PA Deer... How's it going?

[liltank]

Well I've been out two days now and have seen a total of ZERO deer. Of course it was tuesday when it rained all day and today the weather is unstable. I have a feeling they are sticking close to the ground for now. Just thought I would see how everybody else is doing. Hopefully Saturday I'll be setting up for some serious long range stuff. Just not looking forward to the hike out with a full pack of meat should I get one. Seriously steep stuff and ..... I'm a little out of shape, but hey rounds a shape right?

Tank

 

[jimbires]

Tank , I got a small 10 point in archery season . I have not heard of very many guys getting deer this rifle season . where do you live ? I'm in Philipsburg . Jim

 

[liltank]

Howard. Got any deer up there? Need some where to go tomorrow and Friday. I've been out of the deer hunting game for a long time and haven't taken it very seriously the past two years. This year I was planning to be a little more diligent. I can help somebody build a rifle, but I suck at hunting! Well that's embarrassing! I can do pretty well with groundhogs though!gun)

Tank

 

[snowpro440]

Tank, Busted a 5pt monday 9am ,seen an 8pt or so but he was on posted ground headed the wrong way. I also seen a few does but other than that Its been quiet out there ,just not too much shooting around here with it being warm .I will be out this saturday filling my 3 doe tags .

 

[jimbires]

the herd is down . there are small pockets of deer ,usually in by houses , but overall it's not good . I hunt game lands , and they get pounded . a guy told me today that monday morning port matilda hwy (rt 322) was lined up with trucks . tuesday morning none . Jim

 

[Jinx-)]

liltank I'm at northern border with PA and on public lands here have zero deer, I got 8 pointer on the first day of the season, but that's my family land, I've seen guy from PA trying his luck here on State land. I spend all day and nobody shot single deer there... I guess them deer becoming endangered spices

 

[liltank]

liltank I'm at northern border with PA and on public lands here have zero deer, I got 8 pointer on the first day of the season, but that's my family land, I've seen guy from PA trying his luck here on State land. I spend all day and nobody shot single deer there... I guess them deer becoming endangered spices

The few bucks I have seen in people's trucks have been pretty nice. One was on private ground (which I hunted today and saw nothing), and the other was on public land in the Snow Shoe area.

Tank

 

[YZEATER]

got this one at about 50 yards , 1pm monday afternoon. we usually hunt woods the first day, then maybe go to some fields from there on out. 338 rum, accubonds. i felt under gunned.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p276/YZEATER/DEER/IMG_20111128_141153.jpg

 

[liltank]

Nice deer. Glad somebody is shooting some! Hopefully I'll find one here tomorrow or Saturday.

Tank

 

[600BP]

I took a 5point yesterday. The herd in my area of PA (area 5C) is really getting hammered because of the 100,000+ doe tags that are being issued every year. Wish you all luck.........

 

[Rob96]

What part of 5C? I am in Lehigh County and have a serious problem with it being lumped into 5C with Bucks, Philly, Montgomery and such. I can also remember back in 2001 when they first started the unlimited doe tags and guys leaving with truck beds full of doe.

Call me a conspiracy theorist but I do believe the auto insurance industry is having some leverage with the PGC. I also seem to remember reading that the PGC did a survey of homeowners and how far down they would like to see the deer herd reduced. These are the same homeowners that are purchasing homes in developments that were once farms that bordered game lands and now complain the deer are eating their professionally done landscaping. Oh lets not forget that they complain about the sound of gun fire.

The answer for this is simple, Don't buy a doe tag and dont shoot does or at least keep it to one. I know a guy that has already taken 3 doe and is going for more and it is not like he is dependent on the meat for survival.

 

[600BP]

I'm in Berks boss. The auto insurance companies are in part responsible for the large quantity of doe tags in this state. Not a conspiracy theorist either, but I am aware of the fact that certain entities were "pushed" to increase the number of deer killed due to the number of vehicle/deer crashes. Insurance companies take the hit on those crashes because you cant bill a deer for damages to a car.

In my area, it is near impossible to hunt outside of a safety zone. Developments have taken over the area, and herds of deer are literally in back yards where they cant be taken. Sad story either way.....

 

[liltank]

Well, I got lucky today. The Lord blessed me with a very nice first big PA buck. We went in to check out an area... and it produced. My brother was the first to spot it. While I was digging out the binoculars, he used the rifle to get an initial look. When he looked through the scope first, he said, "Jer.... that's a nice buck!" Then while I was getting the rifle ready (we were just checking for a place to hunt), he looked at it again with binoculars. He said, "Jer... that's a really big buck!). I was about to set up, when I remembered I should range it. Got a little excited.... okay I was very excited. So I got to a spot where I could get a solid rest. It ranged at 147yds up hill. It was very steep. I held high on the shoulder figuring for drop. It's a .308 Win 18" barrel shooting 200grn SGK's around 2200fps. I squeezed it of and saw the head flop straight over backwards toward the hill. I watched to see if it was going to run. Hind sight, I should have planted the cross hairs on it vitals. The angle was steep enough I could have just used my 100yd zero. It was pretty exciting to say the least. We had one heck of a climb to get to it. I spined it and had to finish it off. I though the neck did its work. Hind sight again tells me that when you figure out afterward that you want to mount it.... DON'T SHOOT IT IN THE NECK! It's not terribly damaged, so the taxidermist should be able to hook it up. I'll get pics on soon. It was pretty cool how this hunt went. It was perfect. I really enjoyed having my brother there to share that moment with me. He's killed plenty of bucks, one wider than this one, but not quite as tall. This will be a good memory.

Tank

 

[YZEATER]

pics?

we'll be going out for some doe for me, and bucks for the rest of my group. hopefully getting in some longer shots. going to setup on my favorite powerline valley.