Hunters move quickly to process their kills
Local hunters laughed in the face of a warm opening day Monday, the beginning of the firearms deer hunting season.
By 12:30 p.m., Joyce Schnur, who co-owns Schnur's Custom Meats with her husband, Larry, said 23 deer — mostly bucks — had been dropped off for processing and many were still on the way.
Schnur said she estimates they will receive between 50 to 70 deer on the first day. She said the number of morning drop-offs was unusual compared to other years, which was likely due to warmer-than-normal weather. She said colder temperatures allow more leniency on how quickly the deer needs to be processed, which usually brings hunters later in the day.
“Usually our heaviest times are around lunchtime and later in the evening,” she said. “Usually, (the hunters) like to parade them around and show them off to friends.”
Temperatures around the county reached a high of nearly 50 degrees on Monday, according to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh. But hunters seemed conflicted about whether it was good weather or not for their sport.
Jim Nagy of Jefferson Township saw two bucks sparring around 10 a.m. at a favorite hunting spot in West Deere Township, Allegheny County. He said one had bigger antlers, but the other had a bigger body. So Nagy opted for more meat, which landed him an eight-point buck.
“It's been a number of years since I got a buck,” he said. “I just shot the first that I saw, the first legal buck.”
He said the weather was not an issue for him.
“It was a good day,” he said. “Clear weather.”
Nagy said he and his children bring in between two and three deer each year, which helps fill their freezers with meat. After harvesting a doe two years ago and nothing last year, Nagy was glad to help contribute to his family's meals this year.
“I'm elated,” he said. “It's a good day. The Lord blessed me today.”
Sean Kozik of Summit Township liked the weather a little less.
“It was all right this morning,” he said around noon Tuesday. “Later, it's going to be no good.”
Kozik also harvested his own eight-point buck on his property.
“I went into my stand, as I always do, and I got lucky,” he said. “That's all it always is.”
Kozik said he doesn't like to hunt in warmer weather because it makes hunters' work more difficult.
“The deer aren't going to move as much,” he said. “(And) when the temperatures get warmer, when you harvest a deer, you have to take care of it right away.”
Warmer temperature can accelerate decomposition and the spread of other bacteria that could render meat unusable. The longer a harvested deer is exposed to the warm temperature, the less meat the hunter typically takes home.Schnur said hunters opted to run their deer immediately to local processors, which caught them off guard at first. But they have a team of skinners who stagger their start times to make sure everyone's harvest is processed properly.Kevin Mottern, one of the company's skinners, said he remembers last year being similar to this year, with one exception.“The deer have been in good condition, despite the weather,” he said.After seeing few others on his own hunt Tuesday morning, Mottern said he was shocked by the number of orders they received.“I didn't see many guys out there,” he said. “I'm surprised we got this many.”Mottern said it's a stroke of luck because nature doesn't wait. He said he recommends hunters field dress their harvest quickly and neatly, taking special care with the entrails and the windpipe, which could also taint the meat.Mottern said he anticipates better hunting down the road, and Monday's numbers indicate a promising season.The weather service's seven-day forecast shows a mix of warm and colder days, heading into the weekend and early next week.“I'd say it's probably going to be a good season,” he said. “Hopefully it is, it'll keep us busy.”For one young hunter, Levi Vogt, 16, of Sarver, the weather was nice but never factored into his day. He said he started at about 4 a.m. and hunted in Brockway with his father and grandfather.He saw two bucks running along his field of view. He took the first — a six-point buck — down with one shot. He said another larger buck stood behind the first, stunned. He aimed, but he didn't fire.Levi settled for the one small buck, which he said will probably only be used for hamburger and jerky. He said he started hunting when he was 10 years old, following his father around on hunts. During Levi's first time out after getting his own license he harvested an eight-point buck.Levi said hunting for him is just as much about disappearing into nature as it is about filling the freezer or chasing trophies. He said it's also about family and tradition, something he can carry on to future generations.“I enjoy kinda just being out in the woods,” Levi said. “It's fun. I look forward to it every single year.”
