Pa. deer shot on state game lands shatters old state record
Madeline Crocenzi
A deer shot on state game lands in Westmoreland County is now the biggest Pennsylvania buck in the typical archery category.
Ron Shaulis from West Newton harvested the deer on Oct. 24, 2017 after he shot it with his compound bow from a tree stand 30 yards away. Bob D'Angelo, the Big Game Scoring coordinator with the Pennsylvania Game Commission, announced over a livestream that the winning rack was 185 4/8 inches. This beat the prior record of 178 2/8 inches.
During the livestream, D'Angelo said he's scored more record-breaking deer in the past two years than during his past 12 years as an official scorer.
“These are just incredible times to be a deer hunter in this state," D'Angelo said.
The Big Game Scoring Program uses the Boone & Crockett Club measuring system. According to the Pennsylvania Game Commission, the program "stresses hunter and conservation ethics," and also helps the Game Commission keep track of habitat and wildlife management practices in the state.
Here are the previous top five deer in the typical archery category:
Typical white-tailed deer archery
1. Michael J. Nicola Sr. from Waterford: 178 2/8 inches in Allegheny County (2004)
2. Albert J. Muntz from Havertown: 174 7/8 inches in Bucks County (1995)
3. R. Stolenberg Jr. from Butler: 174 2/8 inches in Butler County (1986)
4. Robert Davenport from Wampum: 173 2/8 inches in Beaver County (2002)
5. Ty A. Schaefer from Ohiopyle: 172 4/8 inches in Fayette County (2012)
Other record-breakers
Typical white-tailed deer firearm
1. Fritz Janowsky from Gillett: 189 0/8 inches in Bradford County (1943)
2. Ivan Parry from Graysville: 184 6/8 inches in Greene County (1974)
3. Chester Allison from Harleysville: 182-5 inches in Blair County (1951)
4. Jeffrey L. Sitlinger from Peachtree City, Ga.: 182 0/8 inches in Dauphin County (2010)
5. Floyd Reibson from Forksville: 180 4/8 inches in Sullivan County (1931)
Non-typical white-tailed deer archery
1. Eric Carns from Hesston: 228 6/8 inches in Clearfield County (2016)
2. Gerald Simkonis from Washington: 209 1/8 inches in Allegheny County (2007)
3. Craig E. Krisher from Allentown: 203 3/8 inches in Lehigh County (1988)
4. Matt Wentz from Lehighton: 201 3/8 inches in Carbon County (2014)
5. Rich Sneddon from Pittsburgh: 201 1/8 inches in Allegheny County (2016)
Non-typical white-tailed deer firearm
1. Edward Dodge from Knox: 238 and 6/8 inches in Erie County (1942)
2. Michael D. Ambrosia from Edinburg: 230 and 2/8 inches in Lawrence County (2001)
3. A L Prouty from Tampa, Fl.: 213 and 6/8 inches in Lycoming County (1949)
4. Frank Cafardi from Pittsburgh: 209 and 5/8 inches in Crawford County (2016)
5. Ralph Landis from Port Royal: 207 and 7/8 inches in Juniata County (1951)
Also of interest, a gallery of photos below:
