This Hunter Beat the Odds, Then the Record

Talk about making your first rodeo count!

Pennsylvania entomologist Mike Skvarla had been tossing his name in the hat since 2019 and finally beat the odds — drawing one of just 140 elk tags out of more than 50,000 applications! Then, he walked into the woods on opening morning, never having hunted elk a day in his life, and one moonlight hike, one bugling bull coaxed in through the dark, one calm 42-yard crossbow shot later, and he’s staring at a giant 8×8 that green-scored 428 inches and should flatten both of Pennsylvania’s state records. Now, we’re well aware that Pennsylvania elk are not Montana news, but it is always good to read about somebody’s successful hunt regardless of where they are!

You can read the full story via Field & Stream here.

^{Photo credit: Abbi Ottoman}