Thank you, we're all challenged by your unique point of view.

What part of Illinois are you hunting Jack?
When will you be out there? I'm hoping to head back around the 25-26th


Looks like tomorrow ought to be a great day in Penns Woods. My youngest son is starting his eagle scout community service project tomorrow so I wont be able to get out and hunt but I'll be thinking of all you guys who will.

Good luck to all and be safe!

"I'm hunting Illinois this year! What kind of person does that make me. I hope not like that no good liar,creep, state jumping, hold him by the hand,shoot MONSTER BUCKS in a pen BTBowhunter. If so maybe I will stay in PA where there are no DEER and just dream of MON$TER Illinoi$ Bucks that are behind every tree! I hope not, I have to much $$$ down on this BOWHUNTING VACATION!!!!"

No problems hatchet. Nothing at all wrong with going after incredible quality animals the likes of which this state will never see. Only problem i see is when some only have success via that route, spending the opener & most of the rut "elsewhere" when supposedly Pa is supposed to be the best since sliced cheese! lmao. Funny part is when they act as if they are Daniel Boone reincarnated. Then actually have the gall to tell others who arent successful AND those who are successful without all the "help" and unnatural conditions involved...that they dont know how to hunt! lmao. Does that sound like you? I dont think so? But i dont think we would need to look very far...

Someday a midwest hunt would be a neat thing to do...but I think I'd opt for Buffalo county WI...Top P&Y county in the nation.Just don't think PA will ever get to the status of these other states...even if they QDM'ed every inch of it. In PA a 15" 2 1/2 year old eight point will always be a shooter. Of course....nuthin wrong with that.

Congrats to the son, from a fellow Eagle and Scoutmaster....We need more like him, and that is a huge accomplishment for a young man.

Thanks Steel! I'll convey the thoughts. He will be my second son to attain eagle. Time spent on your kids is time well spent anytime and this will be one of the few times I dont mind missing a nice day in the treetsand.

I agree 100%. PA is not likely to ever be in the category of WI, IL, IA, OH or some others. Our sheer numbers of hunters prevent that. Your description of what constitutes a darn good shooter in PA is realistic for anyone other than, perhaps, the real fanatic trophy seeker. I think we don't have to look too far back though to remember a time when a "shooter" was the first 3 inch unicorn in many areas. I sincerely dont think many PA hunters miss that.

Things aint anywhere near close to being the best we can be but It seems we're hearing more and more talk of the hunters themselves actually taking their own initiative in managing the areas they hunt. Thats a change for the better. In the three Illinois counties I've hunted, that's the way it's been for a while and the quality shows.

A 3" spike is still a shooter for juniors and active military and may I remind you that PA hunters harvested 52K 2.5+ buck in 2002, even though not one of those buck were the result of ARs. Furthermore , ARs only produced a harvest of 48K 2.5+ buck in 2007 and 58.5 K in 2008, so ARs have not resulted in a significant increase in the number of 2.5 + buck harvested. Remember,also that over 50% of the 2.5+ buck harvested had less than 8 pts. and at least 20 % of the the 2.5+ buck weren't AR legal.

I promised myself I wasn't gonna visit this forum until December.

But it's raining, so why not? Been a little on the slow side here in Tioga County. Seen a few(very few) does this week, along with a legal averaged size buck that I left walk because to be honest about it, I didn't feel like gutting him, dragging him out, and cutting him up. That's a first for me.

Grandkid will be here soon. I reckon he can help with the dirty work when I take him out hunting. Good luck to all and a CONGRATS to all you hunters that scored.

As for all you able bodied crossbow hunters, I hope your scopes all fog up.