This weekend officially marks the opening of the 2015 PA Big Game Seasons as archers hit the trails and woodlands for the elusive whitetail deer. Either buck or doe is a legal target with the proper 2015 hunting license and archery stamp.

The deer population looks very healthy in these parts and should allow for much hunter opportunity with the right preparation. Archery season requires more preparation than nearly any other pursuit due to its up close and technical aspects. Just think of it as an ancient hunting ritual that has the range of primitive up to high tech.

Native peoples relied on long bows fashioned out of materials found in their environment such as elm and sinew from animals.

The earliest known bows are credited to findings in Holmegaard Swamp in Denmark which date back 10,000 years ago.

The arrows were pine branches with a flint arrow head tips with fixed feather fletching using birch tar. Later findings show that many peoples in the world used different variations of the bow for hunting and war. The use of the bow in history showed much growth as it was found in artifacts in Europe, Asia and the Middle East and arrived in North America via Alaska about 6,000 years ago and quickly spread throughout all of the Americas.

Strangely the basic ideas of archery have not changed much in history, materials have evolved into a much more technologically efficient tool but the basic principles remain.

Arrows need to fly straight, bows need to be strong and draw strings have to last and propel the arrow.

Even to this day the long bow is still in use with many hunters as they seek to have the ultimate primitive hunting adventure.

But before we get too steeped in archery history we need to remember that different cultures developed their own versions of the bow as well.

The Chinese and English really took a liking to the crossbow and relics of these date back over 2,000 years ago. The recurve bow was the favorite of the chariot archers of Egypt and the Middle East 6,000 years ago as well. The bows development came about as people tried to develop better weapons for protection and war.

Strangely enough I have used all of the modern times bows in my hunting pursuits.

This includes the long bow, the recurve bow, the compound bow and the crossbow.

They are all legal for hunting deer in Pennsylvania and all have definite audiences, advantages and disadvantages. For simplicity you can’t beat the long bow or the recurve bow.

All you need to get started is a bow and arrows that match the equipment and your strength.

With these bows you have to depend on your arm strength to pull back the drawstring. The bow is tested for its draw weight which means that a higher number requires more strength to draw it back to shoot an arrow. It can be said that it will test out your arm strength as you pull back and try to get a steady shot with no let off.

Let off was handled by the advent of the compound bow which is more mechanical with the use of cams and wheels to help deliver arrow velocity and reduce the muscle strain as it lets off the required hold strength by 30-50% or more! With bow sites and scopes the hunting bow evolved even more. The use of the crossbow has taken the archery hunter even further into hunting. Today’s crossbows are more like single shot rifles in the right hands of hunters who practice. Modern bolts used by crossbows can project them at significant speeds with deadly accuracy and effect.

Regardless of the tools you use the need for hunting skills, scouting and woods lore are the finishing touches necessary to bring home the venison.

Whether you go for a buck or doe in your hunting adventure remember that you will be part of mankind’s history as you head out into the woodlands of Pennsylvania for the start of archery season!

Remember to handle your venison with care as the weather can still be warm and deer require immediate skinning and cooling.

I like to rinse off my deer carcass with cool water to wash away any of the blood or debris that might taint my venison. When you work so hard to harvest a deer and in respect for the animal you need to take care of it and process the deer promptly. Until we meet again bring me some jerky, be safe and good hunting!

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle.