Pa Opening Day
 

How many of my fellow Pennsylvanian's can't wait for opening day? I'm soooo ready to go!! I can't wait, it's only a few days away.

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

Yeah I'm all pumped for it also!!! Hope to see something!!!! Here whee I hunt the past couple of years have really went down hill! Did not see a tail last year during rifle season!! And I was out just about every day!! The only nice thing about where I hunt is that during archery season I did not run into another hunter hunting where I do! (I hunt public land)!!! Last year there were a few but this year not one!!

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

I'm less then excited. I'm not a fan of the PA opener.

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

Yeah, I'm ready. I hunt on a farm in Greene Co. Thingshave really went down hill there too. Use to see lots of deer on the first day. Last few years we see fewer and fewer.

I'm taking my 17 yearold daughter. She always gets the first shots:D

Last year she did not get her doe until about 3PM. We didn't see a whole lot like other years.

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

I'm with Rob....prepared, but not excited. The pumpkin parade is not my favorite thing in the world...not by a long shot. I still like gun hunting, and I know its vital to meet harvest quotas....but when comparing 7 shot vollies and hail mary shots to the stealth and precision of archery....it almost makes me sad. I know there are lots of gun hunters out there who are better shots than I'll ever be....but sometimes I wonder how many not-so-great shot guys are out there, and how many wounded deer are running around.

So yea, I'm ready...but at the same time, I really wish it wouldn't come.

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

Ba Humbug!! I love the anticipation of the first day!!!

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

Cant wait!!!! Ill be in bradford county on monday on private land.I agree deer numbers are down but we eliminated doe hunting 3 years ago so were seeing a few more deer but no where near as many before HR.

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

excited but calm. already have the freezer half full so i can relax and enjoy my hunt. and i got out of the game lands and back to the place i love the most. i'm ready for a nice relaxing hunt. beautiful weather(a little warm).

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

I am tagged out from archery, butI am still going out with my dad to video.


absolut40 - where in bradford county, I live and hunt in bradford.

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

PA,

I found a 6 point that was gone waste form a arrow wound, somebody didn't know how to track well enough....this one killed just 2 days prior to gun season. (Ours opened on the 15th Nov.)

So far this gun season I've not found any deer wasted, though I have in past seasons a few times.

There's to many in both groups willing to take shots that shouldn't be taken.

Heard a guy complaining about his luck in a local resturant a few days ago. Seems he stuck 2 during early bow.....but both got away.....then mentioned he'd taken a shot that morning @ 200+yds.....with his Rem. and Brenneke SLUGS........

Ruined my lunch.

I think there is something to be said for a shooting skills test prior to being allowed to hunt ANYTHING with ANY weapon. Still not a sure thing what such a qualified individual will do when excited with a deer or any other game in front of them.....but couldn't hurt.



Hope you guys have a good year in PA.

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

I hope to get out Monday at least.I missed the whole archery season for medical reasons and I'm hoping I can shoot a rifle.I'd hate to miss the whole hunting season

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

Im hunting just outside of rome in ulster.Saw 24 today 4 bucks but only 1 was legal but couldnt get a shot.Not a lot of shooting overall.I was real surprised the deer were moving so much with the warm weather.

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

went out with dad this morning, only saw one deer. I had the video cam but could not get him on video. I pointed out the deer to dad and said looks like a buck. He took position and said he was legal but had a goofy looking rack. dad is a trophy hunter and normally wont shoot anything small. He said he was limping then he took the shot. when we got up to it he was a 5 point missing his left front leg right below the knee. we are not good at judging age but we both agreed that it was over 3 1/2 due to the size of the body, head and had some ware on the teeth.

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

this is the way the rack grew, prolly due to the fact he was missing his leg, but he was also old. we dont feel bad about taking this one out of the gene pool.

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

another

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

the missing leg

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

No doubt a good thing to get him out of the genepool.I hunted today from daylight til dusk and saw 9, only one buck and that was a spike.A guy that i know killed a 300 pound bear this morning across the road from where i hunt.Well be back out saturday.

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

downtown, that was a good buck to take, no doubt. Kudos to you and your father.

I actually a good opening day. I saw a dandy buck...all natural, came out at 8 and fed for a few minutes. I had the landowner out since I was tagged out from bow season. He put a stalk on him and despite scoping him twice, he wasn't comfortable with the shot so he didn't take it, 50 yards but too thick. I commended him on his decision and shoot his hand and said, "sometimes it's just an honor to see a buck like that".

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

I was out opening day got a decent sized 6 point.. fairly skinny deer though.. shot him around 12:45.. think he got in a fight with an older buck because his nuts were nearly ripped off.. and his member was sticking out of a different hole than it should have.. Got him in Mckean County..

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

i dont think his genes had anything to do with his antlers, it was all about his injury, and he cant past that on to his fawns.
either way cool lookin deer!

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

we thought the injury was the cause of the antler growth but either way he is an old mature buck and meet in the freezer

RE: Pa Opening Day
 

that's a cool looking buck. would have made a nice mount. I think it looks like a roe deer with that antler.