Kretzer matches dad's feat in hunting
JEFFERSON TWP — Like father, like son.
Saxonburg resident Mark Kretzer picked up hunting's Triple Trophy — a buck, turkey and bear — 19 years ago. He waited a number of years before bagging his first deer and first bear.
His son wasn't that patient.
Collin Kretzer, 14, completed his own Triple Trophy earlier this spring when he bagged a turkey. He shot a 218-pound bear on the first day of bear season and an 8-point buck on the first day of deer season last November.
“We tried to get him the turkey during junior gobbler season last fall,” Kretzer said. “That didn't work, so he got one during the spring gobbler season.
“I was thrilled for him. I was with him when he got all three. I didn't even have a gun with me. Once Collin got into (hunting), I pretty much stopped so I could help him.”
The Kretzers are a family of hunters. Cheryl, Mark's wife, has gotten a 10-point buck. Their daughter Casey, 19, a former Knoch High School and current Butler County Community College basketball player, has gotten a buck as well.
Collin got his turkey in Jefferson Township. He got the bear and buck at the Montgomery Camp in Sigel — the same camp his father bagged his bear at all those years ago.
“We go up to that camp to hunt every year,” Kretzer said.
Collin said he saw the bear coming at them from 50 yards away.
“It wasn't scary ... I had the bullet in the gun, ready to shoot,” Collin said.
He did have to sacrifice something to bag the buck — which he also got at the camp — and bear. A hockey player in the Knoch system, Collin had to miss a couple of games to go on the hunting trips.
“It was kinda worth it,” he said.
Entering ninth grade this year, Collin has never gone hunting without his father.
“I don't ever want to go hunting without him,” he said. “We have fun together. Besides, he's my good-luck charm.”
Kretzer said he's taken his son hunting with him at camp for years, even before Collin was old enough to hunt for himself through the mentoring program.
“Hunting is just something we've always done together,” Kretzer said. “I began mentoring Collin when he was 9.”
Collin isn't sure what first attracted him to hunting — other than the fact his father did it.
“I saw him going and I guess I just wanted to give it a try,” he said.
He hasn't stopped since.
Kretzer has never hunted outside of Pennsylvania. If his son ever wanted to expand his hunting experiences out of state, Kretzer would support it.
“I have friends who have hunted in Kansas and other states, scheduled trips,” he said. “I've never had the desire to do that, but if Collin wanted to go, I know I'd go with him.”
Collin has something else in mind first.
“Go for the grand slam in the fall,” he said. “Get a full gobbler.”
