pennsylvania
#11
RE: pennsylvania
ORIGINAL: big ten
do you hunt there in early october, and are there any good bucks running around then, or do you pretty much see mostly does? where are the bucks in early october near the fields or probably in the deep woods? whats the biggest buck or doe you got there?
do you hunt there in early october, and are there any good bucks running around then, or do you pretty much see mostly does? where are the bucks in early october near the fields or probably in the deep woods? whats the biggest buck or doe you got there?
I have shot 6 bucks in PA. The largest was a 115" class 8 pointer that had a 16" spread and had fairly heavy horns for a buck of that spread. He weighed probably in the 160's dressed and that was in 2002. Other friends and family members have shot bucks in the 120" - 135" class up there as well, that were big deer for the area. My father had one slip by him on the way to the stand that we both watched the neighbor shoot in 2003 that weighed over 200lbs dressed and had a 19" 10 point rack on him. It was a huge deer. We always shoot does every year there that are mature in the 115 - 130lb range.
#12
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ohio
Posts: 7,876
RE: pennsylvania
ORIGINAL: Jollyarcher
I've been hunting PA since day one of the legal age... but never in Bradford County. Not by choice mind you, I just don't know too many folks from that region. Are there good bucks there? Maybe I should take a quick trip.
BTW - Here's my archery buck from 2004 taken in Central PA... I like him very muchly...
I've been hunting PA since day one of the legal age... but never in Bradford County. Not by choice mind you, I just don't know too many folks from that region. Are there good bucks there? Maybe I should take a quick trip.
BTW - Here's my archery buck from 2004 taken in Central PA... I like him very muchly...
Nice buck Jollyarcher. How did you take him?
#13
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Sweet Valley Pa. USA
Posts: 532
RE: pennsylvania
I live about 30 minutes from Bradford County. I have never hunted there but I did work there for awhile. I spent alot of time on the roads up there and saw alot of deer. I would hunt there if I ever found the right spot.
#14
RE: pennsylvania
ORIGINAL: nodog
Nice buck Jollyarcher. How did you take him?
Nice buck Jollyarcher. How did you take him?
I hadn't hunted there before and the season was almost spent, so I went back mid-day Thursday for a high speed look around, hoping I wouldn't bump him. I found some well used scrapes not far into the pines, figured out the best way to get in with low impact and I left.
I had to work dayshift Friday and made it to the woodline at about 4pm. The tree I chose to climb was not as good as I hoped, and I dismissed it without taking the climber off my back. I moved about 35 yards to what looked like a good tree and maxed out my bow rope at 30 feet. I prefer climbing 20, but I had next to no cover and little time to waste on looking for another tree.
I was on stand for about 45 minutes and was surprised to see this fellow working the edge of the pines - from the same direction I had come in! He was walking the direct opposite route from that I had seen him use on Wednesday. He hit the largest scrape in a row of three, freshening it just about 20 yards from the base of my 2nd choice tree.
A thick wall of pine tree branches blocked any chance of an ethical shot. I looked over at my 1st choice tree and envisioned being there. I considered a soft contact grunt, but weighed it as too risky at that range. He left the scrape and I clicked the range finder in the first opening he would encounter. The display flashed back 24 yards. I came to full draw and waited for him to enter the lane...
The opening was there and he turned into it as he came into clear view. He was coming head long right at the base of my tree! Good grief... full draw, no shot, minimal cover, and he's closing distance almost straight on. I'm praying he doesn't smell me since he's pretty much walking in my footsteps now... he slows up and turns slightly quartering on to go around my tree. I let him turn as far as he's going to, picking a spot that should catch the top of the close lung and center punch the other... he's walking, I give him the "maaaa" call with my mouth and the carbon arrow is leaving the bow just as he stops to look up.
I watch the arrow pass thru, guesstimated at about 14 yards, and slam into the ground. He bolts around my tree, turns sharp and heads into the slashing. I lose sight of him in the pines, then a flash of white. He's stopped at about 60 yards and his legs get loose... he stumbles forward about 5 more yards and piles up within sight. Both lungs and a the liver, seen from the tree, no tracking required. I thanked the Lord for the opportunity at such a great animal and I hope to do it again this year. Thanks for asking nodog.
#15
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Ohio
Posts: 7,876
RE: pennsylvania
ORIGINAL: Jollyarcher
I arrowed him Friday evening after work, one day before the close of the 2004 archery season. He was on the opposite ridge that I'd spent most of my time hunting during the first part of the season. I was in this area on a hunch Wednesday of the last week and saw him at dusk. I grunted him to about 55 yards, (from about 90) but he refused to come any closer.
I hadn't hunted there before and the season was almost spent, so I went back mid-day Thursday for a high speed look around, hoping I wouldn't bump him. I found some well used scrapes not far into the pines, figured out the best way to get in with low impact and I left.
I had to work dayshift Friday and made it to the woodline at about 4pm. The tree I chose to climb was not as good as I hoped, and I dismissed it without taking the climber off my back. I moved about 35 yards to what looked like a good tree and maxed out my bow rope at 30 feet. I prefer climbing 20, but I had next to no cover and little time to waste on looking for another tree.
