[007hunter]

I just got back from a recon mission at a local SGL. I've been to this SGL before but never as far back as I was today. By far the best area I've found, was today, at the furthest boundary of this SGL. According to my GPS, I walked from this spot, 1.2 miles back to the parking lot in about 45 minutes due to the terrain. Now I know this isn't exactly super far, but in reality because of the distance and time it takes to get in/out, I would likely only hunt it a couple times in a season. What is your limit and why?

 

[59Willys]

Depends how young you are and health, With a total knee replacement that's about my limit for walking, Cut that in 1/2 or more to shoot a deer

 

[Hunter8319]

I don't have a limit in PA when it comes to distance. I haven't found any public pieces local to me that are too far to cart or pack a deer out. Elevation is a real limiting factor though. I've found some great spots that have been slid into the not practical/last ditch effort category. Climbing 7-800 vertical feet to get to a secluded bench sounds awesome but its not.

 

[NWPAhunter]

That’s my limit. Have tree stand close about 3 minute walk from truck, and one about 45 mins. After work or not much time, hunt close one. I don’t hunt doe but even if did would not shot one that far from truck during the week when working. Sucks walking out in dark learned the hard way take a back up headlamp. Definitely more picky when have a mile drag compared to a few hundred yards. On game lands and closer spot just as many buck as the stand far away. I don’t know why just seems more like trophy to me and had to earn it when a mile back.

 

[Bigbrownie]

A lot depends on the terrain. There’s places in the SF that aren’t 200 yards off the road but are almost vertical. Those deer can stay there, I’m not going to pull one out of there.
I hunt in Sproul SF about 7/10 of a mile from my vehicle. Fairly level, not a bad haul out. I’m 63 and I think about the drag before I pull the trigger ,
At home they all go for a ride behind the quad.

 

[NWPAhunter]

A lot depends on the terrain. There’s places in the SF that aren’t 200 yards off the road but are almost vertical. Those deer can stay there, I’m not going to pull one out of there.
I hunt in Sproul SF about 7/10 of a mile from my vehicle. Fairly level, not a bad haul out. I’m 63 and I think about the drag before I pull the trigger ,
At home they all go for a ride behind the quad.

My biggest problem is time. I don’t like shooting one during the work week. I shot a bear with Inline last year and didn’t recover but owe it to the animal to call off and follow up on it. And I hate missing work. After that kinda makes me think twice during the week.

 

[yellodog]

I shot one a few years ago that died down in a steep ravine. It was so steep i couldn't let go of him while I was pulling him out or he'd slide back in. After I got him to the top he was only 25 yds from the edge of a feild, but that was quite a job getting him to the feild and it was almost "too far."

 

[Young Timer]

I turned 65 last year. It seems "too far" is getting closer to the truck all the time.....

 

[SlickShot]

When I was younger distance was not a factor in my approach to hunting, as a Army Veteran I considered myself in good shape and could drag a deer out of any terrain in encountered, Now that was back in the late 60`s. 70`s & 80`s. With that being said, as the years crept up on me I became a little smarter and wiser, and found that that all the big bucks were not 2 miles away from my truck, but in fact right behind my house. So now I have a few ladder stands a 5 min. walk from the house and have a friends Phone # in my wallet for help with a drag..
So I would say the younger you are, hike as far back in the forest as you can to hunt and on your way out .kick a big buck to us old timers sitting just off the trail waiting.....

 

[Lycomingflyfisher]

I hunt many spots in the .75-2mile range from the truck in archery. In rifle season, due to still hunting and not carrying a stand I am not afraid to go much farther.

I think everyone can agree that the spots with a 30 min to hr walk in are not your typical weeknight evening spot, unless you have the next day off. Major elevation change is what kills me, if I am going to deal with a 600-800 elevation change and carry a stand it better be for good reason and I will also be more selective of what I shoot. Learning how to quarter and pack a deer out is much easier than dragging. I recently got a saddle and am accumulating additional gear to one stick and rappel. I plan to be much more mobile with my in season scouting this year looking for acorns and fresh scrape activity in early to mid Oct. I am hopeful this allows me to hunt some of my more remote spots more effectively than carrying a climber a mile through laurel.

 

[007hunter]

I hunt many spots in the .75-2mile range from the truck in archery. In rifle season, due to still hunting and not carrying a stand I am not afraid to go much farther.

