PA deer season ends on Saturday, Dec. 10

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Steelbanger
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PA deer season ends on Saturday, Dec. 10

Post by Steelbanger »

Good morning,

And what a cold, wet season we've had. Most days I didn't even see a doe but on other days I saw plenty of deer. On the first day, early in the afternoon, I heard shooting on Mike's neighbors place which is to my left. Only heard two shots which I took as a good sign, meaning success. About 5 minutes later another shot was fired, this one was much closer. Now I am changed to high alert as I scan the woods. Then I saw the movement of a running deer, then spotted another behind by about 20-25 yds and both were bucks! We have to be sure about antler restrictions but it is almost impossible to get a good count when the deer are moving swiftly through the woods. I figured both racks as 6 to 8 points on either deer then got my 38-55 up and swiftly put the crosswire where it had to be.The first deer was already running through the heavy, thick brush and that left me with one chance at the trailing deer. I missed and then the deer was gone. I walked to where they ran and searched for sign but didn't even find a single hair or drop of blood. And that is the tale of the first deer I missed in the last 20 (estimated) years.

Although it's Friday I am going to hunt this afternoon for my final attempt of the year. Our weather is supposed to be really cold with high temps of right around 30º. Plus, my knees, ankles, back and assorted other parts are really bothering me. I was thinking of taking my 30-06 for this final hunt but then decided against that and will be sticking with the 38-55.

I will be having the farm to myself today since Mike can't hunt due to spending time with his son plus the hunter numbers diminish as the season progresses to its final days. The final hurrah of 2016!
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Re: PA deer season ends on Saturday, Dec. 10

Post by Jaybm »

Good Luck !
I don't hunt any longer due to increasing age and all those things
you already mentioned.
An Arctic Blast is predicted for our neck of the woods in SC.
Neither the dog or I are real anxious to venture out this
morning.
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Re: PA deer season ends on Saturday, Dec. 10

Post by Ranch Dog »

Wish you the best this afternoon! Not much going on here, the season has been slow with an absence of old bucks. I'm thinking next week I will shoot a couple of does. Cold here this morning, 36°. Joe said he was going to go out but I didn't see or here his truck go by the house.
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Re: PA deer season ends on Saturday, Dec. 10

Post by Moon Tree »

Good luck, Steelbanger. May the 11th hour of the season be your finest hour.
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Re: PA deer season ends on Saturday, Dec. 10

Post by LowKey »

Good story, and good luck.

The biggest buck I've ever seen taken was in Alabama during the last hour of dusk
on the last day of hunting season.

The man who shot it said when he first saw it across the field in the diminishing light,
he thought it was a horse!
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Re: PA deer season ends on Saturday, Dec. 10

Post by Steelbanger »

I may as well fill you guys in on the happenings during my final deer hunts of this 2016 Flintlock Season. I hunted four or five times this season and yesterday was my last although the season closes on Saturday and I have two more days to try, but enough is enough. Our shooting hours have been complained about for years and our Game commission changed them a few years back giving us an extra half hour after sunset. My problem with these hours is the fact that I can't see my front sight through the aperture sight on my Hawken. Optical sights are called for whenever it's getting dark but only open sights are allowed and I believe that half the darkness is only occurring in my eyes.

Last Thursday I spent the final two hours in my stand and saw the most deer of any deer this season. There were between 8 & 15 deer in the bunch that tried to pass through but then got the alarm and turned back. A few minuted later two does showed up heading to the clearing that I figured as a good spot to wait for them to be in and then choose one to shoot. After waiting for these two to move forward they finally started and the lead doe stopped exactly where I wished earlier that she would. A medium sized Oak tree having about a 20" diameter was directly behind chest the deer which would stop any bullet that made it through this deer. I checked my watch and it was 4:59. As I positioned myself for the 50 yd. shot a problem arose that I hadn't expected, I couldn't see the front sight! I jiggled around and caught glimpses of it but so when I thought things were aligned I squeezed off the shot. Man but I have always loved the two trigger setup on these Hawken rifles. Back to the deer, that deer took off so fast with high leaps, flag a-waving and headed for the thick cover. I got out of my stand and walked to the tree where the deer had been standing, nothing to see here. No hair, blood, or sign of impact to the tree either. I had about 20 minutes of time remaining so I started to follow the deer trail which was pretty obvious since she was putting out all her deer power in these leaps. The trail showed that she slowed as she came upon the road through the woods and I looked as carefully as I could for sign, but nothing. It was almost quitting time and so rather than getting farther away I stopped the search for clues.

Yesterday I gave it the final hunt as the temps were in the very high 50's and the wind wasn't too bad although it changed direction about twice every 15 minutes. A brief description of the hunt - nothing seen except two squirrels who were heading home after a day of searching for that elusive nut.

Next Friday I have an appointment with an eye doctor. I sure hope these cataracts are ready because I certainly am.
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Re: PA deer season ends on Saturday, Dec. 10

Post by Ranch Dog »

Sorry it didn't work out Frank but I'm glad you were out there.

Weird season for me as my dad wasn't in shape to go out. He has been getting the injections in his shooting eye which has made an incredible change with the wet macular degeneration that has come about. He is good to shoot now but he tore his right rotator cuff for the third time which is not good but he is will have a reverse joint shoulder replacement the first week of February which will cure that so maybe next season will be better.

It was also the hottest deer season I remember with most daytime highs in the low to mid 80s. The season at the ranch ended the first Sunday of January but I went to a Wildlife Management Area Tuesday, about an hour and a half west of me, that was holding their last four day hunt. They had 4 standby positions plus the drawn hunters and only about 30 guys showed up for the on site drawing. None of the spots were meant for me so I came on home. I did enjoy the drive though. It would have been an awful week of hunting because the highs are right where they have been with south winds up to 30 mph!

Next year I should be a Type II property as Parks & Wildlife sees it and will be issued both buck & antlerless permits that hunters use instead of the tags on their licenses. It will mean that our hunting season starts the last Saturday of September and runs through the last Sunday of February. It is a long season but you can only use the tags that have been issued to the property. More utility for hunting but I'm thinking the October rut might be the best deal for my dad. Weather is always pleasant and the bucks are very busy.

That last light is a fact of life for our hunting. Our desert critters just don't move until dark and is they why you just don't see hunters using but scoped rifles or muzzleloaders. Heck, every crossbow I've seen in the field has had a scope on it too.
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