DeerWhisperer

Well guys, i finally got 1 on the last day of muzzleloaders season. Did not see anything all the 1st week. and i had just about given up after christmas. but my cousin talked me into going thurs, fri and sat. I did not see anything thurs or friday. Saturday about 2:30 i had gave up, heard a few shots but i saw nothing. So i decided i would just walk around and take in the scenery in the part of the woods i had never gone before. I was hunting the patuxent river area in montgomery county. I just started following the old roads and paths for about a mile. And i have to say, ithas some really nice veiws back in there.I started up this big hill and had already stopped twice. When i stopped for the 3rd time and still never made it to the top i seen a deer running behind me. I pulled up the ole' cva firebolt ultra mag and the deer stopped. BOOM, i shot and that deer took off running and ran smack into a tree and spun its self around and fell over behind a log. My adreniline was pumping and i hurried and reloaded the muzzy. I walked up to the tree where the deer had hit and it was laying right there behind the log. I went to set my gun up against the tree and noticed the bullet still in the top of the barrel. I thought OH ****! Man i am glad that deer did not get up and run when i got to it. By this time it was getting dark and i am still close to a mile back in the woods. That had to be the longest drag in my life. I was saying the whole way out, "WHY did that deer have to cross my path?" But in the end i was glad i got it.

davidmor

Congrats! My motto is "sometimes it is better to be lucky than good". Sounds like you were in the right place at the right time with just a little luck thrown in. I had a similar experience two years ago. End of the muzzleloader season, it was raining and just about sundown. I got up out of my stand and started walking around. A doe pokes her head out of a hedge row about 100 yards ahead of me. I stop and wait. She walks out, stands there and I shot her. She bolted back into the hedge row and out of sight.I walked up to where whe was and sure enough, there was hair and blood in the weeds. Then I start to worry. She ran into some thick and nasty stuff, it was raining hard, and it was getting dark. That was the only time that I actually thought that Icould possiblyloose a deer. Fortunately it was a good hit and she didn't go but 50 yards but she was hard to find and the blood trail was washing away fast. It was a long drag back but worth the effort.

Be careful with that smokepole! Gotta make sure that you don't let excitement get to you.

PA Bow/Flinter

Congrats on the deer!! I know how the excitement can screw with you after the shot as you are trying to load a muzzleloader. I accidently double charged mine this year as I was tracking a deer I shot with it. Good thing I caught it in time!

smokyghost

congrats on your deer. I wish they would allow 4 wheelers on state property dont you. A Mile drag yeah been there done that.

G2 Shooter

Congrats DW.

I have passed on several doe in the evening only because I dread tracking, field dressing and dragging deer out in the dark. A big buck would be a different story. I did get a doe at Shaeffer Farm at night and it was about a mile to drag her out. I need to get in better shape for this stuff!

Be careful with that ML.

Dexy

Congrats Deer Whisperer, I'll second that story but with a few changes, it was the last day of ML season and I was walking throughmy last piece of woodsofthe year and here they come 3 does the big one in the front, they stop broadside at 60 yards and the ML barked! After the smoke cleared she lay 25 ft from where she was shot, double lunged and the best part for last, it was 125 yard drag to my truck! This was my first ML deer and I can't wait for next year!

sproulman

we are against any 4 wheelers here in pa. in woods. we want quiet.4 wheelers are terrible in woods.they rip up the soil, noise etc. i dont say you would but many race those things like they are nuts.a lot of poaching is being done with 4 wheelers too. too many negatives with 4 wheelers on publicland. as for getting deer wayback,thats fun of hunting.think of story you have now to tell on that long drag. i dont shoot doe and never would near dark. if it was a buck , i would shoot and drag out after dark but not for doe. i am getting up in years too and 4 wheeler would be nice for me but i dont want the problems of 4 wheelers disturbing my hunting. also, if 4 wheelers were allowed many more doe would be shot here in wmu 2g in pa. we dont havemany doe left here and dont weant more killed off. i hope you dont think i am negative on 4 wheelers, i am not but we want peace and quiet in woods and a 4 wheeler is terrible thing to see bouncing at high speed and noise in pa woods.take care.

DeerWhisperer

4 wheelers are not allowed on state huntingproperty here. I don't think they should be allowed either. it just disturbs others while hunting and tears up the roads and paths. Besides if they were allowed you would have 20 non-hunters back there riding while the hunters are trying to hunt.

G2 Shooter

My bother-in-law has 18 acres in Pa. He always has some decent deer out there. Well, a guy bought the property next to him and they have 3 ATVs. The ride almost every day. Needless to say, his season wasn't very productive this year. Nothing he can do about it though.

I don't think the state has any intentions on allowing 4 wheelers on public land.

chickenfarter

tram roads are good set up when hunting in ia pairs take out the biggest in order