I think everyone can agree that the spots with a 30 min to hr walk in are not your typical weeknight evening spot, unless you have the next day off. Major elevation change is what kills me, if I am going to deal with a 600-800 elevation change and carry a stand it better be for good reason and I will also be more selective of what I shoot. Learning how to quarter and pack a deer out is much easier than dragging. I recently got a saddle and am accumulating additional gear to one stick and rappel. I plan to be much more mobile with my in season scouting this year looking for acorns and fresh scrape activity in early to mid Oct. I am hopeful this allows me to hunt some of my more remote spots more effectively than carrying a climber a mile through laurel.

There’s no way I’d even consider carrying a stand and all my gear that far in. Saddle and one sticking are the way to go. Apparently I had forgotten how bad it sucks carrying a stand in was, as I decided to take my lone wolf sit n climb for a hunt in rifle this year. First time using it in 2 years. 3/4 mile down and back up a brutal hillside was enough for me. I sold it a week later.

 

[Lycomingflyfisher]

There’s no way I’d even consider carrying a stand and all my gear that far in. Saddle and one sticking are the way to go. Apparently I had forgotten how bad it sucks carrying a stand in was, as I decided to take my lone wolf sit n climb for a hunt in rifle this year. First time using it in 2 years. 3/4 mile down and back up a brutal hillside was enough for me. I sold it a week later.

The good thing about those hikes is that your by yourself when you get there. Or so I thought, one day this year I had a guy walk in behind me with a crossbow. He never saw me until he was within 5 yds of my tree. After some small talk he was in the middle of about a 5 mile loop walk mostly scouting for bear. I knew where his truck was parked and this guy did some serious walking.

 

[Dogface]

I’m 63 and I think about the drag before I pull the trigger ,
At home they all go for a ride behind the quad.

I'm a lot older than BB and before I hunt anywhere I think about the drag.

 

[rogersb]

2 miles is as far as I've gone. I shot a doe last year around a mile in but I have a cart so getting a deer out isn't a big deal. I would never shoot one back that far if I actually had to drag it out.

 

[yellodog]

Like many discussions, this one probably has a lot to do with where you hunt. Nobody in 1A is "walking in" 2 miles. A few hills mebey, but no mountains here. I'm guessing theres other areas like this in the SE?

 

[59Willys]

I'm a lot older than BB and before I hunt anywhere I think about the drag.

I'm older then both of you and don't think about the drag! That's my grandson problem

 

[yellodog]

My brother shot one where they had access to the property only on a powerline ROW. it was a measured mile to the property they were hunting, just rolling hills on that ROW. We dragged one out of there on an 80 degree october afternoon and it had almost no hair left on one side when we finally made it to the road. We we both about 30 then.

 

[59Willys]

Years ago shot a doe so far back, Now what, It's getting late sun starting to set,wouldn't get back to camp till midnight! ate what I could and started my walk out.

 

[bohunr]

YEARS AGO.....many years ago, i was in elk county, looking over a topo map i had. i picked a nice flat spot way up on top, that was surrounded by rather steep hillsides. i figured no one else would be there but a nice buck would be. i checked the wind and off i went. when i got to the top, i saw several other hunters already there. then i saw an access trail that i used to get back on, real easy walking...
made a note to get updated maps...

 

[GSP66]

A lot depends on the terrain. There’s places in the SF that aren’t 200 yards off the road but are almost vertical. Those deer can stay there, I’m not going to pull one out of there.
I hunt in Sproul SF about 7/10 of a mile from my vehicle. Fairly level, not a bad haul out. I’m 63 and I think about the drag before I pull the trigger ,
At home they all go for a ride behind the quad.

Very true! My oldest went off on his own on the last day of the Oct ML season this year and set up only about 100 yards from a parking area. But it was straight down from the parking area. I should also mention that when the gas company built the parking area (that also holds a well) they just threw all the tree tops and stuff that wasn't taken for lumber off the side of the hill ... so its not easy walking through there even without trying to pull a deer up, over, or under those logs. He ended up shooting an adult sized doe about an hour before quitting time - as her and two others fed up from the bottom. At the shot she of course turned and ran back the way she came ... straight to the bottom. I think he learned a lesson that night to think about the drag when he experienced the effort it took for three of us to get that deer out of there ... and he's only 18!

In hindsight - we probably should have taken the deer either down or up the holler - although it was a longer drag - it wasn't straight up hill and wasn't through the crap next to the parking area and we would have eventually run into a road in either direction.