Buck Fever: The Deer Hunting Tradition in Pennsylvania

By Mike Sajna

Book Overview

Every fall close to one million hunters enter Pennsylvania's forests and mountains in quest of the white-tailed deer. Some are seeking sport and companionship; others are stocking their larders for winter; many are conservationists who regard hunting as the most humane way of reducing overpopulated deer herds. They all face the increasing activism of animal rights advocates who are opposed to hunting in principle and who frequently picket and harass hunters. This controversial subject is explored in depth by Mike Sajna, the outdoors columnist for Pittsburgh Magazine and a twenty-year veteran of Pennsylvania's "pumpkin army," the orange-clad throng that invades the woods every season. To explain the ethos and traditions of hunting he takes the reader to a typical deer camp in Warren County, in the rugged terrain of the Allegheny High Plateau. Starting with the trek north from their homes around Pittsburgh, he captures the sights and sounds, thoughts and feelings of three generations of hunters. With humor, affection, and insight he recounts the hunting lore, the camaraderie, the physical testing that make deer camp a unique experience.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0822954362
• ISBN13: 9780822954361
• Release Date: August 1990
• Publisher: University of Pittsburgh Press
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.80 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 6.1" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Spot On

Having hunted deer for many years in Pa. not 10 miles from the site of this story, I found the late author's account to be completely a completely accurate of just what the "deer camp" experience is. From the excess of food brought to camp, the re-telling of the stories of past hunts to the darker side of camp life, the books rings true. My copy has been read and re-read each fall as the thoughts of camp begin to seep into my consciousness. A great read.

Excellent writing

This slender book captures the essence of the annual trek north to deer camp - the rush to pack, convenience stores, cabins, car breakdowns, and finally the silent woods where time stands still. In camp, hunters share their experiences by the fire, twist the antenna to bring in the Steelers game on an old black and white tv. Although largely ignored by the rest of the world, a million deer hunters and 200 years of history surely qualify this ritual as an essential part of American culture and tradition. Hunting is like a family reunion where you can chose your relatives. When someone is too old to come out, it is as if they've died. The trophies on the cabin walls are reminders of the hunter's mortality, not the deer's, because the deer remains long after the hunter's last visit. Hunters don't fear death, they fear the empty interval that will come after their last hunt. Even natives of this area will be fascinated by the history and biology described here. This book could have spent a thousand pages explaining the importance of days in the woods watching, silent, meditating, being pelted by the weather and seeing the sun glide across the sky. But hunters already know these things. Many nonhunters will not "get it," but for hunters this book's simple description of everyday life in camp is powerfully evocative.

Great Book on PA Deer Hunting

What a delightful book for any deer hunter, but particularly for those who, like me have hunted in PA all their lives. I gave it to every member of our camp a few years back. The chapters alternate between a natural history of deer in PA and the story of one camp outside of Pttsbrg. I reccomend it very, very highly.

"An excellent book for Pennsylvania hunters of all ages"

Buck Fever is a well written book about a local man and his memories of years of hunting in Penn's Woods. The book is easy to relate to, and stirs the memories of past hunting experiences. Living in the Pittsburgh area, I am able to enjoy his work for the Post-Gazette, but the book is unparalled by any of his other work. I highly recommend that you read the book, espically if you travel from the Pittsburgh area to hunt every fall.