THE PA. WHITETAIL DEER HUNTING TEAM: A 1976 DEER HUNTING SEASON FOR THE AGES

THE PA. WHITETAIL DEER HUNTING TEAM: A 1976 DEER HUNTING SEASON FOR THE AGES

THE PA. WHITETAIL DEER HUNTING TEAM

THE PA. WHITETAIL DEER HUNTING TEAM

A 1976 DEER HUNTING SEASON FOR THE AGES

FIRST DAY 1976 DEER SEASON

This deer hunting story will bring back memories for a lot you Pennsylvania hunters. It`s a story for the ages that took place back in the 1976 season. The place we called “THE CABIN” was located in Northeastern Pa. known as the Endless Mountains in Sullivan County on a mountain called THE TYLER. It`s all family, my father-uncles-brothers-cousins. This place we called home for hunting season was an old farm house down in the fields and you know where we hunted, that`s right up on top of – “THE Tyler Mountain”- a good two hour climb - sound familiar. Lot`s of stories in that old place from deer to rabbits and plain old everyday life. Some one always had a story, it was a great place in time.

A YEAR TO REMEMBER FOREVER

Deer season in Pa. always opens the first Monday after Thanksgiving. Well it stared to rain Sunday night, nothing new, any hunter can tell you that and

it was still raining Monday morning at 4:30 am. So me and my brother looked at each other and said “you ready” let`s go. Nothing stopped us in them days. I don`t have to tell you we got soaked. Half way up the mountain it changed over to snow. Got to our stands about 6:30 am, still snowing and getting worse, talk about die hard, that`s us. Now in those day`s we did not have the game trail camera`s we have today or maybe our hunting tactics`s would have been different, especially on a day like today. Well anyway you could`t see very far, 40 maybe 50 yards. Seen some deer around 7:am, could`t make them out. There was some shooting here and there, some were close, not bad for the lousy conditions, always on the first day “right,”you hunter`s know what I`am talking about. Did`t know at the time but my brother shot at 7:00 am.

 

NOW THINGS STARTED TO HAPPEN  It`s now 7:45 am, snowing harder then ever and here comes some deer. One – two – three – four - all doe, they stopped for a bit, started walking again, then five – six, the seventh one is a buck – scope was fogged up - snow covered – but I shot anyway. I knew I missed, shot high, never got on the deer but they did`t seem to run, so I put another shell in the chamber and it would`t cock – the bolt was frozen up on my 303 British Enfield with all the rain and snow. So now what do I do, you guested it, took a walk over to where I shot – deer were running everywhere. Speaking of deer everywhere, that`s the way it was in the olden day`s. Remember the trail camera I mentioned earlier, you probably did`t need one then, not like today with a lot less deer running around. Okay back to my story. Did`t see the buck, I knew I missed - what a feeling - first day of deer season - deer running around and a frozen gun. So I headed over to my brother, remember he shot at 7:00 am. We call him “Dead Eye” because he don`t miss - figure I get his gun. Well on the way over he shoot`s again. What was that shot for – fox – coyote - because in those day`s you are only allowed one deer. Well I was wrong, he did miss the first buck and got this one, a spike. I told my brother what happened so he gave me his gun and I headed back to my stand.                                                                                                                                                           

It`s now 1:30 pm: I turn around, there`s a spike buck looking right at me at 30 yards – open shot – my gun is on my left – deer on the right – we are staring at each other – I have no choice – went for my gun – picked it up – turned - kneed down - he`s still standing there – “can`t believe this” - I fired he takes off like I was shooting blanks. I said what the hell is going on here, two bucks the first day - two misses - no deer. I was ready to quit. I walk over where he stood – no deer – no blood – dam. Went back to my stand thinking about what just happened. You have to be blind to miss a shot like that. It`s now 3:00

pm, snow has let up quite a bit, so I decided to go back and look for sign. Well guest what, I was looking in the wrong direction. When this deer took off, he ran about 40 yards and made a 90 degree turn. I could see where he knocked snow from the laurel bushes. Then under the snow, what looked like brown leaves, was blood – a lot of blood – a few inches of snow covered over any sign but I could follow it. There - maybe 70 yards or so, laid my buck, snow covered and starting to stiffen up. 

