I bowhunt whitetails in SW New York. Almost never hunt big game with a gun anymore. I'll take the first mature doe and then wait for a 2.5 yr buck or better. I usually get to bowhunt 15-20 times during our season. My other hunting passion is rabbits with a beagle pack. I trial a lot of beagles and hunt rabbits and snowshoe when deer season is over. Right now is prime time for snowshoe. It's cold out and the snow is deep. Nothing quite like a pack of good hounds bringing a big hare to you in the deep woods.<img src=icon_smile_big.gif border=0 align=middle>

Eastern Pennsylvania here. I bowhunt for whitetail deer in this part of the state only. I bowhunt every Saturday during the October-November season and before daylight savings time I am out each evening. I also take one or two personal days from work during this time period.

I also rifle hunt during those November/December seasons.....the opening Monday and each Saturday.

Then I bowhunt for the week between Christmas and New Year's and then the two Saturdays afterwards.

I also hunt dove, goose, rabbit, squirrel, pheasant, grouse and ducks during their respective seasons...usually on Saturdays and occasionally after work during the week.

I also pursue turkey during the spring gobbler season....each Saturday and possibly one day of the week during the month.

I usually &quot;walk&quot; in the woods year round...at least a couple time a month up until July 4th. After July 4th I spend much more time driving around back roads in my hunting area, spotlighting (when legal), and walking the edges of fields.

Most of my stand preparation is done in February and March...and that usually doesn't involve more than trimming a few branches here and there. Then I won't go near my stands until August when I do a brief &quot;touch up&quot; to the area.

As for the animals I pursue.....that is a difficult question to answer considering the state of affairs in PA's deer management program. I prefer to shoot at least one mature doe before going after a buck. As for the size of the buck.....

I have been bowhunting for close to 20 years.

Edited by - PABowhntr on 01/08/2002 07:16:34

Straightarrow,

Nothing like a pack of good hounds bringing the big snowshoe to you....while your looking for the tops of rubs and next years stand sites! I love running my beagles-mostly 13&quot; females-love-em. Great time to scout, I was out in the woods 60-70 times last winter, a friend shot 1 rabbit, watched bunnies sometimes 15 times in 2 hours. We run in the same spots almost every other day, run the same rabbits, same loops, and have a ball. Also went to 14 field trials last year in IN, WI, IA, U.P of MI, and lower MI.

PABowhntr, I have hunted NW of Bradford every year now for 9 years. The hunting has never been better. I see less deer, but more racked bucks, and more bucks in general. Our camp also shoots more bucks each year, and no one shoots spikes or three points. Also the body weights on our deer have gone up, from 105-110 for a 2.5 year old, to 125-130 for a 2.5 year old. I hope they keep up the good work in that area, MI is an embarassment to deer management-probable the worst in the country.

Jeff...U.P. of Michigan.

I just concluded my first bowhunting season(no punched tags) and second deer season of my life in Tennessee. My objective is to take a decent sized doe or two in the bow only season and then worry about whatever comes next. I hunt mainly on a bottomland farm as well as a state park 1-1/2 hrs away.

The most important bloodtrail leads right to the foot of the cross

I hunt Southwest Pa. Mostly private, but not posted land. I hunt Archery season for Whitetails every saturday and a few evenings if my schedule allows. Rifle hunt the opening day of gun a maybe a saturday. I scout throughout the year, mostly after a fresh snow in the winter and then on occasion during the early summer. Drive the back roads during the summer. My other passion is Spring Turkey hunting. Nothing quite like that first gobble of the morning.

I hunt in Sullivan County, NY. I'm 28 years old and have been hunting about 12 years. I mainly hunt deer with bow and gun. I also hunt turkey from time to time. Being so far from my hunting area, I only get to go about 4 weekends a year, I wish it was more though!!!<img src=icon_smile_sad.gif border=0 align=middle>

Well I hunt exclusively in Michigan. Not that I would be apposed to hunting other places but more a matter of this is where my family is and with two young boys it would be difficult time wise and financially to pull off.

I’ve have always enjoyed hunting just about anything but have come to the conclusion that my true passion revolves around the Whitetail. I may get out for some spring turkey or a little trout stream but for the most part I am fanatic for Whitetail. Spend the winter looking at maps, Spring scouting, Summer shooting and Fall hunting. Hours, not sure but a lot.