I was on stand for about 45 minutes and was surprised to see this fellow working the edge of the pines - from the same direction I had come in! He was walking the direct opposite route from that I had seen him use on Wednesday. He hit the largest scrape in a row of three, freshening it just about 20 yards from the base of my 2nd choice tree.
A thick wall of pine tree branches blocked any chance of an ethical shot. I looked over at my 1st choice tree and envisioned being there. I considered a soft contact grunt, but weighed it as too risky at that range. He left the scrape and I clicked the range finder in the first opening he would encounter. The display flashed back 24 yards. I came to full draw and waited for him to enter the lane...
The opening was there and he turned into it as he came into clear view. He was coming head long right at the base of my tree! Good grief... full draw, no shot, minimal cover, and he's closing distance almost straight on. I'm praying he doesn't smell me since he's pretty much walking in my footsteps now... he slows up and turns slightly quartering on to go around my tree. I let him turn as far as he's going to, picking a spot that should catch the top of the close lung and center punch the other... he's walking, I give him the "maaaa" call with my mouth and the carbon arrow is leaving the bow just as he stops to look up.
I watch the arrow pass thru, guesstimated at about 14 yards, and slam into the ground. He bolts around my tree, turns sharp and heads into the slashing. I lose sight of him in the pines, then a flash of white. He's stopped at about 60 yards and his legs get loose... he stumbles forward about 5 more yards and piles up within sight. Both lungs and a the liver, seen from the tree, no tracking required. I thanked the Lord for the opportunity at such a great animal and I hope to do it again this year. Thanks for asking nodog.
ORIGINAL: nodog
Nice buck Jollyarcher. How did you take him?
Nice buck Jollyarcher. How did you take him?
I hadn't hunted there before and the season was almost spent, so I went back mid-day Thursday for a high speed look around, hoping I wouldn't bump him. I found some well used scrapes not far into the pines, figured out the best way to get in with low impact and I left.
I had to work dayshift Friday and made it to the woodline at about 4pm. The tree I chose to climb was not as good as I hoped, and I dismissed it without taking the climber off my back. I moved about 35 yards to what looked like a good tree and maxed out my bow rope at 30 feet. I prefer climbing 20, but I had next to no cover and little time to waste on looking for another tree.
I was on stand for about 45 minutes and was surprised to see this fellow working the edge of the pines - from the same direction I had come in! He was walking the direct opposite route from that I had seen him use on Wednesday. He hit the largest scrape in a row of three, freshening it just about 20 yards from the base of my 2nd choice tree.
A thick wall of pine tree branches blocked any chance of an ethical shot. I looked over at my 1st choice tree and envisioned being there. I considered a soft contact grunt, but weighed it as too risky at that range. He left the scrape and I clicked the range finder in the first opening he would encounter. The display flashed back 24 yards. I came to full draw and waited for him to enter the lane...
The opening was there and he turned into it as he came into clear view. He was coming head long right at the base of my tree! Good grief... full draw, no shot, minimal cover, and he's closing distance almost straight on. I'm praying he doesn't smell me since he's pretty much walking in my footsteps now... he slows up and turns slightly quartering on to go around my tree. I let him turn as far as he's going to, picking a spot that should catch the top of the close lung and center punch the other... he's walking, I give him the "maaaa" call with my mouth and the carbon arrow is leaving the bow just as he stops to look up.
I watch the arrow pass thru, guesstimated at about 14 yards, and slam into the ground. He bolts around my tree, turns sharp and heads into the slashing. I lose sight of him in the pines, then a flash of white. He's stopped at about 60 yards and his legs get loose... he stumbles forward about 5 more yards and piles up within sight. Both lungs and a the liver, seen from the tree, no tracking required. I thanked the Lord for the opportunity at such a great animal and I hope to do it again this year. Thanks for asking nodog.
#16
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: Gillett, PA
Posts: 137
RE: pennsylvania
I live in Bradford County and it was a poor year for deer here. Very few people I know got bucks. Having said that, a friend got a 154" 11 point about three miles from my house during gun season. Outside of that a couple other bucks and a few does. Poor season overall.
#18
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 91
poor
i live in bradford co and hunt and to me it was a poor gun seosone 2 friends i hunt with in archery got 8 pts 110 and a 100 class bucks so they are there not alot of hunters near me in gun thou alot of city ppl have
bought alot of the land around me post it
so that doesnt help.
anyone that gets a chance should try it bc
does have deer
bought alot of the land around me post it
so that doesnt help.
anyone that gets a chance should try it bc
does have deer
#19
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 91
poor
i live in bradford co and hunt and to me it was a poor gun seosone 2 friends i hunt with in archery got 8 pts 110 and a 100 class bucks so they are there not alot of hunters near me in gun thou alot of city ppl have
bought alot of the land around me post it
so that doesnt help.
anyone that gets a chance should try it bc
does have deer
bought alot of the land around me post it
so that doesnt help.
anyone that gets a chance should try it bc
does have deer