 

HAPPY HUNTERS

Met my brother at the usual spot at the end of the day, he had his deer and I had mine. We shook hands and said “let`s get dragging” – get these deer down the mountain – have a few beers – tell our stories of today`s hunt. These were the “REAL GOOD OLD DAY`S” that I will never forget. We are still hunting today and have many more deer hunting stories like this to share with you hunters. Just one more day in the woods of a deer hunter, hope there are many more for us and all you hunter`s a like. We are “Old Die Hard Hunters” - me and my brother are the only two left now – we are not the modern day hunter`s of today but if you want stories like this to continue - I guess we have to let the high tech world of the game trail camera`s to do the looking and scouting for us. So I say to all of you HUNTER`S” DON~T GIVE UP <> DON~T EVER GIVE UP <> This Great Sport Of Deer Hunting <> See You In The Woods !!!!!

PA. WHITETAIL HISTORY

If your serious about hunting Pennsylvania white tail deer then you better get an understanding of what this animal is all about. The whitetail is a great game animal, and challenges hunters year in and year out with its crafty wilderness survival skills. Plenty of Pennsylvania hunters have had their hunting trips totally foiled by this excellent animal.

Pennsylvania has a great population of white tail deer. Their range is throughout the state and they are often seen on roadsides, in parks or recreation areas, and even in yards of homes backing close to wild woodland area. The whitetail has been part of Pennsylvania's heritage since the the first settlers stepped foot here. And the deer herd has provided clothing, shelter, and food for early settlers and Indians. In modern times the herd provides countless hours of recreational enjoyment for hunters and non hunters alike.

Pennsylvania White Tail History

Bucks, the male whitetail, and Does, the female whitetail, are native to Pennsylvania. But at one point they were very nearly hunted to extinction within the state. As Pennsylvania was being settled, much native habitat of the white tail was threatened and hunting of the species was unregulated. The over hunting of the Pennsylvania white tail was so severe in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that between 1904 and 1923 the Pennsylvania whitetail herd was virtually non-existent.

But as management techniques and habitat preservation efforts improved, the Pennsylvania whitetail population has rebounded. Now, the whitetail is a again common sight within the state.

The Keen White Tail Senses

Survival in the wild for the whitetail requires that they be alert to predators and naturally occurring environmental dangers. And that includes you if you decide to become a whitetail hunter. Because of this need, the white tail in Pennsylvania, along with the rest of the species, have developed keen senses of sight, smell, and hearing. These senses make the whitetail a competent challenge to even the most experienced hunter. They know how to evade you, and they've been doing it a long time so they're good at it.

White Tail Habitat

Pennsylvania whitetail are woodland animals, but that doesn't mean they won't use swampy or marshy areas for cover. They prefer areas with diverse ecosystems and food supplies, and look for ranges with mixes of brush and timber stands. With the advent of farming, the whitetail has become accustomed to the plentiful food supply of farmers throughout the state. With this added advantage, the herd tends to congregate along hedgerows of farmers fields seeking out easy feed.

White Tail Deer Activity

Pennsylvania whitetail are active around the clock, but in the evening activity increases. They are not necessarily nocturnal, which allows stand and stalk hunters ample opportunity during the day to take a shot. Typically, activity increases in the rut when Bucks seek Does for mating.

 
We've been hunting Pennsylvania white tail since 1959. If you want more information about hunting white tail contact us here. And don't forget to stop by our store to check out the great deals on Game Trail Cameras and other high tech hunting gear.  www.mountaintrailcams.com

The Pennsylvania White Tail Hunt Team

　

THE 2013 PENNSYLVANIA DEER SEASON

Depending on your management unit, the Pennsylvania whitetail season opens September 2nd 2013 and runs through January 25th 2014. So depending on your mode of hunting and whether you want to take a buck or a doe, you will be able to find whitetail hunting throughout the State during these dates. Here's a link to the DCNR for Pennsylvania hunting season details. That's plenty of time to find a few days and get into the woods. But is the extended season good for the herd?

Is The Deer Season Too Long?

A quick trip to the comment section of PennLive.com's web site will quickly tell you that there are many points of contention about the length, and harvest numbers in Pennsylvania's deer hunt. Biologist have come up with management numbers that sit better with with a lot of seasoned hunters than they do the legislators in Harrisburg. And some are saying that the legislators in Harrisburg seem to be out of touch with the reality of the herd and may be acting in the interest of the insurance companies. Ultimately, the questions are being asked if the herd is being jeopardized because of the long season and plentiful harvest numbers.

But realistically, keeping the deer season longer allows access to a lot more hunters. Comments on the site include some that say a working man doesn't have access to a heck of a lot of free time, and plenty of Pennsylvania hunters are lucky if they can get into the woods for two or three days even with the extended seasons.

Other veterans respond to these calls by saying that the herd has been thinned to the point that where when once thirty to forty deer would be seen in a day, there are now barely ten. This has alarmed some.

