By: Dakota Chase

Rifle season for most people at Eisenhower is an important time full of hunting and making memories with friends and family. There is nothing better the pulling the trigger on a big buck and showing him off to your buddy. Sitting out in the woods all day in the snow and wind isn’t always the best; but the adrenaline rush you get when the buck you’ve been chasing all year steps out, it is all worth it. When you pull the trigger and watch it fall without a move, you feel proud of your hunting ability. After shooting your buck, you don’t even care about your numb fingers from sitting in the cold and snow; you are so excited and proud that nothing else matters.

This year, in Pennsylvania, rifle season ran from November 26 to December 8. Hunters are permitted to shoot only bucks until the first Saturday of December when doe comes into season, if you have a doe tag. Check out the PA game commission website for more information.

To find out more about his hunting experiences, The Squire interviewed EHS Vice Principal, Mr. Crider, who has hunted for 21 years and uses a .270 Winchester short mag. He shared that he really prefers to hunt in the dense woods because the deer are hiding in there and it’s a bigger challenge. He tells of the first buck he shot when he was 16 years old and sitting in a shop made, heavy 12-foot ladder stand. With his old school compound bow, he put down a beautiful eight point with 10 inch tines and a 15 inch spread. The hunting experience was extra memorable because he found it with his dad and best friend. As with most hunters, the decline in young hunters is always an area of concern.  Mr. Crider shared that to increase the number, “parents should spend time in the woods with their kids hunting to get them interested.”

Anyone who is interested in hunting and hasn’t taken their hunter’s safety course can get on Pennsylvania game commission’s website to find out when the next course is. Late season archery starts after Christmas and spring gobbler starts in the spring. Stay tuned to the W-IKE News show for our outdoor segment, which highlights the different hunting seasons and even features photos submitted by student hunters at EHS.