The Sandy Township Volunteer Fire Department based in Sabula, Pa. always used to run a pancake breakfast on the Sunday prior to the opener as a fundraiser. They'd have the breakfast, and then they'd sell home made pies too. It was a great way to commune with the fellow hunters. Another popular festivity on the weekend prior to the opener was the annual pilgrimage to Grice's Gun Shop in Clearfield, Pa. If you were lucky, you'd find a parking spot within a block of the store, but don't dare miss this trip. 'Might put a hex on the whole hunt if you didn't show up there! The knife guy would be set up in the parking lot and I swear he could put a razor edge on a golf club if you asked him to.
