Pa. deer hunting season opens, expected to draw more than 600,000 hunters statewide
Nov. 27—Sidelined by knee problems that kept him out of the woods the past five years, Bob McDonough rebounded this year, bagging a six-point buck on the first day of firearms deer season Saturday.
The conquest helped erase the disappointment of last season, when the 61-year-old Olyphant man missed seeing his two teenage grandsons each get their first deer.
"That just killed me," McDonough said as he dropped off his buck, which he shot in a wooded area near Keyser Avenue in Scranton, at Sibio's Deer Cutting in Dunmore. "It was a perfect day today. I'm excited as I ever was."
McDonough was among about 25 hunters who dropped off their kills at Sibio's as of around 4 p.m. Owner John Sibio said he expected to process about 50 by the close of opening day. He and his team of workers will continue processing deer each day from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m.
More than 600,000 hunters are expected in the state this year, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission. Hunters are drawn by the state's productive deer herd, including a high proportion of adult bucks, thanks to antler point restrictions, said Bryan Burhans, the commission's executive director.
Pennsylvania ranked in the top five in the nation for buck harvest per square mile in the 10 hunting seasons from 2011 to 2020, according to the National Deer Association.
Scranton resident Shane Vaughn had an especially productive day. He bagged both a doe and a seven-point buck while hunting on his brother's land in Lebanon with his father-in-law, Jack Neuls of Scranton.
"I was in the woods 10 minutes," Vaughn said. "I shot them five minutes apart."
Neuls came up empty this year, but he was not too disappointed.
"I got deer meat when it's done," he said.
Accolades for the largest kill of the day went to Alan Berkenbush of New Jersey, who shot a 16-point buck while hunting on family-owned land in Tioga County.
"One shot and he dropped in seconds," Berkenbush said.
Sibio said he anticipates that will be the biggest buck he processes this year, but it's not the biggest ever, noting he once processed a 38-point buck.
Scores of hunters also brought their kills Saturday to Naugle's Custom Butchering and Deer Processing in Lehman Twp., Luzerne County, for processing.
Among them was Rob Wagner, who said he took down a six-point buck with a .260 Ruger "right behind my house" in Northmoreland Twp., Wyoming County.
"I went out around 7 o'clock and shot it around 10:15," Wagner, 67, said.
Wagner said his "better half," Pat Seamon, helped him drag the buck to his quad. And, although not a hunter herself, she accompanied him to Naugle's.
He's been a hunter for about 55 years.
"My dad got me started and I've been doing it ever since. It's always an adrenaline rush," Wagner said. "It was cool and sunny out, a good day to be in the woods. ... It's always a good day when you shoot a buck."
Jen Naugle, owner of the popular butcher and processing shop that's been operating for more than three decades, said business as of early Saturday afternoon had been brisk.
"It's great to see this many this early. It seems busier than last year. We had a very busy archery season as well. It kind of surprised me, but we're definitely well-prepared," Naugle said.
The season runs through Dec. 10, although hunting is closed on Dec. 4. The Game Commission reminds hunters they must affix a tag to the deer's ear before it is moved. The harvest must also be reported to the commission within 10 days by calling 800-838-4431 or online at www.huntfish.pa.gov.
For a full list of rules, including antler restrictions, visit the Game Commission's website at www.pgc.pa.gov.
Steve Mocarsky, staff writer, contributed to this report.
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tbesecker@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9137;
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