STROUDSBURG -- Hunters throughout the state are gearing up for the first day of archery season this weekend.
Workers at Dunkleburger's on Main Street in Stroudsburg say the back of the store sort of resembles an emergency room for hunting equipment. Several bows and arrows are getting repaired before archery season opens up on Saturday.
Hunters here can't wait.
"This time of year excitement is right there with the first NFL Sunday because it's the opening season of hunting. Archery, guns it's all ramped up and it's their first opportunity to get to the woods," said Terry Hill, Dunkleburger's Archery and Hunting.
Pete Santi from Canadensis has been archery hunting for more than 30 years. He stopped by the shop to pick up some new arrows before he hits the woods this weekend.
"We have been waiting all year for it and finally the weather is changing and it just gets in your bones. As soon as the leaves start to drop, you can smell it. It's time."
The sport of archery hasn't changed much over the years, but the equipment hunters use has. More people are using cross bows instead of traditional bows."
Terry Hill runs the archery and hunting section of Dunkleburger's and says more people have been taking up the sports since the crossbow became available to everyone.
"They changed the archery laws to include crossbows without a handicap permit which actually spurred the industry very well and put money back into it."
Still, some hunters would like to see a little more change, younger hunters taking up the sport being among them.
"They need mentors. That's the key," said Santi. "I think far too many, there just aren't the parents around that are in it, to bring the kids around and that's really a shame, so we try to mentor when we can."
Statewide archery season runs from Saturday through November 12 and reopens in some areas at the beginning of winter.