PennLive points out that plenty of biologists want the season to return to the traditional two week rifle season running concurrent for antlered and anterless. And while some hunters may enjoy the benefits of having a longer season, the two week season seems to be preferred by hunters 30 and younger. The veteran hunters, those over 60, seem to line up in opposition to shortening the season.

Is The Herd Too Thin Too early

PennLive adds that some in power think shortening the season, and restricting the harvest would be beneficial to the overall hunting community. Quoting Commissioner Ronald Weaner, PennLive states "There are a whole lot of our population that are rifle-only hunters, who hunt one day a year or three days a year. I don't want to disenfranchise them by killing off half the deer before they get a chance to hunt."

Split Seasons Splitting Pennsylvania Hunters

Pennsylvania deer hunters remain split on the benefits or drawbacks of extending the season. Some see that giving more time to the season gives more access to hunters that otherwise would miss out. But others see it as too much hunting too fast and those who can only get into the woods late in the season would be missing out on plenty of the good whitetail action.

Regardless of the your position, it seems that it's increasingly important for you to truly understand the herd, and how to hunt in Pennsylvania.

We've been hunting Pennsylvania white tail since 1959. If you want more information about hunting white tail contact us here. And don't forget to stop by our store to check out the great deals on Game Trail Cameras and other high tech hunting gear. www.mountaintrailcams.com

The Pennsylvania White Tail Hunt Team

　

　

FACTS ABOUT THE WHITETAIL DEER

The Whitetail Deer

One of the things we strongly believe in here at Pennsylvania White Tail Hunt, is that you need to know as many facts about the whitetail deer as possible. The more you know, the better your chances for a successful hunt. So we've taken some time to put together some facts on white tail deer. It's not inclusive of everything about the whitetail here in Pennsylvania, but it's a decent start. When you get into the woods, you'll start filling in the gaps. That's one of the great things about the sport of hunting, learning how to do it.



Senses

Any hunter will tell you that hearing, sight, and smell of the whitetail is highly developed. The deer use their hearing to alert them to predators, including you, that are nearby. Sight, obviously suits the same purpose as well as keeping them in the know about where they are going. And smell caps the list. The sense of smell of the whitetail deer is among the most highly developed. While sight may not be as high on the list of survival tools the whitetail has, smell and hearing definitely are.

Food sources

Pennsylvania whitetail eat from a variety of sources. And knowing what your local herd is feeding off of will come in handy. Look for corn, wild crab apple, honeysuckle, acorns, jewel-weed, green-briar and other solid stands of miscellaneous woody plants. The area you hunt is going to dictate the food source for the heard, so scouting your area thoroughly and knowing what's abundant and what's not will help you set up or stalk. Remember, food varies with plenty of conditions, so you have to study your local area and watch closely to see what the feed source is.

Reproduction

The reproductive cycle of the whitetail in Pennsylvania starts during the rut in late fall. Typically the rut starts in mid October and runs through mid to late November. But a second rut sometimes occurs in December. Bucks will chase does for up to a week prior to mating with them. The buck and the doe will mate several times during this process and remain with her for a few days. But after the mating is complete, the buck leaves the doe in search of more mates. This is why when you see a doe, look closely for the buck. More often than not, he's standing off in the distance watching to see what's going on.

When the doe gives birth, she will typically have twins. The fawns are quickly born and adapt quickly to the surroundings. Fawn weight depends on sex, with bucks weighing in around four to fourteen pounds and does weighing in at three to eight pounds. The family group of the doe and fawns will remain together until the following spring at which time the fawns move out on their own and the doe returns to her favorite breeding area.

The Bottom Line

You need to scout your hunting area well to get the details of the herd in your area. Knowing what is feeding, where common trails are, and where rubs are located allow you to set your stand or know were to stalk. But remember this, studying the habits and life of the whitetail is part of the journey of hunting, and your knowledge will increase each year you get out in the woods.

We've been hunting Pennsylvania white tail since 1959. If you want more information about hunting white tail contact us here. And don't forget to stop by our store to check out the great deals on Game Trail Cameras and other high tech hunting gear. www.mountaintrailcams.com

The Pennsylvania White Tail Hunt Team

　

　

THE PENNSYLVANIA WHITE TAILED DEER

The white-tailed deer has been such a staple of Pennsylvania's heritage that it has become the state animal. The white-tail is so important to the economy and the biodiversity of the Pennsylvania wilds that we feel you need to pay heed to this animal and get involved in the ongoing preservation and management of the Pennsylvania white-tail deer herd.

