Dr Andy

Haven't been seeing much at my local stand inIl. They're still coming through but probably at night. Plan on going to Wi once or twice before the season ends.

BowHntrRick

The bad news here in Western PA is that the last week of archery and the first week of rifle season were both very poor weather for hunting: unseasonably warm weather, clear skies, lots of moonlight. As a result, the least amount of hunting pressure caused the deer to go nocturnal and relative few (at least, fewer than normal) were taken so far this year.

The good news is that there will likely be a large number of deer still available for the late archery season.

The area around Pittsburgh (2B) is problematic: unless you can find a small plot where no one would consider hunting with a gun, the huge number of available doe tags will insure that plenty of shotgunners (and a few high powered rifle shooters in the areas of 2B outside Allegheny County) will be in the woods looking to fill their freezers: not a great situation for an archer and downright dangerous if you don't wear orange (which is not technically required for an archer in 2B but should be).

However, the remainder of PA (except Pittsburgh and Philadelphia) will be flintlock muzzleloader/crossbow or archery only. Nobody around my property in Cambria Countyis interested in flintlock, crossbow, or bow, so I will have the area to myself. There is a lot of left-over cow corn to provide good deer grazing until the snow covers it, so if the deer are as numerous and relatively unscattered as I think, I should have a good chance at a doe.

I also have a tiny patch of woods near my parents house in 2B: too small to use any kind of firearms and very convenient including a ladder stand for a last minute hunt.

I have a buck in the freezer at present; I would like to add a doe before the year is over.

Ray Hunter 42

Im deffently hunting the late season. we can use gun but i will be using my ow untill i at least shoot one more doe.

And yes they are bedding close to food. Like in the morning there just coming in to the woods like 20 yds and layin down.
But there also herding up. The other night i saw over 40 deer in one group. Never seen that many at one time. Normally for the spot its 12 to 20 but not 40+

GMMAT

I've been using the same game plan all season long.......and it's helped me tag 5 deer with archery tackle. I simply follow the does. Right now....I know where they live. So....I catch them heading out for the evening....or coming home in the morning. It's worked for me all season. They vary their route OUT.....based on their needs.....but they're predictable once you've found out where they're exiting their bedding areas.

I've got another tag to fill if I want to......but I may go back out with only the camera.

Jeff

DaveH

Our 2 week long firearms season just finished up on Sat and 2 weeks of MZ starts this coming Sat. I watched a herd of 14 does milling around in my front yard yesterday around sunset and I know where they're coming from. However, setting up a stand in there may be nearly impossible if they're bedding on the dge as they did last year in the late season. I was set up this morning at the back edge of my property and had a decent 8 or 10 point come in while it was a bit too dark and bed down 25 yards away from me. I glassed him and could see 4 points on the beam closest to me and part of that beam was hidden. He was young though so I hope he makes it another year or two. I'm planning on giving it a go this afternoon and might take a doe to give to one of the people on my list who want one.

YooperMike

I'm going to get out this weekend and try and get another one on the ground. I still have a buck tag and do tags, so hopefully I can close the deal with one or the other. I'm sticking with all the same gear though.

Rob/PA Bowyer

Tagged out. I know Jeff/Germ....I know.