If you feel the need to obtain a multistate concealed firearms permit, make time for a 4-hour class March 31 at Gem City Outdoorsmen Club.

U.S. Concealed Carry instructors offer nonresidential Utah and Arizona concealed firearms permits they say are honored in at least 33 states. Instructors are NRA and Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification certified.

The class runs 5-9 p.m. and costs $75 plus the permit application fees. Bring a driver’s license or other government-issued photo ID and cash or check. It’s not necessary to take a gun to the class.

Registration is required. Call Kayte at (724) 376-6336.

A walk through recent items of interest to outdoors lovers:

• The Utah House this week passed a bill that would close off unfettered access to streams by way of private lands, making the legislation much like what is on Pennsylvania’s books.
• The $2.73 billion budget proposal for the National Parks system in 2001 is $22 million less than in 2010 but increases base funding at 127 national parks.
• It’s been legal since Feb. 22 to carry firearms in national parks in accordance with local and state law.
• Get ready for trout season with the Trout and Clean Streams Expo April 10 in Sheffield.
• If you’ve been holding out for spring steelhead, get the gear ready for the water to come down from meltoff and for larger bodies of water to ice out. The Ohio DNR reports

While many river stretches have finally opened up, rivers are generally high and muddy after the rain and snow meltoff. Lower harbor areas are still melting ice. Fishing conditions are fair to poor. Smaller tribs will recede first. Main rivers may take awhile to be fishable. Trout or salmon eggs, minnows, or jigs tipped with maggots will produce fish when conditions improve. During recent open water, fly anglers were catching fish on sucker spawn and egg patterns, buggers, nymphs and streamers.

• The most recent fishing report for northwestern Pennsylvania is here.
• See if you know anyone who made Pennsylvania’s biggest catches of 2009 list.

A few outdoors-related stories you might have missed in the Erie Times-News over the past couple weeks:

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