliot taught state and local government as an adjunct professor at Shippensburg University, and has a bachelor's degree and a master's degree in public administration at Shippensburg. He was fishing in Alaska and unable for comment.

The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy and partner organizations are working on a project intended to reduce sediment in Little Mahoning Creek. Sediment pollution from unstable dirt roads and lax agricultural conservation practices smothers fish eggs and impacts habitat for fish, mussels, insects and other animals.

"This project involves installation of more than 30 structures that will prevent many tons of sediment from entering the stream annually," said Ben Wright, assistant director of the Conservancy's Watershed Conservation program, in a prepared statement. "It is a large undertaking, and we are grateful to partner with several organizations and volunteer groups that also care about the future of this watershed."

The two-person team that places first in the Allegheny River Bass Tournament, Sept. 13, will split $1,000. Fishing is permitted in the Allegheny and its tributaries from the bridge at Tionesta to the bridge at Emlenton. Pre-registration is encouraged. Applications will be accepted on-site beginning at 6:30 a.m. For additional information call the Oil Region Alliance of Business, Industry and Tourism at 800-483-6264 ext. 110.

Mayoral candidate "Dok" Harris and his dad Franco Harris were among the local celebrities attending lunch at the launch of a national initiative to encourage more hunter-supplied food donations to the poor. On Thursday, cable TV's Sportsman Channel kicked off its Hunt-Fish-Feed program at the Bethlehem Haven, Downtown.

The cable TV Versus channel will air its coverage of the Forrest Wood Cup, held weeks ago in Pittsburgh, today from 12:30-1:30 p.m. as part of the weekly "FLW Outdoors" program. Tournament organizer FLW Outdoors has filed a lawsuit in Minnesota State Court against BRP/Evinrude for the company's alleged failure to pay sponsorship fees for the 2009 FLW Outdoors tournament season.

Angler dollars will continue flowing to Erie, at least through December 2014. On Friday, Gov. Ed Rendell signed into law Senate Bill 574, which extends the life of the Fish Fund, an account funded by Lake Erie fishing permits. The law continues the requirement that anglers purchase an Erie stamp when fishing on waters that flow into the tributaries of Lake Erie and Presque Isle. The law also expands the range of projects that can be funded through the account to include those that protect or improve fish habitat on or at Lake Erie, Presque Isle Bay, their tributaries and waters that flow into those tributaries.

Pennsylvania county treasurers have sold out of their allotments of antlerless deer licenses in all but seven Wildlife Management Units. No surprises -- tags remain available in the following WMUs: 2A (quota 55,000) available 19,383; 2B (68,000) 51,177; 3B (43,000) 3,295; 3D (37,000) 2,066; 5B (51,000) 779; 5C (113,000) 38,570; 5D (22,000) 11,729.

In an effort to reduce the Canada goose populations at Pennsylvania's 117 state parks, hunters will be welcomed at many parks when the early resident goose season opens Tuesday. But some parks will remain closed to hunting, and others will open until later in September. Contact individual parks for details. The Pennsylvania Game Commission reports resident goose populations have increased dramatically in recent years, causing crop damage and nuisance problems.