Pennsylvania Game Commission Wildlife Conservation Officer Chris Deal handles 12 townships in southeastern Butler County. Today, the first day of buck season, figures to be one of his busiest days of the year.

Butler County is filled with a variety of people doing interesting things.

This weekly feature offers snapshots of some of them by asking them five questions.

The latest installment appears below.

———

Today marks the first day of buck season, and hunters are not the only ones roaming the Butler County woods. Several Pennsylvania Game Commission wildlife conservation officers are on hand to help the season run smoothly.

Among them is Chris Deal, whose territory includes 12 of the county's southeast townships.

Here, the 40-year-old WCO shares some details about his job.

QUESTION: What does a WCO do?ANSWER: We're a jack-of-all-trades type of person: My day will consist of law enforcement, information and education, events — also animal complaints, human-animal exposures like with rabies, or picking up road kill deer.

QUESTION: How does your job change during hunting season?ANSWER: During deer season and a lot of the other big game seasons like bear and turkey, my main focus kicks into law enforcement. A lot of times it's compliance issues: Making sure everyone's licensed. The majority of what I deal with lately is poaching cases, where people will go out at night with a spotlight and shoot them. I always like to stress those aren't hunters, but poachers. People often confuse the two.

QUESTION: Any idea how many hunters are out today?ANSWER: Statewide, I don't have the exact number with me, but it's over 900,000 licensed hunters in the state of Pennsylvania. We used to be a little over a million, but as the population ages, the world is starting to lose hunters. ... In Butler County alone, there were 19,482 various hunting licenses sold. This number includes senior licenses, adult licenses, junior licenses and so on.

QUESTION: Any safety advice for hunters?ANSWER: Always. That's my big focus. To start with: Tree stand safety. To hunt out of a tree stand is a big part of the hunt for many people. Be sure to inspect your equipment. Make sure you use proper safety harnesses in case you fall. Make sure to wear your orange. That's a big one. Other hunters need to be able to see you.

QUESTION: Any advice for those living and working in close proximity to hunting?ANSWER: Wear an orange hat at the minimum — if you're bike riding or jogging; if you're out in a state park — so you're still seen. In state game lands, which are purchased with dollars generated from the sale of hunting licenses, you're required from Nov. 15 to Dec. 15 to wear 250 square inches of orange. Technically, it's Day-Glo florescent orange, is the way the law reads, that actually has to be on your head, chest and back combined.