[Born2Hunt]

It says under the Topic "General hunting boards" "This is the place to ask questions" and I must Wonder:

I do not know what the population of whitetail are outside of my area; however those of you who see very few deer and are unhappy with your sightings do any of the following?

Scout:
After snow is on the ground to determine deer population from tracks, bed downs, feeding areas, and trails?

During the Winter months when the ground is bare and the leaves are off the trees to expose the rubs, scrapes, beaten trails and other deer sign?

Hunt for shed antlers after the season?

Put out trail cams?

Improve skill level:

Follow good proven hunting practices and methods and spent an sufficient amount of time honing your basic hunting skills through reading talking to veteran hunters etc. I don't mean watching TV hunting shows which teach very little.

Improve habitat:

Do anything to promote deer food and cover and I don't mean putting out a salt block or pouring out some "magic" product hope for a miracle.

Be truthful and if you do the above and determine the deer population is very low in the area WHY DO YOU HUNT THERE then complain?

 

[blackpowder]

do it all but trailcams.

 

[Dale Sholder]

I dont have a lot of time to scout nor much of anything else but I still manage to see a few deer every year and even kill a couple now and then. I go into every year with the feeling that I will see deer and if i do my part right kill 1 or 2. Doesnt matter buck or doe to be honest havent shoot a buck since the first year of antler restrictions. According to some on here I should either be complaining to the PGC that I need more deer to kill a buck or do things differently. I dont care whats on a deers head i have no qualms about shooting does.

 

[Realtree1014]

I do everything but hunt shed antlers anymore. They're like finding a needle in a haystack. But i also dont complain about not seeing any deer. I actually go out expecting not to see any, so seeing some is a bonus in my eyes.

 

[G.C. Archer]

Interesting post on this one. I'm fortunate enough to live in a part of the state where deer tend to be plentiful. Even with that scenario, I scout every week, all year-round. Whether it's hanging stands, trail cams, or just walking the woods with the binocs, I'm always doing something to help me the following season.

 

[runningdeer]

I just got back from walking several areas that I want or wanted to hunt. Jot down a few notes in a notebook and I have a starting point for next year. By the way I found some BIG rubs and a fair amount of tracks and poo.

 

[fowlman]

im on a high horse

 

[Tidewaterguide]

It says under the Topic "General hunting boards" "This is the place to ask questions" and I must Wonder:

I do not know what the population of whitetail are outside of my area; however those of you who see very few deer and are unhappy with your sightings do any of the following?

Scout:
After snow is on the ground to determine deer population from tracks, bed downs, feeding areas, and trails?

During the Winter months when the ground is bare and the leaves are off the trees to expose the rubs, scrapes, beaten trails and other deer sign?

Hunt for shed antlers after the season?

Put out trail cams?

Improve skill level:

Follow good proven hunting practices and methods and spent an sufficient amount of time honing your basic hunting skills through reading talking to veteran hunters etc. I don't mean watching TV hunting shows which teach very little.

Improve habitat:

Do anything to promote deer food and cover and I don't mean putting out a salt block or pouring out some "magic" product hope for a miracle.

Be truthful and if you do the above and determine the deer population is very low in the area WHY DO YOU HUNT THERE then complain?

Hi Born,
I guess to answer your question about deer population in easter PA and western PA (where you are) there seems to be a big difference in deer densities. That can be attributed to many things.

1. Farm country VS Big woods Farm areas with decent blocks of timber and interconnected woodlots have more food and cover than big woods areas particulalry in th pole timber stage where there is little in the way of forest floor plants to feed on.

2. Public VS Private land Hunters that hunt public land deal with more adversity and generally lower deer populations and poorer habitat which they have no way of improving. Private land has better habitat on the average, but hunters can pressure the deer into being completely nocturnal or chased onto non accessable areas.

To answer your question, I hunt mostly public land in WMU 3B that is mountainous and may be miles from the nearest crops. Deer movement is based on bedding cover and food sources that may change yearly (be available one year and nothing at all in the same place the next. There are days when I see no deer and days when I see 6-12. I have not had a year (except this year because I did not hunt at all) that I couldn't have taken several deer.

What terrain and circumstances are you hunting in your area? Farms? Public? Private? Big properties? Urban deer?

 

[fowlman]

I hunt 3b also....i wish i could drive the 3 hours everyday to scout.

 

[Goosehunter]

Be truthful and if you do the above and determine the deer population is very low in the area WHY DO YOU HUNT THERE then complain?

The Forum doesn't say this is the place to ask the same questions over and over again, especially when you know the answer to the question.
If I was still into hunting deer, there's no doubt I would move our camp in Clinton County to an area near you. Then maybe we'd have at least one hunter in camp for the opening day of Rifle season.
Did ya notice there was no complaining in my answer?

 

[25ftup]

I hunt 3B too. My scouting consists of maybe 1 or 2 late season walks. Spring turkey once or twice, stand prep in late summer and the hanging of cams, then archery hunting all season. We killed 4 bucks this year in rifle that were all spotted during archery. I am also 2.5 hours away. By the way the best scouting tool I have found is a late season grouse hunt with snow on the ground.

 

[Tatonka]

Maybe if we put deer in the governments entitelment programs we could all get one each year and not have to work for one!!!!

 

[fowlman]

im just a 3 day rifle hunter....Deer dont mean that much to me...I love grouse hunting and waterfowl hunting plus a little trapping..I love late season grouse, but i notice more coyote sign then anything....

 

[keystone-hunter]

Maybe if we put deer in the governments entitelment programs we could all get one each year and not have to work for one!!!!

No thanks. I think most would just be happy to see responsible reasonable management taking place.

 

[R. S. B.]

Maybe if we put deer in the governments entitelment programs we could all get one each year and not have to work for one!!!!

No thanks. I think most would just be happy to see responsible reasonable management taking place.

If that were really the case everyone would already be happy.

Dick Bodenhorn

 

[keystone-hunter]

Its nice to see you have a good sense of humor rsb.

 

[buckmasters243]

Be truthful and if you do the above and determine the deer population is very low in the area WHY DO YOU HUNT THERE then complain?

Because people don't have money or time to go to the places they'd like

 

[Clearfield12]

And we ALL cant possibly live in deer rich Washington county so people make due with what they have......

 

[gary3414]

I do all of that except the trail cams and complaining. The reason I go to those places is for health reasons. I take my elderly father and uncle who both have heart conditions and can't walk far. Plus I have to be close to a hospital so my choices are limited.

 

[chuckalope]

I work very hard, I have never complained. I get myself and the kids deer every year. However, I find it comical that the thread was started from someone from Washington County. Any novice hunter could get on deer in Washington county and not have to try hard.