PA DEER HUNTERS???????????

[Earl Jeff]

I hope other pa deer hunters are doing better than I am, I have been on vacation for the last three weeks and have hunted a total of twenty some days this season and have only seen deer three times from my stands and only one within bow range, a spike buck.

[Tim]

Hey Earl....sorry to hear your season isn't going that well.  On the positive side, there is still quite a bit of season left!  Last week seemed to have real good activity.  This week things have really quieted down in my neck of the woods.

What part of PA are you from?

Tim

[Earl Jeff]

Schuylkill county

[ed burgholzer]

i had the same problem. i live in n.e pa.. was out every night.[74 hours]saw only a few deer. then saturday, nov 7 i rattled ,grunted and bleated. an 8 pointer came in like he was on a string.. season over..keep at it. this is the magical time. the evening after i saw another 8 pointer trotting along my ridge.. ed

[Red Beastmaster]

I am having the same type season. First evening I had a fawn pass through at 12yd. That was the only deer I've had in range. Only seen 12 deer and some of those were repeats. Pretty lean year but It's better than work!  

Still have tomorrow afternoon and Saturday. Anything can happen.

[Hoser1268]

I live in Berks county and this is the worst year I've had in a while.  I've seen some deer but the rut is not like it normaly is in my area. Very mild.

[RedShaft]

Same here worst year ever... dont even get me started lol! same as you all

[ultrasweet]

It's been slow for me as well. Luzerne county.

[sweet old bill]

it is the same in the Ny area around Oneonta Ny. Seem if the deer move it is after dark. Not much to show for the rut at all. I am retired and have only missed three days hunting and hunt 4 + hours each day and seen a total of 5 doe and 3 buck. all the buck were 4 points or less.

[wollelybugger]

I live in Northwest Pa. and have seen some nice bucks. Seem over a dozen bucks and two shooters, missing one. My son has seen about the same and missed a huge buck. I hope to seal the deal tomorrow, the last day of the season.

[PA stickbow boy]

yep, not that great... on the property i hunt, i've had two really nice bucks within range. a nice 6 point w/ about a 15 inch spread & 3-4" tines, just no brow tines. this past saturday i had a 6 point with heavy mass, prob an 18-20" spread, 6-8" tines, no brow tines... the only thing that made him legal was he had a kicker off the back tine on the left side. it was maybe 1 1/2 inches long. is this 4 point on one side to be legal thing lending to this no brow tine thing.  clearly both bucks were mature but not legal. will all the fawn bucks born from does these bucks breed have genetic traits NOT to have brow tines. it's been a very frustrating year. the bigger of the 2 bucks will prob be shot by some rifle hunter at a distance who thinks a buck of that size should surely have brow tines & be legal.  anyone else seeing anything like this?

[PA stickbow boy]

oh, i live in southwest pa

[Jerry Jeffer]

Wow, you guys need to find a better spot to hunt. Milford? I can't believe you are not seeing deer. I've only been out a few times this year, but have had deer in my lap every time.

[danseitz]

The Great Herd Elimination Program by the Pa Game Commission has worked really well on the public lands in Pa.  If you have private land to hunt and the owners haven't shot all the doe off, you are okay.  A whole lot of Game Lands and State Forest are practically barren.

[ultrasweet]

I don't even see hunters around.I have the game lands to myself.

[Tioga]

It's been a frustrating year for me to. I did miss a small 6 pointer a few weeks ago, but that was the only shot opp that I had over the course of hunting 30 days total. Hard to believe that in Tioga County I couldn't even get a doe in front of me. I had a total of 14 deer sightings, 6 bear sightings, and a few turkeys. Finally zero'd in on some deer on a lumber company property that was formerly open to the public only to be run out of there by a group that just leased it starting this past Monday. I've lost alot of acreage these past few years to posters thanks to this herd reduction program.

 Even the hordes of New England hunters weren't around to invade SGLs 208 and 64 this year. I guess I outta take the hint eh?

Gonna head out this afternoon for a short stand, and maybe tomorrow for the day. But the magic is gone, and my heart just isn't into it any longer though.    :(

[blktail]

Hey Tioga I heard those words. We used to go to our cabin (outside of Blossburg) every other weekend and then during hunting but can't hunt what aint there.The same down here at home (lancaster co), The deer just arn't there anymore or can't get access to private land.

[Tioga]

I'm afraid we've seen the glory days of deer hunting in the bigwoods vanish before our very eyes. It saddens my heart and soul to admit it to myself that the effort far exceeds the worth, but that sad reality has sunken in deeply this hunting season. I had the chances to go to NY and Ohio like previous years, but thought I'd stick it out in Pa just to see what would happen. It's the little things that I miss. Like the sound of hooves rustling in the leaves at dusk or the sweet pungent smell of deer that have moved out ahead of you. Or rublines appearing overnight dotted with scrapes that have a fresh solitary track for a signature.    :(      

Maybe I'm just getting to old.    

[danseitz]

Not to be nasty but any of you Pennsy guys who fell all over yourselves to hug Gary Alt need to appologize to the rest of us. It truly is a shame what the Pa Game Commision did to deer hunting on public land. I have been out in Ohio the last few years trying to find a place with some deer. Sad.

[Tioga]

Not to be nasty but any of you Pennsy guys who fell all over yourselves to hug Gary Alt need to appologize to the rest of us.  

I apologize. I'm sorry. Now if I can just find the courage to apologize to myself and my grandkids.....   :(