I prefer bow hunting to anything although I still rifle and use the old smoke pole when the season allows. I hunt more than my wife would like but not enough that I risk losing my job. Although by Jan 1st my wife has had it and my boss is starting to ask questions. I save all my vacation time for the fall – that’s about three weeks.

Jeff did you get my e-mail, I dropped you a note around Christmas? My job has me over in the Western U.P. from time to time and could always find a little time for a hunt or a cup of joe.

Hunted only in N.J. for 25 years where I grew up. Started off with the shotgun then took up bowhunting 3 years later. I just gun and blackpowder hunt there now with my Mom & Dad. I've been in Delaware for 4 years now and gun, blackpowder and bowhunt here. Got my first Delaware buck this past Nov. with the shotgun. A real nice 8 point. Still waiting for that first bow kill here. I hunt public land here and I'm starting to figure 'em out by alot of scouting. Not many bowhunters to worry about but gun season is a circus. I found me a swamp 3/4 of a mile back in the woods where nobody else goes. We can bowhunt from the 1st of Sept. to Jan. 31st. I hunt 4 to 5 days a week up to the rut then slack off afterwards. I harvest only mature deer. Doe or buck. Just be kind, considerate and an ethical hunter and you shouldn't have a problem getting a lease. Good luck.

I'm 31 years old and pretty much hunt Eastern Long Island NY exclusively. I got started hunting in New Paltz NY with a buddy of mine and his two uncles. Since I live on Long Island and only about 20 minutes from where I hunt that is where I focus most of my time. I have been absolutely addicted to bowhunting for the past 6 years and don't even bother to go upstate and gun hunt.

Long Island is pretty much bowhunting only with a 2 week shotgun season that just began. The shotgun season is fairly restrictive so I don't even bother with it. I haven't had an opportunity to hunt out of state but once my kids are a little older and I can break away (without a ton of guilt) I plan on doing some type of out of state hunt. Probably for elk. This board is a great place to share and learn about the sport that has become my obsession.

I also love to fish in the off season so as you may have guessed I have an extremely understanding and loving wife.

Being new to this forum, I have enjoyed reading the bio's. Good topic Jeff. I live in Northern Idaho the panhandle region. The habitat here is comprised of huge forest lands(millions of acres)and river bottoms, with some agricultural areas.I hunt the mountains. Deer densities are very low compared to some states. (about 6-10 deer per square mile). We have almost as many elk. I archery hunt for deer and elk in the exact same areas. Whitetails being favorite. I also rifle hunt mostly for elk, but not much anymore. Usually I bow hunt during rifle season, which is legal here. I hunt from Aug 30th to Dec 23rd for elk and deer and later in April for turkey and bear. We can kill two deer and two elk, but the second of each cost a resident out of state prices.My job and home location (very rural) affords me endless amount of time in the woods. I do most of my hunting right out my back door...so to speak. It's all public accessible timber company ground (hunt about a 5-8 mile area), but big enough that a person can work at it and get away from the masses of &quot;Road Hunters&quot;. I scout year around. My goal the past three years has been to spend 150+ days per year in the woods and to do at least one thing every day of the year related to hunting. I have been able to reach that goal. I have been keeping a detailed log book since 1996. My job is key, I have excellent hours that allows me to hunt evenings every day of the season and then on weekends of course. I use all my vacation time for hunting. I love to shed hunt for whitetail and elk antlers
which I keep/give/sell or make things from.I prepare stands and ground blind set ups in the winter right after season then again in early August. I enjoy and have helped many of my students get into archery shooting and hunting. I have 50 acres of my own of which I designate for youth bow hunting only. I have hunted whitetails/muledeer and elk since the legal age of 12, so that puts me at 20 years of hunting this past season. Though it is often frowned on by some hunters, my favorite thing to do is to hunt a specific buck. I like to hunt mature males...deer and elk both or I will harvest a doe or cow elk for the meat.One thing I would like to do in the future is travel to other states for hunting. I am very open to swapping a hunt with someone...especially if whitetails are involved. Here I can offer turkey, bear, elk and whitetail or sturgeon fishing.

IHW,
Shed

Edited by - shed on 01/08/2002 11:37:20

Edited by - shed on 01/08/2002 13:11:42