I dont even think the rut has started here in central pa. I see no indication of it at all. Doe's arent being harrassed. They dont have a care in the world. Theres no scraping, no grunting, no running, no nothing to indicate the rut.

I have a feeling my cam will see more action over the next two weeks then I saw all season.

It's funny, but I thought the same thing!  I've seen fewer rubs and scrapes this year than ever before.  Usually, somewhere I see at least one buck bird dogging (walking thru the woods with his nose to the ground).  I also usually see at least one doe running pell-mell thru the woods for no apparent reason.  I've seen none of that this year.  The few deer I have seen have been going about their usual business (moving to their bedding areas or feeding).  Although some other guys I know have seen chasing and seeking, I'm not convinced that it's started where I hunt.

ORIGINAL: gooseman

Not trying to be rude in any way but where do you get the 60/40 split in Ohio ?

 
Those numbers are straight from Ohio's stats.  They were published in several articles in magazines and some papers.
 
Think I just saw it in Petersons Hunting a few issues back.

hell why dont they just open up rifle year round....crossbows are no form of archery.....pretty soon the solitude of archery season will be replaced with the craziness of rifle season...no thanks..thanks PA for another law to up your state funding..im going to ohio

ORIGINAL: jlh42581

My lack of desire to hunt centre county anymore has nothing to do with crossbows, you are correct. But I also dont want every rifle hunter or road hunter deciding that archery is now for them. I have limited access, private land owners are very reluctant to even think about offering a lease.

Someone who hunts an area with a deer problem could never understand the thinking of someone who saw 5 deer in 130 hours in the woods.

 
Not to be a smartass,but you need to find a new area, I havent got out nuch this year, about 50 hours total and Ive seen 17 buck including the one I shot and about 40 doe which Im now trying to get 1. The buck was easier for me than trying to get a big mature doe, This is in NE Ohio, my son has seen 13 buck and probably 200 doe in Crawford county PA, after reading this I feel lucky to live where I do

Jlh i been traveling anywhere from an hour to an hour and half away all week.After i had a nice gentlemen screw my day up yesterday at 9:30 i decide to move.I thought about making another road trip but i decided not to do that.I want not far from the house an killed a buck.It was not private land just a honey hole that everyone here is to lazy to walk to.If they can't ride the quads or rhinos to there tree then it's out of the picture for them.

ORIGINAL: kaween12

crossbows are no form of archery.....pretty soon the solitude of archery season will be replaced with the craziness of rifle season...no thanks..thanks PA for another law to up your state funding..im going to ohio

 
Good luck, Ohio has just as many archers as Pa. and crossbows have been legal for many years.

I must really be getting old and my mind must be leaving.... 
 
I do not understand how someone can complain about a lack of deer in the area they are hunting... and stay in that area ??????????????
 
hundred plus hours less than 10 deer seen.... and at the same time post something like this..
 

I havent seen a single gut pile, rubs are few and far between and scrapes well, lets just say I havent seen a single one i didnt make. Everyone I have made went cold.

 
They probably went cold because there was no bucks around .....
 
right now the bucks are where the does are..... you saw one small 6pt and 4 does to make up your 5 deer.... with 4 does to one buck you probably will never see that fella again he will not leave those gals...... and with no scrapes the does must not be in the area either...
 
I'm sure the deer are near by...  but just not where you are setting up.... what do you see in "your area" the deer are eating ????
 
Around here the deer have even changed their bedding areas within the past 3 weeks...  the field corn is all cut and they have to rely on "the woods" for food now...even the 7-9 deer I have coming into my pasture and apple trees are bedding in a different area now and coming into the pasture/apples from a totally different approach...
 
 
 
if 5 deer for 130+ hours is what I was seeing in "my area"... I PROMISE.. I'd be moving a few miles away....
 
what more does someone need to see OR BETTER YET... NOT SEE.. before they move to where the deer are  and stop complaining...
I just do not get it.... ?????????????
 
I could send 20 DIFFERENT guys to 20 DIFFERENT areas within 4-5 miles of my home and I can guarnatee they will not see a deer if they stay there ALL DAY EVERY day  ..there's no food/bedding areas/security there !!!!!!!!!!!
 
Or I could send them where they would see deer every trip out.....
 
as mentioned so well.... LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION..... that is and has been what deer hunting is all about..
 
Gone are the days of just showing up in the woods to see and harvest deer....
 
remember it's called hunting for deer... not shooting deer.....

Also, in case you hadn't noticed, gasoline isn't all that cheap (granted better than it was).  Not everyone can just jump in their truck and drive to some spot 125 miles away at the drop of a hat-much less hunt there regularly.

He wants to shoot a BUCK..How can you give advice on that?? You don't hunt buck remeber..You take your doe the first morning and are content with that..
 
You don't archery hunt so you have no clue..Mabee next year when you get your arrow gun you can join in...

He was giving me advice on a season he does not hunt..He will be able to join in next year as he stated in a previous post..I made no accusations about crossbows.
 
Yes there are stands all through the woods Doc...You can't hunt everywhere as you say..The deer get pushed to ground you cant hunt . so what abandon that area all together..I have more deer pictures than you can shake a stick at.. The deer are around..Most have gone totally nocturnal..You can't hunt at night..
 
Eventually you run out of places to move too..There are alot of hunters around here..

To answer you doc there are big bucks in the area. I have them on my trailcams. The food sources are abundant almost too abundant. Most farms still have the corn standing here. Just like your hemlocks I know this area well. I didnt hunt the same property or the same stands every day. In fact, I hunted only one stand twice in all that time. I hunted 6 different properties, a total of 14 differnt stands. I know food sources change, I move with them.

You show me a hunter without private access to anything that can harvest nocturnal deer and ill show you an outlaw. I covered many types of terrain, funnels, right on food sources, in the beds, the mountains, suburbs. Those hours dont accout for the numerous hours of scouting. Take these properties I have to hunt and put me there without 9000 idiots who do no scouting, no preperation, smoke from the treestand and Ill kill deer, guarenteed. Even with low numbers.

I do work a full time job which is 40 miles one way to work. Spending $400 a month on gas just too and from work leaves little in the way of traveling to counties poluted with deer.

Honestly, I don't see the big deal.

Yeah a Crossbow can shoot 60 yards. But I'm sure if you practiced a compound could too.

I've used both, and I like the Compound more.

It's not going to cause a huge influx of hunters all of the sudden.

I hunt 2b, and I rarely see another hunter, where crossbows are legal.


Just my .02

ORIGINAL: Deadbolt401

Honestly, I don't see the big deal.

Yeah a Crossbow can shoot 60 yards. But I'm sure if you practiced a compound could too.

I've used both, and I like the Compound more.

It's not going to cause a huge influx of hunters all of the sudden.

I hunt 2b, and I rarely see another hunter, where crossbows are legal.

 
A fair and honest assessment from someone with hunting experience with both. 
 
I hunt with both as well.  Just nice to have the choice I guess.
 
In 2B, crossbows have not effected the quality of my hunt as well. 

Well thats news to me considering ive heard at least ten different people who dont hunt archery currently say that if crossbows are legal for everyone theyre gonna start hunting archery season.

I said it before and Ill say it again. If the game commission honestly thinks it will not have an impact open the season on Oct 1, close it Jan 15 and let anyone use whatever weapon they so choose. Just give me my two more weeks in november.