On the hunt
Butler County hunters celebrated an earlier start to antlered deer hunting season Saturday morning at various spots across the county.
Some had success stories, others were still hoping to find their own before the day was out.
This year marked the first time that rifle season's opening day was the Saturday after Thanksgiving, rather than the Monday following the holiday. The Game Commission made the switch in January to lure more hunters to the woods for opening day.
Several hunters shared their stories with the Butler Eagle while dropping off bucks to be processed at Mc-Kruit Custom Meat Cutting in Cabot, which had processed 10 deer by about 11:30 a.m. Saturday morning.
Ken Hogan, of Shaler, went out hunting around 6:30 a.m. with his friend, Charlie Black, near Slate Lick Creek.
“He was coming down the stream,” Hogan said of his buck. “I cut him off to the left, and he came up the hillside. I took him out. I thought I missed him, but he stumbled into the creek.”
Ben Lesniak, of Butler, went out early with his brother, Kevin Lesniak, at Moorehead Road on a piece of land owned by his grandfather. Around 9:45 a.m., Ben had bagged a buck.“I'm home on leave from the Coast Guard, so this was my only day to hunt,” he said, adding this is his 15th season hunting. His brother said he planned to go back out later in the day.Michelle Sleigher and Timmy Whitehead, clerks at McKruit, said 46 bucks were dropped at the business on last year's opening day. They expected to get more this year.“With the Saturday opening, we expect a little more this year,” Whitehead said. “I think the Saturday opening is good, but it gives us less time to get ready.”Aaron Bergbigler, of Fenelton, showed up just before 6 a.m. Saturday at Fenelton's State Game Lands No. 34 with his fiancée, Sarah Hawk, and son, Logan Bergbigler. All three were pleased that hunting's opening day was on a Saturday. “I think it's great,” said Aaron Bergbigler, 50, who has been hunting since age 12. “I work Monday through Friday. It gives me an opportunity to come out on the weekend.”
Bergbigler, who said he's more of an archery hunter, noted that he, his fiancée and son hadn't seen much action as of 10:30 a.m., but they intended to go home and come back for the second half of the day.“I haven't seen anything so far, nothing but a couple of hunters,” he said. Hawk said the opening day was a return to hunting for her. “I haven't been out in 18 years,” she said. “I hunted when I was 17 or 18, but then I had kids and didn't have time for it. It's nice to get out.”“Until your feet get cold,” her fiancé responded.Logan Bergbigler, who has been hunting for nine years since he was age 12, also liked having an opening day on the weekend, which prevented him from having to worry about taking off work. Although he hadn't yet shot a buck, he said he was enjoying the day regardless.“I like coming here and enjoying the nice weather and the beautiful views,” he said.
