By hunting throughout Pennsylvania, many people find themselves more in touch with nature.
For some people, hunting is a chance to spend time with friends and family, for others it’s to reconnect with nature.
For senior Troy Fritz, it’s spending time with family.
“It has been a great thing that I’ve been able to bond with my family over,” Fritz said.
Hunting is not just about killing animals, according to biology teacher John Dubyk, there is a lot more that goes into hunting.
“There’s actually a lot of science behind hunting in the outdoors that not many people think about, which definitely, you know, helps understand how animals move in their environment,” Dubyk said.
According to Dubyk, there is a way to take advantage of science while hunting.
One way is through food plots, where a hunter plants food to attract a deer.
“I’m constantly doing a lot of land management, that would include doing food plots, a lot of vegetation planting, tilling and the science behind that is making sure that the soil is right,” Dubyk said. “Including fertilizer, balance, nutrient balance in the soil, making sure that the ph in the soil is right for planting.”
According to hunter Matt Febus the point of hunting is not just harvesting an animal, it’s about spending time in nature.
There are a lot of factors to consider while hunting. For example, where a hunter sets up their stand, or what they decide to hunt.
According to hunter Mike Daley, the most important thing is warm clothing.
“Make sure you dress warm, right? Because sometimes you’ll be out there for an awful long time, and if you’re cold, it can make for a miserable experience,” Daley said.
There are many times people can hunt, according to Fritz, he likes to go during duck season.
During duck season, he sets up decoys and sits in a blind waiting for the ducks.
“You set out a spread of decoys, and then you can call and basically, you’re trying to use the decoys and a call to get a flock of birds in,” Fritz said.
After harvesting the animal and dealing with it at home or at a butcher, there are several things someone can do with the meat.
Some people like Friz make their venison at home.
“I use every part of the animal and also because it kind of allows you to control what happens to it, and that you can take everything and make sure it’s yours,” Fritz said.