cardeer

The only place I could find to hunt that is not posted or told to get the heck off there porch looks terrible. I have spent over 60 hours sitting ,searching ,spotting and talking to the neighbors.I keep seeing the same 3 deer and none have antlers ,There is one button,Whoppee!.They just walk around in circles all day on the 225 acres.I see them morning ,noon and night just walking the property in circles.The neighbors all tell me thats about all you will see. They said 5 years ago there were 20 in a herd,but there all gone.So much for this part of Pennsylvania being over populated. Lots of acorns,they have been raining on me all week.But no deer to eat them.I'm sure glad the PGC gave out 1 million doe tags this year. and increased this areas doe tags by 10 percent. We need to kill the last three on this property,them evil deer!!! I think Pa needs to get off there butts and make a proper deer count before they start handing out doe tags for the deer population the average hunter cant even get to because of closed up land where deer hunting is not allowed.I will probably just pull my ground blinds off this place and forget hunting this year. Would not be ethical in my mind to blast these last 3 dder on this farmette.

MATTHEWS

Hey Cardeer that doesnt sound very good for PA. Ive hunted PA for 15 years but unfortunately Iam currently stationed in the USMC in California Camp Pendleton. I had to take a couple years off of hunting in PA, but will soon return when I finish my 4 years in 2004. I ve been archery hunting in California which is completely different hunting than Iam used to, but I managed to take two 2X2 blacktails this year. Their season started in July. I never missed a PA archery season untill I joined the USMC, one of the hardest things for me was to miss the opener of PA. With all these new law proposals in PA, I sure hope hunting will still be as great as when I left in 2000. Sounds like there has been a lot of changes. I wish you the best of luck my friend and God Bless.

M Bucker

Cardeer,

Maybe it's just that tract of land. Have you been seeing deer in the fields and other places besides where you have permission? I think it's a good idea to forget that place but try finding someplace new. Go door to door asking farmers. Don't give up though!!!!!! There's got to be a better place that you can get access to.

PABowhntr

I know you are frustrated with the land in your area CD...trust me, I know how you feel at times, but basing a judgement regarding Southeastern PA on 225 acres of property seems a little "reaching" to me. Was the area that you were scouting this year heavily hunted in the last few years.

My area gets ridiculous hunting pressure, year in and year out, and yet the deer population seems to be flourishing. I attribute that to the fact that there are several areas where hunting is not allowed thus allowing some deer to make it through every season. Aren't there any places like that down your way?

Why not try upper Berks? The gamelands just west of Hawk Mountain looked pretty promising. I was thinking of heading out that way next weekend just to walk around a bit to familarize myself with the area. I did see plenty of access points that would allow you to setup some ground blinds with relative ease.

Just a thought.

ToddP2

Set a camera up. I bet there are more there.

cardeer

Frank ,I checked that area out west of hawk mountain a couple of years ago.Just had a heck of a time walking on the terrain. they have a road for the handicapped that goes off 183 just north of 78 and comes out near hamburg.I road that with my special permit also.But what is strange they dont allow you to park your truck along the road.You must must sit in your truck or use a 4 wheeler.And then it must be inspected and licensed.And of course i would need a trailer. Just to costly for me. This property is bordered by a small town called Mohnton a gunning club and the other 2 sides are heavily posted and the one person already called the cops on me for being a suspicious person.I did find deer skulls,and other body parts around.Think someone has been nailing these deer for years.Some of the parts looked a couple years old.Why does the State figure out the doe tag allocations on all the deer in the state? instead of huntable deer and not the whole state in one package. Thats like me paying insurance on 4 cars when 3 of them are junked in my back yard.Makes no sense.what good is 1 million tags if half the deer are not available to the hunter. Like you heard me say I can see 70 sometimes a 100 deer out my back door on the property next to me.But not one doe tag can be used there.It is off limits and the owner hates hunters.But yet that herd was figured in to the doe allocations.If it was not for Nancys illness i would be out of this state. maybe some day.For now poop on it I will just hope a deer steps in to ,my back yard off the anti hunting guys land and I will be waiting in the outhouse.

