There’s been a number of successful bowhunters in the state of Pennsylvania so far this season, but you’re not likely to find any as old as Ray Swingle still stomping through the deer woods. Swingle is 101-years-old and just bagged his latest buck on October 8th. The 8-point buck, with an 18-inch spread, was taken on the family farm Swingle has been hunting for years.
Swingle was hunting in a blind he built 20 years ago when the buck made its way toward him late in the afternoon.
Swingle says he was a little disappointed that he wasn’t able to get the buck the day before on his birthday, when he turned 101 years of age.
Swingle has been hunting since he was 15 years old. That’s when he shot his first deer in Potter County, a doe, with a .22 caliber rifle (back when they were legal). That was back in 1938, and he’s been avidly deer hunting ever since.
“I didn’t believe the people who were telling me that I was going to be hunting yet at this age, but here I am,” he said.
Swingle says he’s hunted with all types of rifles and bows over the years. As the years added up, Swingle began hunting with a crossbow. He stopped using his compound bow after being injured in an accident that made it difficult for him to draw the string.
A big congrats to Mr. Swingle! The Bowhunting.com crew wishes you more seasons of success in the days to come.
