Enormous Bucks Taken In Season's First Week

It's said that with every cloud comes a silver lining.

Rain and fog on the opening day of deer season, followed by occasional cold drizzle on Tuesday morning, forced many hunters to pack it in early.

As a result, the first-week deer kill in Pennsylvania's northcentral counties was well below projections. As frustrating as that may have been to many, comes as great news to those who are fortunate enough to be able to continue hunting through the season finale on Saturday, Dec. 8. It means there are still plenty of big deer out there.

Jerry Feaser, a spokesman for the Pa. Game Commission, agreed that the early-week weather could trim the projected deer harvest, since many hunters have to give it up after a day or two.

"Hunters are going to do what hunters are going to do," Feaser said. "There are some hunters who will stick it out through whatever weather there might be. And there are some hunters who don't."

Mike Creamer of New Freedom and his grandson, Kurt Creamer, 11, were among the hardy ones Monday, but they didn't see any deer.

"Worst hunting day I've ever had," said the elder Creamer of Monday's experience. "There were times I couldn't see a hundred yards . . . By 4 o'clock, there was nobody but us maniacs in the woods."

"There were a lot of deer today that didn't even know that deer season was open," Creamer added.

Not everyone was complaining. Changes in hunting laws have created a larger proportion of big-racked bucks. That was borne out at the first annual Big Woods Whitetail Classic, where most of the specimens brought in by hunters from Potter and Cameron counties were impressive. Several sported large racks that prompted hunters to inquire about available taxidermy services.

Art Metzger of Crandall Hill, a schoolteacher at Austin, shot a buck of lifetime under difficult circumstances. The 11-pointer was positioned behind tree with just its head and that massive rack exposed.

He waited for a better shot as the rain fell harder and fog grew thicker. Fortunately for Metzger, his head shot was clean and the rack's integrity held.