Syracuse.com - Four generations of Mocyk men gather to hunt

[HuntingNY-News]

Hunting is a strong tradition for this family

Submitted photoJason Mocyk and his son Jarad pose with one of two deer the father shot near Mecklenburg. A couple of weeks ago, I went to an Elbridge Cub Scout Pack 52 meeting at Elbridge Elementary School to speak to the young Scouts.

Jarad Mocyk, 10, was among the youngsters sitting in a semi-circle around me while I talked. When I asked whether any of them had ever been hunting or fishing, the blond boy raised his hand and proudly said he was going deer hunting on opening day with his father.

“You’re a very lucky boy,” I told him, relating how I never had the opportunity to do that with my dad. I said that I had talked with my father about that more than a year ago in West Virginia and he promised this would be the year we’d finally get out together. Unfortunately, dad died three weeks later and I never did get to go out with him.

“You may not know it now, but you’ll be creating a great memory by going out with your father. Good luck,” I told him, handing him my business card. I made him promise to get back in touch if his father got anything.

Last weekend, I got an email from Jarad’s mom, Carrie.

“This year, four generations of Mocyks went hunting opening week,” she said. “Just shy of his 90th birthday, Joseph P. Mocyk came down to the camp (that Saturday) to see how the other Mocyks made out.”

“Although he didn’t make it out in the woods, a tradition continued of having the Mocyk men together for hunting season. The family does their own processing in Joe’s garage in Baldwinsville. This has occurred for the last few decades.”

Hunting is a strong tradition among the Mocyk men, she said. The patriarch, Joseph, has two sons that hunt (Jeffrey and Joseph J.). Jeffrey Mocyk has one son, Jason, who is young Jarad’s dad.

The Mocyk men were busy opening weekend at the family hunting camp in Mecklenburg, which is south of Ithaca. They took a couple of nice bucks opening day. The following day, Jason Mocyk, with son Jarad tagging along, took two does.

“He was very excited to go and even more excited when his dad harvested the does,” the mother said. “It is very apparent that he (Jarad) has a strong interest in hunting.”

Congratulations to the Mocyks and I’m particularly glad for young Jarad, who was along to experience such a unique and special family outing.

Submitted photoFour generations.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog