PA trip journal

[treeroot]

Well I had an great day. I covered over five miles looking for fresh sign. It was a wasteland and then suddenly it wasn't.

I got out onto a finger that jolts out into a large swamp. I hung one stick and decided I would triple check my onx to make sure I was close enough to suspected bedding. There were two interesting trails in front of me and a few faint ones behind me all used since last snow. Then I hear a grunt. At first I thought it was another hunter. But i could hear it moving, then out pops a doe and another and another 6 in total. They crossed 20' from me just standing by a tree. Bow up and ready first grunting buck through medium sized body but no rack, second grunter larger deer I could clearly see his head and for sure a nice sized buck. I don't have a doe tag so I passed.

Then I hear a fawn crying she comes blowing past me. So I do a quick move and she goes by again. The third time I got my camera out and took a video. It was awesome.

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Lots of beaver sign around.

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Out of 4 trips I could've shot at least one buck 3 out of 4 times. I'm pretty happy with that.


If you ever get these puppies in the mail for free use them. Yes they fall apart inside, but they work better than expected. I used them almost every hunt from my gun season on. It's hard to beat free!

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[treeroot]

Video of the fawn calling.
https://youtu.be/ejNsdFy5jdM

You'll see when she finally gets down wind.

[mauser06]

Pretty typical late season in the big woods. A bunch of nothing. Then out of nowhere it's a deer farm.


Tough break being the bucks dropped already! I saw a decent 2.5yo Monday the 13th. He was with a 1.5yo that dropped 1 side. I'd say the lack of acorns caused some early dropping. I killed a 2.5 possibly 3.5yo on the last day of rifle...and saw 2 2.5yos killed in November archery season...scrawny deer. Skin and bones...not an ounce of fat on them. Run hard during the rut and no acorns to keep them in good shape. There's a lot of feed for them...but IMO acorns are a big help to them.


The beaver swamps and cuts of all ages are places to hone in on in the big woods. I see a ton of deer in the 15-20yo high stick count stuff. It can be tough hunting though. Tough to see..tough to shoot..a lot of times the old roads are still a bit open and can make for good sets...


I'd say you're on the right track! Get finished up in NY earlier next season and get down here!


If you wanna learn the ins and outs of the doe tag stuff here, send me a PM.

[Huntress13]

I never got free gloves.... Prolly because I haven't made a direct donation where I got put on the mailing list, just bought stuff at fundraising events. Cool video!

[bruno1]

I used to hunt public in Pike County, PA back in the day. This thread just gave me an itch that may need to be scratched to go there for turkey