A one-of-a-kind elk hunt
Woman uses flintlock rifle to harvest cow elk
By Carol Mulvihill For the Endeavor

Suzy Stefani took this 290-pound cow with the Kentucky 54-caliber long rifle her husband Tony built. The 62-year-old Sigel woman (YES 62, not a misprint!) shot the elk just before dark on the opening day of the season.

The 54-caliber flintlock muzzleloader used by Suzy Stefani of Sigel during the 2007 Pennsylvania elk hunt is just as tall as she is at 4'10".

The petite woman with the beaming smile weighs only about 100 pounds, and with her hair in pigtails, she looks to be in her 20's. But, believe it or not, she is 62-years-old and has been hunting for the past 35 years.

Her husband Tony, who accompanied her on the elk hunt, built the Southern style Kentucky long rifle she used to successfully harvest a cow elk during a thunderstorm at 5:15 pm on Monday Nov. 5 in Elk County, Benezette Township. The elk, which had a live estimated weight of 377 pounds, and a dressed weight of 290 pounds, looks huge next to her small frame.

Suzy and Tony are right on target in other areas as well. Both are certified National Rifle Association (NRA) instructors in marksmanship and safety, and have taught hunter safety courses in Pennsylvania for more than 20 years.

The couple from Jefferson County sets a fine expample for budding sportsmen and women for their dedication to community volunteerism in the education of future generations of hunters, as well as for their successful team effort in the 2007 Pennsylvania elk hunt.