This year my best hunting partner (my younger brother) is tied up in grad school and working on the side to keep his family afloat. It looks like he is going to be able to just take one day off to hunt this year. Usually we try and get together in MI, IL or elsewhere for a few days, but this has been crazy busy for him and they are new in Pittsburgh - so its been a few years for us.

I am going to try and book it out there, almost driving through the night, to try and get one day to hunt together. He knows of one small piece of public ground, pretty near the city and it sounds like it would be well hunted by others.

We would be open to driving a bit (up early and home late) and don't mind hiking etc. Any of you local guys have any suggestions of spots w/in 2 hours or so of Pittsburgh?
Feel free to PM if that is better.

Thanks fellas!

PS: looks like our day will be Dec 8 or 9

PM sent.

Anything near the city will be overcrowded and well hunted.

Look up State Game Lands 287, 105, 259 and 137 all in Armstrong Co. All around 1hour 45minutes from Pittsburgh.

May be a little busy the first day till noon or so. After that you will mostly have it to yourselves.

Get back in a little and you probably will see few. A couple of them have some nasty parts that most avoid.

Addition: If you go to Armstrong bring tick spay and use it.

Saw an honest 130 or so Buck today around 10miles from 287.

Thanks Battue! I really appreciate the info - we might just find our way up there!

Another would be SGL 95 in Butler Co. The others are not small, but 95 is huge. Looked but can't find the actual acreage. Leaving for 95 right now.

Just passed another: Moraine state park. 13000 plus acres.

PM sent. We've got an entire mountain of state forest land right outside the door of our camp. It's a litttle farther drive, closer to three hours, but worth the trip. Deer season only opens once a year, might as well go big or go home.

Something to be said about the big wood. However, like anyplace a little pre-season scouting certainly improves ones chances. Those big wood Bucks for the most part are roamers. Here today and gone tomorrow, if they are still looking to get in a little late minute action. But there are some Giants that roam that country.

Talked with a friend who lives close to Moraine and he said while there are some Giants back in, the numbers on the whole are not all that good.


Will go and Grouse hunt on 287 and will do a little Deer scouting at the same time. It is close to where I hunt Deer on a 1000 acre lease and the numbers there are good.

SGL 95 is huge. I grew up there. My high school was surrounded by it. Lots of good hunting and being as you are looking at the second week, shouldn't be much pressure.

http://pgcmaps.pa.gov/pgcpublicviewer/

If you do end up going that way, PM me. I can offer some insight into areas to focus on.

Spent the stocked Pheasant opener on 95 yesterday and have to give the GC credit. What tremendous cover they have created. Then there are swamps for the Duck hunter, although I've never hunted them there.

Saw a good bit of Deer sign and some Deer. If I was going to hunt Deer there however, I would want to spend some time scouting. Woods, swamps, created farm land cover, young timbered land and older woods. 95 has it all and more than a little.

Somerset County is an hour or so east of Pittsburgh, it's an easy drive on the turnpike. Lots of state forest and state game lands here. I can't offer you much on where to go as I'm fairly new to the county and haven't poked around a whole lot yet. The 9th is no good for me but I might be available to poke around with you guys on the 8th.

The Game Commission website ( http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/portal/server.pt/community/pgc/9106 ) has a mapping tool that shows Farm-Game Cooperators, state forests, state parks, game lands etc. It's not a real easy site to navigate but the info is there.

There's a couple of Disease (Chronic Wasting) Management Areas at the outer limits of your two hours, I'd stay away from them due to transport restrictions on any deer killed.

Dale

The SGLs in Indiana county are good contenders as well.

Wow, thank a ton to all who posted or sent a PM. Looks like we have more than enough land out there and local knowledge to at least have an enjoyable day with a fair shake at a deer or two.

Will be in touch!

Thanks again gentlemen.

I'd recommend SGL 42 in eastern Westmoreland county. Some of the most remote you can get in that part of the state. About 1.5 hour drive from the city depending on where you are at.

Does your brother have a Doe tag?

I believe so, not sure for where though... Will check

If, by any chance you can get to hunt the first week up to and including Saturday, let me know. I'll be down the whole week and have several areas of private land. Mostly in WMU 2D.