Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting PA Deer Hunting?

I'm looking for a guided hunt for two hunters in or near Pennsylvania. What do I need to know?

Thanks,


Okie John

Find Allegheny National Forest…..


Go hunting…..

Try looking in HuntingPA.com. Might have an easier time of it

There’s a guy on Facebook

Sherks Guide Service

I’ve never hunted with him but followed his page when I was on FB.

No need to hire a guide in PA unless you’re going high fence. Piles of public land to hunt with pretty easy access.

Licenses and buck tags are otc.

What kind of hunt do you want? Sit in a stand....still hunt? Big woods or farm land?

Since you are willing to pay, an add in the various small town papers will most likely have a farmer or land owner reply especially for a place a stand and wait hunt.

You want to roam the big woods, it may be more difficult seeing the typical Pa tradition is drive to the big woods, part the truck and go hunt. Guided big woods hunts are not common in Pa. If you are active and can get around, there are some Hogs in the big woods. But most likely you will work hard or be extremely lucky to cross paths with one. If you decide on a big woods hunt be careful where you shoot one, big or small. Getting one out can take some skills or being determined with a rope. However once you get to a dirt road the dirty work is mostly over.

I've never heard of a deer hunting guide in PA

PA is a pretty big state. What part of PA are you going to? Why do you want to hunt in PA?

If you're going to be in Southern PA, you might consider going to Maryland. You can pretty much kill as many as you want depending on your weapon and the season you're hunting. Buy a license, bring a climbing tree stand, rent a hotel room, and hunt on public land. There might be some guides on the Eastern Shore.

Thanks for all of the replies.

Sherk's only takes bow hunters.

Hogs and bear would also be great--possibly even better than deer.

My kid lives in Philadelphia, which is the only reason I'm headed that far east.

Time will be limited, so I won't be able to scout the way I would normally.

The arthritis in my left hip makes long walking hunts and recovering meat a lot harder than they used to be.


Okie John

battue, I haven't hunted PA in 27 years since I moved west. I never had to drag more than a 1/4 mile to get a deer out but I never hunted the big forests of the upper middle of the state. That being said can you quarter up a deer in PA to get it out or do they have to come out whole?

The Eastern Shore of Maryland ain't far from Philly. You can probably get to most of these places in less than 2 hours. What time of year are planning on going? We have gun season starting the Saturday after Thanksgiving and it runs for two weeks. You would need a straight wall cartridge rifle, a 12ga slug gun, or a muzzle loader. You can kill up to 10 does and one antlered buck. You can also buy a bonus buck tag for $10.00. You can also shoot Sika Deer in some places.

I don't know anything about these places, so do some research. Take your pick.

https://www.google.com/search?q=dee...93j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Here's more.

https://www.ultimatedeerhunting.com/usa/maryland/

https://www.guidefitter.com/hunting/united-states-maryland

If you're there for Christmas, we have muzzle loader season from 12/16 through 12/30 this year. Same deal, 10 does and 2 bucks with a bonus buck stamp.

Since you will be in Philly and have limited time you might check out this area for Whitetail (no hogs and very few bear in the southeast). Lots of easy access trails in French Creak SP and last time I scouted there saw quite a few.
https://www.dcnr.pa.gov/StateParks/FindAPark/FrenchCreekStatePark/Pages/Hunting.aspx

Not Harry, but hunted in PA for the past 61 years and have never seen or heard of anyone quartering up a deer to make it easier to get out although undoubtedly it has been done.
I do know people die from heart attacks every year when dragging deer out.

Tioga Boar Preserve. All kinds of animals, I know a bunch of guys who handgun hunted boars. Good luck.

You can cut it up and pack it out.

I've had one on the end of a rope for 4 to 5 hours more than once. And it didn't come out of our big woods, but rather some nasty local holes. Back then I didn't know how to cut one up, and didn't know anyone who did at that time. I only have one friend that does it. Carried one out when I was younger.

i have always thought about quartering them up, but most my drags were downhill most of way and time.

I would think that the Elk outfitters might be interested in putting you up for a deer hunt.
For sure they know the area, and have the facilities.
But figure on about a 5 hour drive from Philly to get there.
Elk county outfitters would be one, and Hicks run outfitters another, both have excellent reputations.
Basically they are deer camps that expanded into the Elk guiding business.
Ive been hunting in that area for more than 70 years and am a member of a family owned camp there.

I do it every time I kill one on the SF. Screw dragging!

I've quartered a few when I'm back in or they're too big, depending on terrain.

I never have seen it done either

Actually its done more often than many people realize.
Especially in areas with the higher mountains with the steep sidehills.
In fact many of them dont even get gutted, just peel the hide and take the choice cuts.
Leave the hide and bones for the coyotes.
Average Joe walking around hunting isnt apt to be the ones who do that however.
Some are also using the chain saw winches, and others are using Mule Tape to drag them up hill with a vehicle.

I have done that. Where the deer fell, it was so steep that I had to tie the deer to a tree to keep it from sliding down the mountain while I gutted the deer.

I gutted the deer, then hoisted it up the tree and cut it up. We carried all the meat out and dragged the head and hide. A friend helped.

Don’t know about PA, but there are hunting lodges in VA, WV, SC, and GA, and probably other places in that region that offer hunts with lodging and where they put you in a stand morning and evening. Not cheap, but I doubt any guided hunt would be.

Just search, “Hunting lodges (pick a state)”.

Doesn't have to be steep.
Some areas I hunt are basically swamp and there's no way to drag anything out of there. I tried carrying a few on poles, but it's much better to quarter. If it's froze with snow, I'll use a sled and bring them out whole, but archery deer get cut up.

Don't know anything about these folks at all, but have seen some Facebook posts about them. Located in Western Pa.

https://2doutfitters.com/