This weekend ...

* Tomorrow and Saturday, a special firearms season for deer is open in Worcester County on the lower Eastern Shore for antlered or antlerless deer.

"Think of this as another firearms season," said Bob Beyer of the Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division. "If you bought a consolidated hunting license [or basic license with appropriate stamps] earlier, it is still good for this season."

The same will apply to second deer stamps.

During this special season, the bow hunting season has been closed in Worcester County, although a bow still may be used to take a deer there on these two days. That deer would be counted against a hunter's firearms total rather than his bow hunting total.

If deer hunting is not in your plans, bass fishing is good near warm water discharges on the Potomac River, such as below the power plant at Dickerson.

Trout fishing has been good on the Gunpowder River below the Prettyboy Dam above Falls Road. Small artificial grubs fished on ultralight spinning gear have been working well for area guide John Hauserman.

His method is to cast to the dam wall and retrieve to the lower edge of broken water, where trout have been holding to feed.

If fly fishing is more your style, perhaps a trip to Yellow Breeches Creek in Pennsylvania is in order. Try the catch-and-release section from Boiling Springs to the Allenberry Resort, where barbless hooks are required. For stream conditions, call Cold Spring Anglers, 717-245-2646.

Calendar ...

* Today to Sunday: Mid-Atlantic Outdoor Sportsmen's Show at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium. Hunting and fishing displays as well as seminars. Adults $5, 10-14 $2 and under-10 free. Today and tomorrow, 1 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, call 717-689-7200.

* Tomorrow-Saturday: Special two-day firearms season for deer in Worcester County.

* Tomorrow-Sunday: Delaware Sportfishing Show at the NUR Temple Shrine in New Castle. For more information, call 410-841-6974.

Planning ahead ...

* Jan. 29: Monthly meeting of Maryland Fly Anglers, 7:30 p.m. at Ridge Gardens Apartments community hall, Old Harford Road and Putty Hill Avenue. Scheduled speaker is John Johnson, vice president of Hardy's on the history and evolution of fly rods modern fly equipment. For more information, call 410-825-2695.

* Jan. 31: Close of bow hunting season for deer in Maryland.

* Feb. 1-9: Baltimore Boat Show at the Convention Center.

Monday through Friday, the show opens at 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, the show opens at 11 a.m.

* Feb. 1-2: The Fly Fishing Show, first annual extravaganza for fly fishermen and by fly fishermen at the Garden State Exhibit Center, Somerset, N.J. World-class casters, fly tyers, rod makers, book dealers, lodges, etc. Seminars by experts. Admission is $8 for adults, children under 12 $2 per day. Seminars may require a fee. For more information, call 1-800-848-1020.

* Feb. 5: Monthly meeting of Freestate Fly Fishers Inc., 7:30 p.m., Hillsmere Elementary School in Annapolis. Program scheduled is DNR chief of coldwater fisheries Dr. Robert Bachman's review of Maryland waters.

* Feb. 8-17: Eastern Sports, Boat, Camping, Travel and Outdoor Show at the State Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg, Pa. For more information, call 717-234-8091.

* Feb. 9: Laurel Team Bassmasters fishermen's flea market at American Legion Post No. 60, 2 Main St., Laurel. 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. $2 donation. For more information, call 410-381-5006 or 766-3600.

* Feb. 14-15-16: Maryland Fishing and Hunting Show at the National Guard Armory in Pikesville. Comprehensive show dealing with all aspects of fishing and hunting in Maryland. Hourly seminars, archery demonstrations and trade booths. Show opens at 6 p.m. on Friday and at 10 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call 410-841-6974.

* Feb. 22: Saltwater Sportsman Magazine's national seminar series at Towson State University in the Chesapeake Room. Seminar times are 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. National experts as well as regional expertise from captains George K. Horn, Bob Marshall, Ed Darwin and Len Belcaro. Ticket price is $35. For more information, call 1-800-448-7360.

New in print ...

* Delaware State College Center for the Study of Del-Mar-Va Habitats and the Society of Natural History of Delaware have put into print a book detailing the state's fresh and brackish water fishes.

The book, Delaware's Freshwater and Brackish Water Fishes, deals with the evolution of the state's species, a section on topography and habitat and a look back to the conditions found by early European settlers. Color photographs. The book costs $10 for members of the Delaware Society of Natural History and $12 for nonmembers. Checks payable to the Claude E. Phillips Herbarium may be mailed to Delaware State College, Dover, Del. 19901.

Names and places ...

* According to the Department of Natural Resources Wildlife Division, the muzzleloader harvest this past season was successful enough to forgo an extension of the season statewide. The unofficial total for this year's muzzleloader season was 4,530 compared to 4,627 last season.

The firearms harvest this season was down and the bow season totals are expected to be well up. However, DNR is considering changes for the 1992-93 deer seasons because the deer population remains high in most areas of the state.

* DNR plans to present a black bear management plan at two public meetings on Feb. 4 and 5. The Feb. 4 meeting will be held at Northern High School on Route 219 in Garrett County. The Feb. 5 meeting will be held at the Visitor Center at Seneca Creek State Park, 11950 Clopper Road in Gaithersburg. Meetings are scheduled to run from 7 to 9 p.m.

Copies of the plan may be obtained from DNR regional of district wildlife offices or by writing Black Bear Management Plan, DNR Wildlife Division, 3 Pershing St., Room 100, Cumberland, Md. 21502.

* Swanson Branscome of Abingdon has been named to the 1992 Senior Veteran All-America trapshooting team of the American Trapshooting Association. Branscome won four senior veteran (age 70 and above) titles at the Eastern Zone Shoot.

* Pennsylvania has adopted a package of safety regulations designed to curtail the number of turkey hunting accidents in that state. Included in the package is a requirement that hunters wear a minimum of 250 square inches of hunter orange on head, back and chest combined during fall turkey season and small game seasons. For spring turkey season, hunters will be required to wear a minimum of 100 square inches of hunter orange when moving to and from stationary calling locations. The changes will take effect on July 1, 1992.

* NOTE: To have an item or question included in the Outdoor Journal, write Outdoors Editor, Baltimore Sun Sports Department, 501 N. Calvert St., Baltimore, Md. 21278.