York County Edition
October 2013
Vol. 14 No. 9
The Six-Decade Chase Seasoned Hunter Recalls Exotic Catches and Locales By Chelsea Peifer The thrill of the hunt started for Jim Wagner when he was only 5 years old, and the thrill is just as strong and persistent today at age 73. A Central Pennsylvania native, Wagner followed his father around in the fields and through the woods while he hunted for small game. They shot pheasants on a regular basis—a bird that is much more difficult to spot in the region today than it was during his childhood. Wagner started hunting on his own as soon as he turned 12 years old and it was legal for him to do so. He has been hunting every year since then, skipping out on his favorite hobby only for the four years after high school that he spent serving in the United States Navy, where he had the dangerous job of operating the boilers in a destroyer ship. Once back stateside, that boiler knowledge translated into a more than 40-year career in the field. Now retired and working part-time, Wagner’s hunting adventures have taken him not only all throughout the state of Pennsylvania, but into several other states and countries including Canada, Argentina, New Zealand, and the African plains. More than 50 mounts of animals he has killed are on display in his home. His wife, Janet, “puts up with it,” said Wagner with a chuckle. At first the mounts were scattered throughout different rooms of their please see CHASE page 22 Jim Wagner’s hunting excursions have taken him around the globe, including New Zealand and Argentina.
Inside:
Getting Your Affairs Organized page 11
Senior Idol Moves to Fall page 13