I live close to a small city and typically see 10-30 deer every day in my yard and travelling to and from work.
I hunt in the mountains and big woods of Sullivan Co and may not see this many deer in an entire season some years - depending on acorn production. This year I was lucky to tag a heavy 10 point on November 14 after scouting and hunting that particular area pretty hard for 9 days. I was lucky to be able to pass a number of nice bucks prior to that but warm weather made it challenging. I also missed my chance on a true giant that passed by me chasing doe at 19 yards (but never stopped for a solid shot opp) on Nov 6!
I hunt with a bow, rifle , and flinter most years and truly enjoy all seasons.
I certainly see more big bucks today in this part of Pennsylvania than I did prior to antler restrictions.
I also hunt 3B and this has been the worst year in the 33 years I have hunted the area.
During the summer I had plenty of bear and coyotes on the trail cameras. A single doe and another doe with a yearling would show up occasionally.
My son and I hunted 2 weeks of archery, a third week of archery for deer and bear, the week of firearm bear, the two weeks of firearms deer. During that time I saw one Y buck twice. Ironically I did see two nice bucks during the firearm bear season. We also hunted one week of the late flintlock season and again we saw "nothing".
We had a couple of snowstorms during the time I was up there. I have permission to hunt a 1200 acre plot. I rode it with my ATV the first day and the second day after both storms. In the 2.5 to 3 miles I traveled each day I did not cross the track of any animal.
BTW If "Ogdonia" hunts out of Ogdonia camp I am about 12 miles east of him.
I also hunt 3B and this has been the worst year in the 33 years I have hunted the area.
During the summer I had plenty of bear and coyotes on the trail cameras. A single doe and another doe with a yearling would show up occasionally.
My son and I hunted 2 weeks of archery, a third week of archery for deer and bear, the week of firearm bear, the two weeks of firearms deer. During that time I saw one Y buck twice. Ironically I did see two nice bucks during the firearm bear season. We also hunted one week of the late flintlock season and again we saw "nothing".
We had a couple of snowstorms during the time I was up there. I have permission to hunt a 1200 acre plot. I rode it with my ATV the first day and the second day after both storms. In the 2.5 to 3 miles I traveled each day I did not cross the track of any animal.
BTW If "Ogdonia" hunts out of Ogdonia camp I am about 12 miles east of him.
Well nice to hear from some hunters that also know Sullivan Co. I dont hunt out of Ogdonia Camp - but do know those folks and their property.
John
30 years ago we used to walk down 87 from Camp and cut right through Ogdonia's Posters to get up on Old House. It was only a couple hundred yards of Posted land. I was young. Now I'm too old to run.
Took a 3 mile hike today, hoping to find a shed. Found a dead 7pt in a dried up creek bed, maybe 16" wide inside. Good young buck with potential. We also found a dead spike during rifle in the same area.
We hunt in 4E and had a really good year. Between 6 of us we shot 5 buck in the first 2 weeks along with 4 doe all on the same farm. I live in 5C however and my buddies that hunt down here barely saw anything at all.
I grew up in PA, and moved away in 1995 and currently live in Texas. However my family is still up there. I’ve never missed a PA deer season.
In reading through all the posts, no mention that the firearms season opened on a Saturday (same as 2020) and this was first year they let hunting on Sunday - as opposed to the last 50 years+ of an opening season on Monday. Despite the change, I still saw the same number of hunters. Kicked out and saw about the same number of deer. No shootable bucks this year.
Hunting conditions varied from ok to miserable with respect to weather. It snowed 10” on Monday, and the visibility in the mixed woods I hunt went from few hundred yards to less than 50 yards.
I think that snow, or lack of it has a lot to do with the success I’ve generally had hunting in PA.
I live in Texas now, and the hunting is night and day with PA. There are still 100s of places I can hunt in PA, from small unposted 5-20 acre deer hideouts, to large tracks of public land. Texas is all about expensive leases. Texas hunting is just easy, but gives me nowhere the satisfaction of taking a free range, naturally fed, single PA deer. Plus an out of state license for just over $100 is a bargain.
