dbleyepatches

Well I got my bow all put back together and I am just about done fletching my new arrows. Took the family to Cabelas last night so I could get a new broadhead target. Hope to go out this afternoon and hang my 2 stands if the rain lets up. Just 7 days until the season opens!

Man you guys have some good places to hunt. Seeing nice bucks in the 130 class would be jaw dropping to me. Scouting where I hunt is not very productive now with all of the corn still in. The deer usually stay in the corn until after dark.

There are good deer around here, but it is getting hard to get onto good land (unless you're willing to pay a lease). Are you guys seeing most of the good hunting land being leased in your area?

quiksilver

Daniel - not much in the line of leasing going on around here. Lots of small parcels, privately-owned and posted. A big tract of land in SW PA would be right around 100 acres, so there just isn't much sense in leasing anything that small.

That said, a 130" buck around here is top-end. We have a fair amount of 100" deer, and a ton of 1.5's, but the numbers thin out as you get into that 3.5 year old age class. We have a good state management plan, but just too many hunters and not enough land.

Sounds like you're serious about filling a buck tag this fall, and I hope everything plays out for you. So early-season, will you be hunting muleys or whitetails?

Al, Jason: Seriously - if either of you want those heads, just say the word. Hell, I don't care if you just use them to shoot tweety birds or do penetration tests on junk cars. LOL

Danno: That buck is a real stud! By the way, I was careful not to motorboat any falsies!

SouthDakotaHunter

Dan2,

My area is pretty much all crop land, so our deer like to hang out in the corn fields as well. So that's ususally my early season hunting strategy, hunting stands right next to corn fields or heavy cover. Hope to get them as they walk on the outside....

Certainly some land isbeing leased, but the issue around my neck of the woods is that like 90% of the land doesn't have ANY cover and doesn't hold many deer. So the 10% of the land that is huntable, someone is usually hunting already.

If you actually know the landowner (or part of the good ol' boy network)it's not to bad. But for some 'random' guy to stop and ask to hunt - A LOT TOUGHER.....

Ireally wish I could buy a little patch of land, but the costhas just risen through the roof the last few years - so I don't know if that will ever be an option.... [:@]

130woodman

Jason here is my advise on buying land. So take it for what's it's worth. In these economic times there is a lot of land that is up for grabs right now. Just because it say's $2000 an acre doesn't mean you have to pay it. Look for land that has been on the market for along time. Then go in with a lowball offer. Tell them to sit on it for a while and see what happens. The good thing about owning land is the right offs come tax time.Good luck.

By the way I am 5 count them 5 days away from opening day.

NY/Al

Hell Fran if no one else wants em i'll take em!


Hunting is really nota big deal around my parts, NY is not top of the list as far as pursuing big bucks in concerned, kinda under the radar. I am yet to see people lease land just for hunting purposes. Its all knock on doors and beg for mercy pretty much. It is very possible that on any given day i can go out and get permission to hunt 100 acres. I just dont ask anymore because i have plenty of good spots that im still trying to learn. Im very grateful the way things are!

130woodman

Here are the top five bucks pick which 1 you would shoot.

130woodman

#3

130woodman

#4

130woodman

#5

NY/Al

Number 2 i would say...but they are all dandy's!