Right on Time

Always nice to see the first fresh rubs of the season.  Took a brief walk Saturday when I checked a camera.  No rubs yet.  Usually the first week of September here.

Are you guys finding any oak or cherry? So far this season I've only found one chestnut oak with any mast at all. Glassed a lot of red, white, and pin oak and cherry but nada.

Lots of apples here in central pa and in Warren Co. Not sure about acorns.

I've also seen a lot of grapes and the apple trees that were light last year are loaded now. The few pear trees I know of are also looking good. My neck is sore from glassing so many oak and cherry trees. Looks like the crop fields or soft mast this year.

ORIGINAL: Esox_Hunter

  Definitely not as good as last year, but that is ok with me as I truly believe there were too many acorns on the ground last fall and the deer had little reason to move much beyond their bedding areas. 

 
Same here.  Spotty hard mast. 

ORIGINAL: Noplacelikehome

Lots of apples here in central pa and in Warren Co. Not sure about acorns.

A few white oak nuts being found. Squirrels are chewing off cluster of them and are easily found on gas well roads as I witnessed over the weekend up north. Old logging roads are prime areas for scrapes as many bucks will travel them when making a scrape line.Deer often take travel on these old roads. Come Nov. a scent drag can be very effective. You just have to watch how you use them. I believe you can over use them and stink up an area too much doing more harm than good sometimes. Those mature bucks become mature by not being dumb even in the rut.

Eyes-- No deer but I did see a big sow with 2 cubs working some ant hills in the valley below your uncles.

   Had a real big racked heavy horned Buck on a piece of Pvt property a few years ago. Watched him all summer and had coupla stands in for him real early-was back in the woods surrounded by Water Co and a farm with no hunting. Felt I had a  good chance.
   Poacher got him a week or two before bow season. SLOBS

Good luck S...

Always plenty of bear up there it seems. Saw a 250# male back there on the flat on the neighbors land back in '97 when I was in my treestand. He got to within 5 yds.

Across the street the folling year, had a sow and two little ones run right underneath my treestand. A small gamer kicked them out of clear cut above me.

My uncle has had several "encounters" with them around his barn and in his back yard.

ORIGINAL: Esox_Hunter

I found my first 2 scrapes of the year yesterday evening.  That must mean that it's going to be an early rut this year

Don't bet on that.

ORIGINAL: eyesandgillz

Pin oak in my front yard dropped a crap load of false acorns the last 2 weeks and just within the last week started dropping a few real acorns but it will definitely not be anything like last year. I still have dozens upon dozens of oak sprouts popping up in my yard.

Seen lots of apples in the trees on my way to work (couple have had them mostly on the ground for a month now).

Haven't made it near the woods yet...hope to change that pretty soon.

I take back my previous post. Came home this past weekend from visiting the relatives for the holiday and almost rolled my ankle several times unloading the truck in the driveway. Thousands of acorns littering the driveway and yard. The rain and winds knocked down a lot and they must be on the upper 1/3 of the tree that I couldn't see too well.

Definitely need to make it into the woods soon to scout things out.

Usually when I want to see a snake in this area I have to hike to a few little known rocky areas. It seems like all you have to do is step in the woods. I pefer it my way.

Rocks aren't even in the immediate area.  It's ridiculous.  Folks been hunting there for 40 years have never seen one.  They say "don't look for them"  Hard not to when you 'bout step on them !
 
I'm ready for the first hard frost.

No, I don't wear snake boots gillz. I was wearing 8" hiking boots Monday. Times like the last encounter are the dangerous ones. Cooler, wet, and I was on the move not too concerned for snakes. I did tell me wife last night I need to start staying out of the woods in the summer. But the truth is, April, May, September, and October are the dangerous months. I'm very careful come June/July/August. Common sense says I'll be getting hit eventually. Rattlers are very docile, you have to about step on them to get bit. I did step on one once and I don't know if I got bit or not. It was a little one. 20" maybe.

I was thinking about getting those turtleskin snake gaiters. Expensive, yes, but breathable.

Unfortunately, I don't have to hunt for snakes. Just go for a walk. Leaving for Colorado tomorrow. Got a new memory card that holds over 1000 pics. So, you'll be seeing lots of pics if a western diamondback doesn't get my at 9,000 feet. Or a cougar.