just getting wiser? I've been reading down through some of the threads and have noticed that a lot of people haven't been seeing the number of deer that they have seen in previous years in PA. Although I think the herd has been greatly reduced I don't think they (the numbers) are at record lows. I'm not going to sit here and tell you guys/ladies what you don't already know, and tell you that you are wrong and I am right because everybody has different styles and different beliefs on how to hunt the ever so elusive whitetail deer. The first couple of days I didn't see near as many deer as I did in previous years and obviously the deer herd (as previously stated) has been greatly reduced due to the "assault" laid upon the herd the last two years but after trying my "traditional" techniques such as hunting close to feeding areas and/or rubs and sitting on the deer's normal everyday paths and funnels and not seeing deer, I began to wonder if I was ever going to see deer. I scratched my head and sat in deep thought as to what the samhell is going on here. After hours of pondering I realized that the numbers aren't the only factor coming into play this year. #1 the weather pattern has been an odd one to say the least. Rain instead of snow, 40's and 50's instead of teens and 20's, thunder, lighting and wind instead of, well, snow showers. I think this is the main factor. The deer are content with climbing into the thickets and just laying down and since it's been raining, a lot of people (not necassarily you and I) aren't getting into the woods and when they do, they aren't moving thus the deer stay bedded down in the daylight hours and move only at night. After realizing this, that's where I headed............into the thickets where no hunter ever really wants to venture. Well, that's where they were at but there was only one problem, I could only here them running away and never saw them and when I say them it sounded like atleast ten jumping out at a time. Which brings me to my next point. With no snow on the ground, wet leaves, and high winds, there could be deer walking 75-100 yards away from you and you won't ever see them. Infact, I kicked some deer out to my father and they had to run right past him and he never heard or saw them. They are calling for snow (maybe) in the early hours of the morning so if there is snow on the ground, I'm almost certain that people will see more deer.