History

The white-tailed deer is native to Pennsylvania. Before European settlers arrived, the native Indians used the white-tail as a source of clothing, food, and shelter. In these times, it is estimated that the Pennsylvania white-tail herd averaged eight to ten animals per acre. Nature kept the balance of the herd with controls of natural predators such as mountain lions and wolves, and yes, people.

When the first settlers arrived in Pennsylvania, the hunters were accustomed to the landowners owning the natural wildlife of the land. The newly arrived settlers took a different view of this set up, and instead dictated that the wildlife belonged to all citizens. It was this basis that established the open hunting of the American wilderness. Where Europeans regarded landowners as the caretakers of the wildlife, the Americans took it upon the general population to control and administer the herds.

Hunted To The Brink

With this new way of controlling the game populations, regulations and controls were lax. Plenty of wild populations within the United States were hunted to the point of extinction, and the Pennsylvania white-tailed deer was no exception.

The lack of control and unregulated hunting practices of the early settlers decimated the native populations of the white-tailed deer in Pennsylvania. It was only when regulations were enacted, and with concerted efforts of active managers that the herd was restored.

Restoration Of The Herd

Pennsylvania's white-tail herd underwent restoration projects at the turn of the twentieth century. Deer were imported from Michigan and Kentucky to repopulate the Pennsylvania lands.

The white-tail is a hearty, robust animal and soon the restoration projects began to take hold. Rapid reproduction and better management of state lands, which had be clear cut, allowed for the white-tail herd to recover. In fact, where the land had been clear cut for timber, new growth forest emerged which proved invaluable in fortifying the newly populated deer herd.

A Very Productive Species

White-tail deer are a very productive species with doe, the female, generally producing two to three fawns each year. These fawns are quick to adapt to their surroundings and will reproduce themselves within a short period.

One Michigan study indicates that ten deer, left to freely mate, could populate an 1,100 acre area with up to 200 deer. If nothing else, this study shows that the white-tailed deer are a resilient animal.

Grace And Beauty

White tail deer are graceful and beautiful animals which play an important role in the Eco-system of Pennsylvania. The future of the Pennsylvania woodlands and its deer herd are intertwined, and to expect one to survive without the other is unrealistic.

Our job as hunters is to actively participate in the management of the white-tail deer herd. You do your part by becoming an excellent hunter, knowledgeable in the health, growth, and management of the Pennsylvania white-tailed deer herd.

We've been hunting Pennsylvania white tail since 1959. If you want more information about hunting white tail contact us here. And don't forget to stop by our store to check out the great deals on Game Trail Cameras and other high tech hunting gear. www.mountaintrailcams.com
The Pennsylvania White Tail Hunt Team



　

GARY <> THE PA. WHITETAIL DEER HUNTER

Okay, so we talk about a lot of things here, but the best thing we like to talk about is hunting white-tailed deer. It's what we do, so we like to talk about it. And what we're going to start with is some basic stuff to try and get your hunt successful. Here are some tips and tricks to get prepared to hit the field.

Know Your Area

The basics of white-tails are essential to get started, and you can get some basic facts about white-tailed deer here. But even with the basics, every herd of deer is going to be just slightly different than any other. The reason is that the terrain is going to be different, the cover is going to be different, and the food source is going to be different. That means that you need to scout your hunt pretty well before you decide to set a stand.

Head out to your location before the rut and get a look at the lay of the land. Pay particular attention to trails. Try to spot where the deer are moving and what features they seem to be following. And look for natural food sources. Try to pick up on what the deer have been feeding on during the summer. Get an idea for what is coming into season for food, and figure out were these feeding patches are.

Have A Plan

You won't have much luck if you wake up the day before hunting season and just then start to plan your hunt. You need to make sure you've got enough logistics in place to be successful. That means that you have to prep your area, make sure you have permissions, get your gear in order, and do some research into the herd.

You want to know as much about what has been going on with the DCNR's management techniques last year and through the summer, and you want to find out if this is going to affect your plans. Getting successful in the hunt is like getting successful in anything. It's as much about the preparation as it is the actual doing.

Get Your Gear In Order

Make a checklist of things you need to get done for the hunt. This should include checking all your gear to make sure its in good order, lists of supplies that you'll need to replenish before you head out, making sure all your arrangements are in order before you go, and sighting in your rifle or bow.

The last place you want to find out that you're missing something that you need is in the field on opening day. Getting prepared for the hunt before hand will make sure that when you do get out in the stand you've got a good shot at getting a good shot.

We've been hunting Pennsylvania white tail since 1959. If you want more information about hunting white tail contact us here. And don't forget to stop by our store to check out the great deals on Game Trail Cameras and other high tech hunting gear.  www.mountaintrailcams.com

　

The Pennsylvania White Tail Hunt Team