A 19-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department is a lifelong hunter who recently received two certifications.
Photos courtesy of Stephen Biello
As a 19-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department, Special Victims Unit Lt. Stephen Biello is used to hunting -- criminals that is.
But on the weekends, the 44-year-old sets his sights on a different kind of prey and it's typically covered in fur or feathers.
Hunting and clay pigeon shooting -- the latter referred to as "sporting clays" or "clays" by hunters and done on a range with moving targets of small clay discs -- are the lifelong South Philly resident's passion.
Last month, Biello received his level-two certification in clays and his hunting education certification, both allowing him to teach adults and children. The latter was a course at the Pennsylvania Game Commission's Southeast Regional Office.
In 2005, Biello shot in the U.S. Open of Sporting Clays in Salem, N.J., pumping out rounds with about 946 participants from all over the world. "The event was awesome, I got to shoot with the best shooters in the world and I learned a lot from them," he said.
Also that year and the following, Biello took part in other events, quickly developing a flair for the sport. After winning some and placing high in others, he decided to go for his first-level certification. June's level-two certification took place over three days at Rock Mountain Sporting Clays in Meshoppen. In time, Biello would like to pursue the last and final level.
"I look forward to doing more sporting clays instruction and getting started as a hunter education instructor in the very near future," he said.
Born and raised in Bella Vista, Biello got a taste of nature at about age 8, going on family trips to his Uncle Ricci's farm in Bradford County.
"Though I never actually hunted at that age, I was introduced to the outdoors and all that goes with it in the hunting aspect," the married father of a 4-year-old son and 6-year-old daughter said.
At 12, Biello started hunting with his uncle, cousins and neighborhood friends like Greg Isabella, who is still his hunting buddy as well as the owner of Firing Line shooting range in Pennsport.
"He's probably the biggest influence of my life with hunting," Biello, who waited until age 14 to get his hunting license though the legal age is 12, said of his uncle.
About the same time Biello took to hunting, things got a bit fancy. A Fancy Brigade Mummer from ages 12 to 21, Biello performed with the Top Hat New Year's Brigade. When that group disbanded, a few of the guys started The Entertainers Fancy Brigade.
"Both of them have since gone by the wayside," Biello recalled, adding so has his mummery.
Hunting has remained a constant, first with small game and pheasant then turning to deer in his late teens. His first conquest was a pheasant and he can easily recall his emotions when he pulled the shotgun trigger.
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1. bustacap said... on Aug 1, 2008 at 12:49AM
“Finally a good article about hunting. Congrats to Lorraine . Could not have interveiwed a better cop or hunter than Steve Biello”
2. rocco said... on Aug 1, 2008 at 06:57AM
“Stevie B. as he is known to his friends is a good cop, hunter, family man and person. Nice to read a story about a "GOOD" guy versus the trash we hear about every day. Be Safe Stevie.”