Monday marked the start of the two-week rifle deer hunting season in Pennsylvania, and an estimated 750,000 hunters are expected to be in woods across the state looking to bag a trophy buck or doe.

Game officials said they expect 60 percent of the harvest for the season to be taken on Monday.


Most hunters, like Josh Hetrick, who was in Somerset County, were out before the break of dawn starting out in their favorite spots. Hetrick was successful early on.


"I was in my stand about 45 minutes before daybreak and he came down about 7:30 with a group of does. I really wasn't expecting to see some -- more or less than anything -- but the weather was a little less than ideal. It was a little foggy this morning," Hetrick said.


Game officials said they want to remind hunters that in some parts of the state, does can't be taken for five days.

In order to accommodate hunters, communities across the state held hunter breakfasts in the wee hours of the morning, giving them a place to chow down before beginning their search. One such early breakfast took place at the South Fork United Methodist Church in Cambria County, but organizers said it wasn't just for those hunting deer.

"It's geared for hunters but we're also gearing it toward women that like to come before their shopping trip or anybody at all. Anybody in the community is more than welcome to come," said Peggy Glacken, who helped organize the South Fork Hunter's Breakfast.

Glacken said some of the proceeds from Monday morning's breakfast will go toward a project the church is working on.