Deer Hunt

Today the firearm portion of the New Jersey deer hunting season began. So for the hunters among us, we offer this memento of Mantua Township history: the annual deer hunt 86 years ago. 

Back from the hunt: Mantua Township men in 1930 following their annual deer hunt at Quaker Bridge. The photo was taken in front of Orol Ledden's store on Center Street in Sewell. Hunt participants (left to right) - Back row: ______ Foldshield, Jr.; ______ Foldshield, Sr.; David Garriques, Sr.; Louis Sharp, Orol Ledden, Jr.; Orol Ledden, Sr.; Clarence Budd; unidentified; Russell Carre; ______ Hird; William Richards; Paul Henry; ______ Carson. Front row: unidentified; Jack Tozour; James Barnard; unidentified; Charles Quay; John Kean; David Garriques, Jr.; James S. Ledden; Joseph Crawford; ______ Brickner; ______ Wescott; unidentified; Louis Andrews; Winfield Smith.

This is a remarkable photo. The clarity of the image lets us recognize individuals. The people involved come from a number of families that still have members in the community today. The view of Ledden's shows what the familiar store looked like back in those days. The building was later expanded significantly, and now houses a number of businesses, including Val's seafood.

There is an order to the group above. Dale Ledden, who generously donated the photo, pointed out to me that the successful hunters got to stand for the picture, each posing with his buck. Those who came back empty-handed had to sit. It also appears that the deer get smaller from left to right, so there is a careful hierarchy of hunting prowess on display here.

Other details in the photo contribute to its charm. The extensive bootlaces must have required patience and expertise. The shadow of an onlooker in the foreground right confirms that this photo was taken at the end of the day. A glimpse of a car parked on the left shows that Center Street was much narrower in those days; today, there is not much room between the street and the building. And in the background on the left you can just see the roof of Jeff and Debbie Gellenthin's house.

Maybe you will recognize a relative or family friend in the picture. If you can help us fill in the blanks and identify the unidentified, we would appreciate it!