May 30, 2020 4 min read

A trio of friends from the Scenery Hill area struck paydirt this past year.

There is an award officially that is recognized as a tremendous feat by the Game Commission and other hunters who understand the difficulty involved. It is called The Triple Trophy. This award is given to a hunter who takes a gobbler during one of the turkey seasons, a bear during bear season and the harvesting of a buck during deer season. The taking of these three Pennsylvania trophies must be done within a single licensing year.

All three persons from Scenery Hill are excellent hunters who spend a lot of time in the woods and are part of a group that I try to hunt with. I say “try” because at my advanced age I hunt with them but struggle to keep up with their moving from place to place. If it was not for their help, I would never be able to spend time with them.

One is the dedicated hunter Burt Snyder. When I think of Burt, I remember him dragging my deer from the briar patch where it fell, stopping to field dress it and then taking it and, of course, me to another hunter’s meat pole. When I thanked him, his answer was short but sincere. He said, “Didn’t you drag deer for other people when you were younger? It is payback time.” Thanks, Burt.

I have groundhog hunted with Snyder, and I have shot long-range groundhogs with some very good shots, and he would be near the top of the list. Last year, he made the best shot of those I hunted with. The hog was over 500 yards away and Burt dusted it.

I must not overlook the second Triple Trophy winner, Kelly McIlvaine, or as most people know him, Spanky. He is one patient hunter who spends a lot of his spare time in the woods. Spanky’s persona can be better understood by telling a little story.

My friend Mike was driving and Spanky was in the front passenger seat, me in the back seat. We were either in McKean or Warren County and the snow was melting. The road was a quagmire and not much of a road. We had a chainsaw with us and both Mike and Spanky had jumped out a few times to clear trees so we could proceed on this old logging road.

Finally, we came to an intersection with another road and a truck, of what I assume was other hunters. Spanky opened his window and as we squeezed by the other hunters who like us were wet and muddy. They looked about to ask if we had seen any bear when Spanky said, “Excuse me, sirs. Would you happen to have any Grey Poupon?” The stunned faces on those guys made us all laugh and was worth the price of the trip.

The third Scenery Hill hunter who will get a Triple Trophy is an icon among Washington County hunters and the leader of the pack. One does not have to watch long to realize that here is an outdoorsman with leadership qualities. As Game Commissioner Dennis Fredericks says, Mike Weber is either hunting or he is cooking some animal he has shot. Fredericks also said that Weber is a friend of the Game Commission because of his work with youth.

This is the second time Weber has met the requirements of the trophy, and his daughter Hunter has also earned this coveted prize.

Yes, my three friends do know how to hunt and the pretty little town with the fantastic view should be proud of them.

Near the other end of town lives another great hunter and good friend, Monty Hunnell, of Jefferson. Monty brought me news of two young hunters who got gobblers this spring. Conner Craig, son of Judy and Casey Craig, downed a long beard. He is a good shot for a 13-year-old. Another youngster, 11-year-old Parker Amos, and his dad, Gary Amos, each shot gobblers this spring, too. Parker’s gobbler had a nice 10-inch beard.

Readers know I love to promote youth participating in hunting and outdoors activities, so a way to go to both of you and good job to the parents. I plan to ask Monty if Mr. Amos is related to my favorite teacher in Hills Station Grade School. Funny how sometimes things like that are connected.