Pennsylvania Game News - January 2020 - 56

nonresidents - one from Ohio and the
other from New York - became the first
out-of-state hunters recognized by the
program. And a father and son - Jessie and
Gerald Runkle, of York County - were
recognized together after each completed
the Triple Trophy.
With 568 bears harvested statewide
in 1967, 19 percent of successful bear
hunters also harvested a turkey and a buck
that license year.
In the program's third year recognizing
the 1968-69 seasons, 42 hunters qualified
for the Triple Trophy award.
The low harvest of 218 bears statewide
certainly played a role. But Marilyn
Corbett, of Carlisle, became the first
female hunter to qualify for the award.
The bear harvest the next year wasn't
much higher, with 295 bears taken
statewide. And only 32 hunters qualified
for the award in the 1969-70 seasons.
Patrick Malloy, 13, of Sheffield, became
the youngest hunter recognized by the
program.
But the low bear harvests were a signal
of things to come. Pennsylvania's bear
season was closed in 1970-71 due to
population concerns, so no Triply Trophy
awards were presented.
When bear season opened the
following year, 99 hunters achieved the
Triple Trophy in 1971-72, with six hunters
receiving the award for a second time.
Since 1966, the Game Commission had
recognized 348 Triple Trophy seasons.
And that number would become final in
the official records.
On July 6, 1972, the Game Commission announced it was ending its
Triple Trophy program. Several factors
influenced the decision. The July 6 news
release points out that "The philosophy
of bagging game as the principal value
of hunting is in the process of change."
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Concerns about the bear population,
which would result in the closure of the
1977 and 1978 bear seasons, as well, also
was a factor.
According to the news release, "The
Game Commission feels there should
be no incentive for additional hunting
pressure on the black bear. There is strong
feeling that the Triple Trophy Program
has brought about added pressure since
the bear is the most difficult to obtain of
the three trophies needed to qualify for
the award."
There were concerns, as well, that
the award and a hunter's desire to be
recognized could give rise to unlawful
activity.
There appeared to be more reasons to
end the program than continue it.
Judging from the many calls, letters,
photos and emails the Game Commission
receives from hunters reporting they've
completed a Pennsylvania Triple Trophy,
the program made a huge mark in its
short run.
The lore of the Game Commission's
program remains alive, too, in a threepiece patch the agency sells.
Meanwhile, the limited number of
original patches makes them hard to
find, with collectors sometimes shelling
out $400 to $500 when one goes to sale.
Original certificates are just as soughtafter.
While significantly larger populations
of bears and turkeys, inhabiting a greatly
expanded range, and increased season
lengths surely have made Triple Trophy
seasons more common in Pennsylvania
- and some have even topped the feat by
taking an elk - to this day, it's no easy feat.
And as was the case in 1966, attaining
such a high level of big-game hunting
success still often boils down preparation
and persistence, as well as some luck.
Pennsylvania Game News - January 2020

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