Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Good luck to the Pennsylvania boys

The hunting is sporadic. You need to be where the deer are, scouting pays huge dividends. And you dont necessarily have to put boots on the ground. A good map, or even google maps, can pay off. I talked to a few gentleman while I was up, they hunt 2 ridges over. None saw deer nor did they hear shots. I saw deer all 3 days I was out and shot the 5pt I posted. I heard a total of 21 shots Monday, Tuesday I didnt go out because my gear was soaked from Monday. Wednesday I heard 6 shots, 3 were mine(I wanted that sob down before it got into the cut!). My cousin was pissed at the rain on Monday and the deep snow cover, went home at lunch. His dad stayed til lunch Wednesday, frustrated because he only saw a few doe. Came home here to southern PA and killed a really nice buck on SGLs.

None of the camps on our hill or out either way for a few miles had deer hanging. Most left camp by 2nd day. Did hear of a camp down the road killing a basket 9 yesterday. Other than that, the only deer taken near us was mine that we saw. Im sure the 21 shots on 1st day got a few, though I know some of those shots(at least 4) were from the same guy, and right after another 3 down the ridge further so that buck might still be running today.

For MY area, I know the deer herd is slightly down. It has rebounded a bunch. But this weather really put a damper on kills.

I haven't seen a legal buck yet either.

Today: 1 Doe, 1 Possum and 1 Squirrel. I'm literally in the middle of more Deer sign than one should be granted. Don't know why I'm not seeing more. Heavy snow started around 4PM, Perhaps they are tucked in.

I've had a legal Buck within 30 yards, but he deserved more growing time.


However, some are not only obviously seeing them but connecting also. Passed this guys processing/fur buying operation this AM. There is another partial row behind this one.




There are more than a few Does in that pile. 7 out of 10? Yearling Bucks? You want more Deer then the answer is obvious. We do it to ourselves, but lets blame the GC. Friend just shot his second Doe today. I don't get it. That pic is just one buyer. It goes on all across the State. One here, two there, 10 over there. Next year you can come back and wonder where the Deer are.

Addition: You want more Deer, then either don't buy or burn the Doe tags until you are seeing enough. Mother rocks the cradle. Most in those piles will be out of that county and he doesn’t get all of them or the ones that are thrown away. Wonder when the complaining will start.

My Cousin was in the fur business and would buy approximately 5,000 hides out of that county. And again he didn’t get them all. At the time the claimed county kill was 3,000. The count was more than a little off and probably remains so today.

There are other piles other than what you see and since most hunt local these days, the total count will come close to the listed kill for that game unit. Does for sure. And again, there are other buyers. Something fishy is going on in the Deer pile.

Got out around lunchtime - 7 deer including 1 buck of unknown size came out from the woods edge by the neighbors kids swingset. they ran up the woods edge, crossed thru the houses and went into a 100 x 75 foot patch of woods in another neighbors backyard and hung out there. No tracks in the big woods,

Well, here the wood and fields were covered with tracks. I left at dark last night and there were none. Didn't get to hunt today until the last 3 hours or so, and when I started out tracks were everywhere, in the fields and in the wood. Followed some up knowing I would bounce them and hoped they would show themselves. All I got was snorts.

Deer won for the season. Saw one Doe today.

However, I will leave you with this and that would be to pay attention. Pay attention not only to your hunting, but what is above you. I was ready to take a short stand beside a tree that would have been close to this. I'm not sure how it was still hanging, but I am sure it will not be hanging long and that one wouldn't want to be under it when it decided to come down. It is a good 30 feet up and perhaps more.

I saw 18 Doe today but I was on Public land and they were on Private and none of them crossed over.

Deer won again. For the second year in a row, the woman got one, and I didnt. I gotta start just shooting the deer I see, instead of setting her up. Probably not worth what I would go through though! After probably 200 or so deer in Maryland, I have yet ti kill one in Pa, and to kill one with a centerfire. Could not use those where I was in Md. Still flintlock, I guess.

Haven't seen a legal buck in 2 years. Had 2 on a game camera, but they bed on private land, off the public land I hunt. Have one guy that makes a habit of walking around a major food plot 15 minutes after sunset. Does wonders for saving deer...I hate public land, too poor for my own.

I'm with you. I hate public land too but I'm also land poor.

Yesterday afternoon while moving to another location I ran into the farmer who owns the ground I'm hunting on. It is within a mile of the lease-gated in and out, but no fence,1200 wooded acres-I was on, and the guys on the lease are seeing many Deer, but not the Bucks we saw in the past.

I mentioned that the Deer on his land were really spooky, and while I saw more than enough rubs, Bucks were hard to come by and that there was more than enough food with his surrounding fields. He matter of factually said the lease becomes a refuge every year. I mentioned I saw only a couple hunters, so I doubt they had reason to refuge-up. He said, "You don't see them because they hunt at night and I live right here and hear the shooting. Most of the nice Bucks are gone before the opener."

Poaching traditions run strong in that area. Most of my relatives were born to it.

Addition: He also said he calls the GC and they take the info over the phone, but he never hears of any follow up. He did mention there was a new GW for the area and he wants to make a name for himself. If there is any truth to all of it, then maybe something good will come of it.

Exactly the case for me as well. The most tracks I've seen all season. Deer, coyote, Fisher, even bear. My b-in-law saw the Bruin at dark Fri . Saw one doe at ten till five Sat. As you say. The deer won the season.

Aside from the two nice bucks I saw early the first Saturday, nothing. Saw a LOT of spikes this year. On properties 25 miles apart. No less than 7.

Killed a six point on opening day last year. "Settled" for a baldy on the last Friday, this year. No shortage of deer in "my" part of 3A and lots of good bucks, but haven't seen one yet when it counts. Upside, got to spend the entire season at camp again this year. First time for that in a few years.

Got cold in week two, still trying to get warm now that I'm back home. Congrats to all the lucky folks. Which to me, is anyone lucky enough to have gotten out. ;O)

I tagged a nice size doe on Saturday morning. We didn't see a lot of deer all season but there is so much sign in some of the woods, it looks like my dad still has cows. Most of the tracks seem to head for posted ground, it appears the deer were coming over to Dad's farm to eat and heading back before daylight.

All season I only saw 8 deer including 2 bucks, I hunted at least part of 7 days. But I saw less than a dozen hunters in that time frame too and all were local. I did hear shooting every time I was out.

I took the deer to a processor outside of Brockway, the tag they gave me for her was #315. No idea if that number is hi or lo for them and also keep in mind the shop is one of the cooperating processors in the CWD area #3. So that may have skewed the numbers of deer they took in.

A coworker has a camp in Lycoming county, I think he said they took 9 deer this year. Another coworker said they drove a a 15 acre woodlot here in Somerset and pushed out 40 does and 6 bucks.

The good Lord willing and the creek don't rise, I'll be out in muzzleloader season.

Dale

Time to get the flintlocks tuned up.

Yep, got a doe tag left and kids have been mowing through the I got in Rifle. Gotta get another to make it to Spring 😀

Hoping for snow...

In the treetops.

Any acorns in that oak? Most tree in my area did not produce any, even walnuts were sparse.