Hunters geared up over the weekend in preparation for this morning — the first day of Pennsylvania’s deer rifle hunting season.
According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, for most of Pennsylvania — including the local area of Cameron, Elk, McKean and Potter counties — only antlered deer may be targeted through Wednesday. From Saturday through Dec. 10, both antlered and antlerless may be targeted across the state.
To get ready for the hunt, residents are heading to local stores for supplies.
At Allegheny Arsenal on Main Street in Bradford, owner Greg Souchik said, “We have seen an increase in business this year and a few more out of state hunters, all of which we are thankful for.”
Souchick said the store has a selection of clothing, firearms and accessories, including, “Blaze orange hats and vests; a large selection of scope mounts, rings and scopes; shooting and hunting accessories. We carry a large selection of ammunition with many scarce and unusual calibers like 223WSSM, 458 LOTT, 7mm Weatherby, 500 NE and many more.”
For services, “We offer bore sighting and scope mounting services and we do some light gunsmithing.”
In Coudersport, Potter County Outfitters has its own collection of equipment for hunters, according to Leslie Easton, owner, along with husband Ed Easton.
“PCO offers a wide selection of hunting gear, clothing, accessories, ammunition and firearms, including local and regional products to support this area’s producers; Little Whiskey Girl plot products from Kane, Morsman’s and Antler Ice deer urines and lures, many Amish leather items and locally produced food items,” according to Leslie Easton.
Easton talked about some of the store’s more popular items this year, too. “Ammunition and rifles are going quickly, as is cold weather clothing from Yukon Gear and GameHide now that the cold weather has arrived. Pistol sales have not slowed this year and the newest releases from the Nebo light shipment have been popular for hunters and for holiday gifts.”
For services at Potter County Outfitters, “Basic firearm services like scope mounting and bore sighting are available and PCO is an archery pro-shop for Hoyt, Mathews, Mission and Parker bow lines,” she said.
Meanwhile, at Worth W. Smith Hardware in Bradford, Marcia McAdams, retiring manager, said on Sunday afternoon, “We’ve sold a ton of boots today.” It seems people are looking to cover their feet with items like Bogs boots and mud boots this fall.
Worth W. Smith also offers Carhartt brand and orange and camouflage clothing for hunters who will be spending time in the cold this week. Hunters can find handwarmers and bootwarmers, too, as well as knit hats and “warm, heavy gloves,” McAdams said.
“We also have these big, heavy-duty sled toboggans,” which McAdams said some hunters will use to carry deer out of the woods.
Trekking through the woods in the cold stimulates a big appetite, too.
At the Lighthouse Restaurant in Foster Township, which offers early hours and a special meal to accommodate outdoorsmen and women, “We always get a lot of hunters,” according to owner Kelly Laird.
The restaurant has opened early — by 4:30 a.m. — for hunters for many years. In addition to opening early today, the restaurant will open early on Saturday, too.
To accommodate the hungry outdoorsmen and women, the restaurant has offered this weekend a special that includes a 10 oz. strip steak and their choice of potato, vegetable and roll for $10.99. “It’ll fill you up,” according to Laird. The restaurant has offered the steak special for at least five years.
Souchik shared his own preferences for hunting equipment. “Personally I hunt with a scoped, Marlin lever action rifle in .45-70,” he said. “Though this year I may take out an antique military rifle. A single shot, open sight, Model 1884 ‘trap door’ carbine in caliber .45-70.”
There are also items hunters won’t want to forget before making their way into the woods.
“The things most hunters forget are scope covers for inclement weather, their blaze orange hat or vest and food and water for the long day in the woods,” Souchik said.
Easton has heard positive things about this year’s deer population.
“We have many reports and game camera shots of larger deer herds and healthier, big mass bucks,” she said. “That’s a good sign for our hunters.”
Easton had this last message for local hunters: “Just be safe this hunting season, support your local businesses and enjoy the tradition of rifle season.”
