[Matchman]

O M , what 25ftup suggested, SGL's 57 & 13 , also a little further north 12 & 36.
Pressure is light during archery , is you can't find some elbow room there you're not trying. Good luck.

 

[wis bang]

Having hunted, mostly, state forest around my family leased cabin, The vast orange army is much less a factor than it was in years past. Archery is popular but hunting outside of the opening day and Saturdays means a real lack of others.

We are north of the popular ag land and find more deer close to the developments than in deep.

Thousands of acres available to explore.

 

[jeffppc]

Most of my life I hunted private land. That is no longer the case. What I think I have figured out after several years is that the rut is not the primetime. Why, that is the question. I hunt a very large tract of Pa SGL.. As soon as the many early season ML, youth, Sr, whatever kick off, all those nice bucks your seeing headed for the hills. In my younger years When I did hunt public ground, anything less than an hour walk in I never considered. Now in my mid 70's that's not an option, at least not to drag one back out. So, the early days of October that I use to ignore have now become my prime time. Just something you might want to keep in mind planning your new strategies. Good luck.

 

[Archer1983]

Most of my life I hunted private land. That is no longer the case. What I think I have figured out after several years is that the rut is not the primetime. Why, that is the question. I hunt a very large tract of Pa SGL.. As soon as the many early season ML, youth, Sr, whatever kick off, all those nice bucks your seeing headed for the hills. In my younger years When I did hunt public ground, anything less than an hour walk in I never considered. Now in my mid 70's that's not an option, at least not to drag one back out. So, the early days of October that I use to ignore have now become my prime time. Just something you might want to keep in mind planning your new strategies. Good luck.

You know one thing I learned this season was to not overlook areas with hot sign close to the road the first week or so of the season. Much easier drags and walks in and out plus the deer are there! It is nice to have a 20 min walk vs that hour plus walk.

 

[wis bang]

The 'gated' road they open near my camp was logged...er. "Deadwood recovery cut" over the past 6 - 8 years. The front 4 sections were all cut by the same guy working mostly alone. He had stories, every flintlock season I'd see him while walking in the now closed road. He or some DCNR guy always got a deer where he was cutting.

My last few deer were back by the cabin, close to the encroaching 'civilization'....

 

[EIGHT POINT]

I am new to PA, just moved here form Missouri, and looking for game lands to archery hunt. I can find them easy enough, PA seems to have tons open to the public. How to you find out how heavily pressured the area is? seems like most everything on the eastern side of the state is within an hour of some major area (philly, reading, allentown/bethlehem, scranton, and so on) do you go to the lands and hike back in em? (which Im not afraid of) or just find different lands?

in missouri it was easier to find places away from large cities... any tips?

and Yeah, I know I can go door knocking, i've knocked on so many doors my knuckles bleed. no luck. One guy accused me of being the dude who shot a deer off his property last week with a crossbow.. i don't even own a crossbow. so that was fun...

Welcome to Pa.
I would prefer to leave Pa and move to Missouri but that's another story.
Have a nice Missouri 9pt on my wall from years ago...
I would suggest French Creek State park and surrounding game lands.
There is a lot of woods but be careful if gun hunting as part of it is shotgun only.
Good luck...