The state House has passed bills that would increase fines for poaching and include Pennsylvania in the Interstate Wildlife Violator Compact, a 33-state agreement designed to prevent convicted poachers who have lost hunting privileges in one state from hunting in another. The bill would increase penalties for killing endangered species and operating commercial poaching operations, and elevate repeated poaching to a felony with the possibility of jail time. Pennsylvania currently has some of the nation's weakest poaching penalties. A similar bill is pending in the state senate.

The investigation continues into the death of 8-year-old Rudy Shetler of Fredonia, who was shot Monday while hunting for raccoons. A Game Commission spokesman said the nighttime hunt didn't meet provisions of the Mentored Youth Hunting Program.

"The Game Commission has not authorized raccoons as part of the Mentored Youth Hunting Program, which requires that one youth be accompanied by one adult mentor, who must be properly licensed and at least 21 years of age," said Jerry Feaser. "As with all other species eligible under the Mentored Youth Hunting Program, all hunting must be done from a stationary location with the adult mentor within an arm's length of the youth."

Since the youth program began in 2006, participants have been involved in one hunting-related shooting incident.

The Pennsylvania Steelhead Association will sponsor a free seminar 10 a.m. Feb. 6 at South Hills Academy, 2725 Bethel Church Rd., Bethel Park. www.pasteelhead.org.

Bob and Linda Steiner, outdoors writers and photographers, will be the featured speakers at the Feb. 8 meeting of Penn's Woods West Trout Unlimited at Brentwood VFW, at the corner of Rte. 51 and Marlea Street. The meeting is free and starts at 7 p.m.

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