Pennsylvania Game News - April 2014 - 29

ers traveling considerable distances,
he said.
A number of those who registered
made trips of two hours or more. Wayne
Gehrs came from Berks County, though
his trek included an overnight stop in
Selinsgrove. Residents of Indiana and
Clinton counties also made the trip.
While hunters who want to have
trophies measured and officially scored
have other options to do so, some who
attended the event in Huntingdon
said they wouldn't want to do it any
other way.
Doug Murphy is one of them, and
he said he wasn't going to let a little
snow stop him from making the trip
north from the Gettysburg-area in
Adams County.
Murphy knew the 13-point he took
near Marienville, Forest County, on
the opening day of the 2013 firearms
season was going to come close to
meeting qualifications for entry into
the book.
What was obvious was that - regardless the official measurement - he
had taken the trophy of a lifetime in
the Allegheny National Forest in 2013.
It was thanks in no small part to
his hunting buddy, a former fraternity
brother at Slippery Rock University,
who radioed to Murphy he was getting
cold and was leaving his stand. Not
long after, a doe appeared, heading
right toward him. And trailing her by
about 40 yards, was the buck.
Murphy, a federal park ranger and
firearms trainer at Gettysburg National
Military Park, hit the buck with two
shots. Now its rack was pasted with
masking tape, as three officers teamed
in an effort to measure it.
The measuring complete, Huntingdon County Wildlife Conservation OfAPRIL 2014

Scoring Program

While events like those Feb. 15 in
Huntingdon happen at irregular intervals,
there's always an opportunity to have trophy whitetail and elk antlers and black bear
skulls scored for inclusion in the program.
Measuring must be performed by an
official Boone & Crockett Club scorer, and
in most cases, appointments can be made
for a measuring session, free of charge.
For a list of scorers in your area, contact
Boone & Crockett Club certified scorer and
coordinator of PA's program Bob D'Angelo
at rdangelo@pa.gov or call the Game
Commission Harrisburg Headquarters.

ficer Amy Nabozny walked outside the
rope that separated the scoring tables
and viewing area, looking for Murphy.
As the officers did with each trophy
they measured on the day, Nabozny
presented the score sheet to Murphy
and began explaining what features
on the rack led to point deductions. A
point on one beam that was unmatched
on the other led to a deduction, she
told him.
"That always gets you," Murphy
acknowledged.
But the final score still was to come.
And Murphy was right, it was close -
140 7/8.
"So you made it," Nabozny told him,
"with seven-eighths to spare."
Moments later, as an elated Murphy
told the story of the buck's last hunt,
he remarked that after downing such a
trophy, maybe he ought to quit hunting. At least a handful of others who
came at the event would offer similar
comments.
But the odds are probably better that
they'll all be back out there again next
year, and for many more to come.
Likely until their very last days.
Trying for another trophy of any size.
29
Pennsylvania Game News - April 2014

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