Open season: Higher harvest anticipated this year

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Hunters Tyler Shuey (left) of Latrobe and Don Robosky of Irwin, Westmoreland County, enjoy bowls of homemade beef vegetable soup Monday while on a break from hunting along the Laurel Mountain summit area near Route 271. Todd Berkey
T.J. Leply, 25, of Boswell pulls an 8-point buck off of his pickup Monday at Thomas Smoked Meats in Ideal. Todd Berkey

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December 1, 2008

Anonymous The Tribune-Democrat Mon Dec 01, 2008, 11:47 PM EST

Snowy conditions greeted Keystone State sportsmen Monday as they set out for the annual post-Thanksgiving ritual known as rifle deer season. And, according to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, there were more of them this year.

The Game Commission said deer license sales are up.

According to Game Commission spokesman Jerry Feaser, about 900,000 licenses were sold for this year’s rifle deer season.

“As of the end of October, we were running slightly ahead of what we sold last year,” Feaser said.

He did not have a final tally.

Feaser also said county breakdowns were not yet available.

About 323,000 deer were harvested by licensed hunters last year, down from nearly 362,000 in 2006, according to The Associated Press.

Locally, it was a banner day for some meat markets.

By 5:15 p.m. Monday, Thomas Smoked Meets in Ideal had taken in about 180 deer.

“We’re on pace for 300,” owner Adam Thomas said.

That’s about double the first day of hunting season last year when the weather was poor, he said.

“The snow made for good visibility for people,” he said. “We’ve had a lot of bucks – but not a lot of big ones.”

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Open season: Higher harvest anticipated this year

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