More than one hunter in Pennsylvania has shot a deer, only to have it run off and be shot again by another hunter, who then claims it.
But this fellow lost a deer another way.
In Mercer County this past deer season, a hunter had shot a deer and was trailing it when he spotted movement in the brush ahead of him.
"A closer inspection found a black bear had claimed the wounded deer," said Lawrence Hergenroader, a wildlife conservation officer there for the Pennsylvania Game Commission.
"After watching the bear remove the deer from a goldenrod field into the standing corn, the hunter saw in the snow where the chase and capture of the deer was made. The bear stood on his hind feet and looked out above the six-foot stalks of corn, then returned to his quarry.
"The hunter reported that he has spent thousands of hours in the field hunting all over America, but this by far was the greatest experience he has ever seen in the field," Hergenroader said.
A hunter in Warren County, meanwhile, also had an unusual experience. On opening day of the firearms deer season, he shot a doe with antlers.
"The deer was a female with a four-inch spike on one side and a three-inch 'Y' antler on the other side, with both antlers still covered in velvet," conservation officer Dustin Stoner said.
Buying gear
When it comes to buying sporting equipment, hunters and anglers trust their own counsel first.
According to surveys done at HunterSurvey.com and AnglerSurvey.com, 80.6 percent of hunters and 77.1 percent of anglers cited firsthand experience with a brand as a key factor in determining what to buy.
The next two most common influencing factors were brand loyalty, which suggests previous use of and familiarity with a particular brand as well, and the opinions of other experienced sportsmen.
Despite the common perception that magazines have lost their influence in the digital age, both hunters and anglers cited print publications as having more sway over their buying decisions than either television or websites.
Land preserved
The Western Pennsylvania Conservancy has permanently conserved 113 acres of forestland along Tussey Mountain in Bedford County.
The land is "home to a wealth of native birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, plants and trees," said the conservancy. The conservancy did not buy the land; rather, it secured a conservation easement from private landowners that limits future development of the property.
The land is adjacent to state game land 97.
New site
Anglers looking for advice, information and more can check out a new website, www.advancedangler.com . It will include how-to features by pro fishermen, blogs, a fantasy fishing competition, industry news, tournament results and more.