DaveH

CD--I remember you posting last year about a whole lot of does you were able to take. I know Richard Gere's place is off-limits, but are all the others no longer available too? It seems to me you had one pretty good doe spot behind the shopping center. Might want to try there again if it's still available.

Today's small bucks are tomorrow's trophies.

Shawn

News Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 5, 2002

GALLIA, MEIGS AND VINTON COUNTY DEER
POSSIBLY IMPACTED BY COMMON DEER VIRUS
State animal health officials stress outbreak not related to Chronic Wasting Disease
COLUMBUS, OH - State wildlife officials reported today a localized outbreak of what is suspected to be a common white-tailed deer disease in four townships in Gallia, Meigs and Vinton counties. As many as 200 deer may have been affected by the outbreak.

The Ohio Department of Agriculture's Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory in Reynoldsburg reported that preliminary tests indicate a strong likelihood that epizootic hemorrhagic disease (EHD) is the source of the illnesses. Results are due next week.

State wildlife officials stress to those planning on hunting in these areas this fall that although this disease does not affect humans nor impact the safety of consumed deer, hunters should report deer that appear to be sick or diseased to their local wildlife officer. Deer that do not appear to be healthy should not as a rule be taken for human food.

State animal health officials stressed that the outbreak is not related to Chronic Wasting Disease.

White-tailed deer contract epizootic hemorrhagic disease from the bite of gnats which live near water. The onset of cold weather suppresses the disease and frosts drive the gnats into winter inactivity.

“This disease occurs annually in deer herds across North America,” said Pat Ruble, wildlife management and research administrator for ODNR’s Division of Wildlife. “This year’s hot and dry weather conditions caused animals to congregate near water supplies, setting the stage for this outbreak.”

The disease is not spread from deer to deer or from deer to humans. Once infected, deer show symptoms within five to 10 days. Infected deer initially lose appetite and fear of man, grow progressively weaker, often salivate excessively and become unconscious. Many deer die within 36 hours of the onset of symptoms.

According to the University of Georgia's annual Southeastern Cooperative Wildlife Disease Study, epizootic hemorrhagic disease is the most common ailment affecting deer in the Eastern United States. Outbreaks of the disease have occurred in Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and West Virginia. Suspected cases occurred in Ohio in Greene County in 1997 and in Muskingum County in 1980. The disease is common in portions of the northern Great Plains and the Southeastern United States. It was first identified in 1955 in New Jersey.

White-tailed deer, mule deer, elk, bighorn sheep and pronghorn antelope are susceptible to epizootic hemorrhagic disease. Domestic cattle and other livestock are generally not at risk. Livestock owners finding animals with similar symptoms are advised to contact their veterinarians.

-30-

For additional news online, check out the ODNR Press Room at Ohiodnr.com

For Further Information Contact:
Pat Ruble, ODNR Wildlife Management
(614) 265-6327
-or-
Andy Ware, ODNR Media Relations
(614) 265-6882

Back to ODNR Home Page • State Front Page


We in WV have had outbreaks of this disease for years, although the DNR will tell you just the opposite. I even had our goober outdoor writer tell me the huge die off as due to doe season. The epizootic hemorhagic disease will wipe up to 2/3 of a population out in an area, and do it quick too.

wimp

CD,
I understand some of what you are saying. I live(and sometimes hunt) in a SRA area around pittsburgh. There is very few areas of accessible land and what is open is hunted to death.

The reason the pgc has to allocate all those tags for areas that only have a few actual huntable deer is political. They have to make it look like they are doing something to reduce the herd. Could you imagine the press and outcry if they slashed doe tags in SRA areas? They could allocate 1 million tags just for SRA and no more deer would get killed than are presently. Until they can force people to allow you to hunt, there will never be a solution.

Some things are true whether you believe them or not.

PAbearman

I can understand your frustration, but it's not the PGC's fault that so many people post and won't allow access to their land. Did you try the Link program under the PGC website. I remember seeing some farms in Lebanon and Lancaster counties listed in there. Or check with your local Game Warden for any green tag farms in Berks county. To be a green tag you have to allow anyone access to hunt it.

Guess we can thank the liberal mentality of the anit hunters as well as those thankfully "few" careless hunters that turn people off to allow hunting.