I grew up in PA, and moved away in 1995 and currently live in Texas. However my family is still up there. I’ve never missed a PA deer season.
In reading through all the posts, no mention that the firearms season opened on a Saturday (same as 2020) and this was first year they let hunting on Sunday - as opposed to the last 50 years+ of an opening season on Monday. Despite the change, I still saw the same number of hunters. Kicked out and saw about the same number of deer. No shootable bucks this year.
Hunting conditions varied from ok to miserable with respect to weather. It snowed 10” on Monday, and the visibility in the mixed woods I hunt went from few hundred yards to less than 50 yards.
I think that snow, or lack of it has a lot to do with the success I’ve generally had hunting in PA.
I live in Texas now, and the hunting is night and day with PA. There are still 100s of places I can hunt in PA, from small unposted 5-20 acre deer hideouts, to large tracks of public land. Texas is all about expensive leases. Texas hunting is just easy, but gives me nowhere the satisfaction of taking a free range, naturally fed, single PA deer. Plus an out of state license for just over $100 is a bargain.
What county? In Sullivan we didn't get anywhere near 10" on the first Monday
Crawford Sorry...rained all day Monday and then it started snowing Monday night. We had 6” by the morning on Tuesday, and another 4” during the day.
By Wednesday, the weather cleared and the deer were finally moving. I jumped a decent buck and saw him a few times but couldn’t get a shot off. He ran through a cemetery and then down into town.
It was so quiet, I literally walked up on 4-5 groups of doe within 40 yds. I only hunted until 10:30 am, as I had to catch a flight back to Texas.
Crawford Sorry...rained all day Monday and then it started snowing Monday night. We had 6” by the morning on Tuesday, and another 4” during the day.
By Wednesday, the weather cleared and the deer were finally moving. I jumped a decent buck and saw him a few times but couldn’t get a shot off. He ran through a cemetery and then down into town.
It was so quiet, I literally walked up on 4-5 groups of doe within 40 yds. I only hunted until 10:30 am, as I had to catch a flight back to Texas.
At least I filled the freezer in Texas.
Not sure I could do Texas after a lifetime in PA. Oh it would be great filling my tags every year. After all last season I didn't even get a deer. But you take away the hardwood ridges, hemlock swamps, laurel thickets, and freezing weather and I just wouldn't feel like I'm deer hunting
Yep. I shot 3 bucks on the opening weekend of Texas deer season.
Wake up Drive UTV to elevated stand Wait 10 minutes until the feeder goes off Shoot deer standing broadside 98-102 yards away Drive UTV to pick up deer Clean and quarter deer within 1hr so it doesn’t spoil in the 85 deg heat Nap all day Wake up Drive UTV to elevated stand Drink beer and wait 10 min until the feed goes off Shoot deer standing broadside 98-102 yards away Drink beer Drive UTV to pick up deer Drink beer Clean and quarter deer within 1.5 hrs so it doesn't spoil in 83 deg heat Drink beer Go hog hunting at night Kill hogs ...
Rinse and repeat until you get tired of shooting or cleaning Plus there is all kind of bonus stuff that you can shoot Turkey, raccoons, bobcats, coyote, etc.
Yep. I shot 3 bucks on the opening weekend of Texas deer season.
Wake up Drive UTV to elevated stand Wait 10 minutes until the feeder goes off Shoot deer standing broadside 98-102 yards away Drive UTV to pick up deer Clean and quarter deer within 1hr so it doesn’t spoil in the 85 deg heat Nap all day Wake up Drive UTV to elevated stand Drink beer and wait 10 min until the feed goes off Shoot deer standing broadside 98-102 yards away Drink beer Drive UTV to pick up deer Drink beer Clean and quarter deer within 1.5 hrs so it doesn't spoil in 83 deg heat Drink beer Go hog hunting at night Kill hogs ...
Rinse and repeat until you get tired of shooting or cleaning Plus there is all kind of bonus stuff that you can shoot Turkey, raccoons, bobcats, coyote, etc.
Very productive but I'd sooner tramp around the PA mountains for two weeks without getting anything than that. But I also don't care all that much about the kill anymore. I'm fine with getting back to the truck at dark without having had to gut or drag anything
