PABowhntr

Those are some really nice pics. I would have been more than happy to have had such success with my most recent round of pics. I will cross my fingers and hope for the next round.

PABowhntr

I just heard an interesting story from the neighbor. He and I hunt the same patch of public property. It is bowhunting only and, as I mentioned early, the doe-only season starts in less than two weeks. He went up today to do a little walking around. While first entering the area he noticed a large group of men standing around one of the trail intersections. He waved hello and continued to walk past. As he did one of the gentlemen came running over and asked if they were bowhunters and if they were familiar with the area. My neighbor replied in the affirmative. The man went on to introduce himself as the President of the UBP (United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania). When my neighbor asked what all of the guys were doing up there the gentleman explained that they were planning on having a big doe hunt up there on the second Saturday of the season. Apparently they have a very large number of individuals planning on coming up and they have a bit of doe contest planned. The biggest doe takes the pot. They were up there now doing a bit of scouting for the upcoming event.

I am curious. What are the rest of the group's thoughts on this?

Arjuna

I love biggest doe contests. In Alabama, we are allowed two does a day and people still wait for the boys. As far as you and your friend are concerned, I am not sure I understand your question. Do you want to enter? Were you going to hunt that area for the season opener? Is it changing your plans?

I might stay clear of that area if there were going to be a bunch of hunters and hunt another area, if I had another area to hunt. At the same time, those guys will probably be coming down early. You might be in better shape to plan an all day if you have a great place already picked out. That way, when the other guys start leaving, they can push the deer your way....just an idea.

jim1966

I would see if theywouldlet you 2 in it too. Big homefield advantege it sounds like to me.

PABowhntr

I was just looking for general reactions on the issue.

You have to understand the area I hunt. It is fairly close to one large metropolitan area and in the special regulation wildlife management unit. So, in other words, there are extended seasons for doe-only, more liberal use of weapons, baiting in some portions, etc....

Because of this I have seen large groups of people come and go from this particular patch of woods. There are actually three "subsections" of property...county land, a local nature preserve and state gamelands. Total acreage is over 1800 acres if I had to hazard a guess.

I ended up contacting some of the guys involved in it through two other hunting related websites. They sound like some pretty decent folks so I doubt there are going to be any issues. My curiousity was focused around the fact that such a large group of folks was getting together for a planned deer hunt/pool.

As for it affecting my hunting...doubtful considering the size of all the properties and my preferred stand locations. Not many folks will go into the stuff that I hunt. Still I think it will be interesting to observe.

Muliefever

I understand what you are getting at. You don't want a big group of people hunting your area. I don't blame you! However, these are the things that happen on public grounds. I would say join them... Maybe you'll meet some new hunting buddies? I love hunting with new people! I took two complete strangers with me from Michigan back to my home state of Idaho elk hunting last September, it was a blast! And now I have two more hunting buddies! I should be elk hunting right now!

I got a awesome trail cam pic of a bobcat this weekend. Right behind my house! I will post up a pic later.

PABowhntr

That was my first reaction MF. After some thought and discussion with some of the guys I don't have any issue with it. I am actually happy to see the area getting used more often by what sounds like some responsible, ethical bowhunters.

camokenny

Hey guys how was your long weekend? Things did not go so good for my bullriding students, they bucked off both days. I guess bullriding is alot like shooting a bow, the more you practice the better you will get. Practice under pressure, just like drawing on a good buck.

I to hunt public land alot and it really gets under my skin when some new guy shows up and stumbles around trying to figure out where to hunt, but I have hunted this area for the past 15 years and have gotten used to it and just move according to what the deer are doing and take advantage of the new guys lack of smarts to the area. It is a hard area to hunt and most of the newbies dont stick it out long enough to figure it out and hunt it correctly. It works out good for me most of the time during bow season, reg. gun season I just stay out of there. The idiots from the cities come around and it is not safe. Things are fine then in the late muzzleloader season. It all works out for me in the end.

3 more weeks before I can hunt.

PABowhntr

That is some good advice. Because of the number of hunters in my area I have found that patterning the hunters is just as important as patterning the deer.



I don't think it is going to be a problem with this group of guys though. They are spread out over such a large area..and they do seem like decent folks.

Muliefever

Well it seems as if you are on the right track. Like I said you may end up meeting some really cool people. It is all about networking. everyone has something to offer! I have met some people here in MI that have helped me with whitetail, a speacies I never hunted until two years ago. Without them I would probably still be scratching my head..... That's what happens when you have a Western Big land spot and stalk hunter from Idaho all of the sudden start chasin these midwestern overhunted public land whitetail.. Choas, pure choas!