I cannot recall the last time I was out on the last day of gun season (I’m sure I was, but it was probably a long time ago, before I discovered good excuses not to go, and it was in some type of unarmed capacity commonly known as “dog”). Yet here I am, snug as a 22 degree bug well before the butt crack of dawn, in the camo outhouse blind watching a wood edge.

I don’t “need” another deer, the crossbow buck filled what we like to consume venison-wise (not that it would go to waste in the least). But here I’m out here with the intent to do grievous bodily harm to an antlerless deer. I guess that I am subscribing to the Pink Floyd thought that each passing day is just “one day closer to death” and the number of seasons ahead is finite.

It has been an odd season thus far. After harvesting (killing, whatever (that was for Dr.Trout))) a buck in archery, I have been attempting to get an antlerless deer (although it cannot be our prolithic breeder “Big Mamma” or her triplets) with zero success.

I hunted four more times in archery and saw three bucks, but no does. The only deer I have seen in gun season (hunting T, T, F, S, T, T, F evenings) were five does and an uncountable buck that appeared in the south neighbor’s cut corn field a few minutes before the end of shooting hours that were highlighted by the almost full moon.

I know I would be better off in the treehouse in the creek bottom this morning, but yesterday the south neighbor’s farm hands over ran the bottom and I suspect with the desperation samba of the last day kicking in, they will be there en mass again today. I can’t deal well with people fishing in my hip pocket, left alone folks toting centerfire rifles.

It will be light soon, so good luck to all.

I put about 43 hours in the stand this rifle season. Total deer numbers was 253 deer seen dureing those days and I did not double count deer that I knew where the same each day. 23 were buck all the buck were 1.5 YO and the legal I choose not to shoot.

So likely there were in the ball park of at least 50 different deer I seen.

Our property had 8 deer harvested so far. The neighbor told me they shot 8 buck all 2.5 or older with some giants in the mix. So our management practices must be working.

Great year so far, second archery will be here soon. Good luck everyone be safe and stay warm

when you make assumptions and cherry pick from my statement, then I can see your comparison. Keep belly aching your gaining ground.

Other than that thank you for the kind words. I’m sure there was something positive in there...

anzomcik
when you make assumptions and cherry pick from my statement, then I can see your comparison. Keep belly aching your gaining ground.

Other than that thank you for the kind words. I’m sure there was something positive in there...

There were no assumptions, no cherry picking, and no belly aching whatsoever. It was a simple statement of factual observation. And it was very complimentary as well.

You were successful, through your own hard work and non PGC management practices, to almost recreate what deer hunting used to be like and should be like in PA.

When what you experienced gains another 20% or so, then you will know what it was like to hunt deer in PA in the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s for the average hunter.

No longer about "deer hunting" in PA.  IMO, it's now about "deer bragging".   Oh, we had our bragging in yesteryear when a hunter spent not hours in the woods but years in the woods, in pursuit of his ever elusive White Tailed Trophy.   Hours were spent, months before deer season, scouting and planning in hopes of putting a 'hat rack' on the wall.  Small game hunting, beginning with squirrel and grouse would include a watchful eye for deer activity.  Then, spotlighting was actually a family past time when all would pile into the car and off to the field and forest we would go.  How many yinz remember the new, most powerful spot light in America, "The Pan Light"?  Originally a aircraft landing light tapped (thank goodness for electricians tape) into a small cooking pan... priceless and, just about every hunter with a car, had one.
 
We still have that past time except we now have regulations specifically geared toward spot lighting and with spotlights so bright, ya can spot into the next county and I'm not sure to what extent, it still may be considered a family activity. 
 
The new wave is  field-cams and field-cams there are, all shapes; sizes and; colors capable of 24/7 352 day operation recording, time; date; temperature; moon phase; color picture; B & W picture; video; with sound; split second reload; taking pictures every second or less; all for slightly more than the cost of a "Pan Light".  Least not forget, for those rugged hunters who take their pre-season and season scouting very serious, the wi-fi capable cams allowing one to sit in the comfort of their home while scouting for their next 'hat rack' to hang on the wall.
 
I think of the good ole days when "buck pools" were the places to see the trophy buck (or Polaroid pictures) and hear the story, as told by the hunter now holding the bragging rights and, sometimes a tidy sum of cash.  The winner was usually determined by the number of points with a tie being shared or broken, by the perfection of the rack.  Rarely did a tie occur that couldn't be broken fairly, just by comparison.
 
Today, in the minds of many, one must meet the requirements as established by 'Pope & Young' or 'Boone & Crockett' before one can claim a legitimate "trophy".  To each his own I suppose, when ones trophy of a lifetime gets tied or beaten out by a first year hunter, who can't legally carry a gun.   
 
So maybe the AR's are working and somewhere in PA there truly is "a trophy behind every tree" after all there are those (now digital) pictures.
 
Finally, I should like to ask, what is a "true trophy" regarding the elusive Pennsylvania White Tailed Deer and is it more about 'hunting' or is it just about 'bragging'?

Have to agree with you BTDT ... to me anymore it is all about being out enjoying time in the woods , if I fill my tag then that is great. It is awesome to get time with my son and grandkids being able to see the joy on their face if they get to take a deer or just getting a chance . Yes the camera’s have been a big help but scouting your area early is the best. As far as years ago times have changed , the days of seeing a heard of 20 or more deer running past you are over where I hunt anyhow. I have hunted the same property now for 28 years which is my relative. I started hunting it with my son when he turned 13 , he just turned 41 also hunted it with my dad until he passed in 2005 .. we have taken some nice bucks but more doe over the years ... son ( 10pt) .. me ( 9 pt & two 8pt) which are on my wall. Several smaller bucks which horns are on my garage wall.... lol. ... with my son’s doe this year that made 50 deer in 28 years ...now that being said I think when they opened doe season for the 2 weeks of buck season also that we hurt the doe population ... BIG TIME ! but have to admit we were part of the problem. Now the doe my son got this year was on opening Saturday we saw (3) doe in almost 10 hours 2 were small and finally the last one was ok so he took it......I didn’t Go back out after that ... ok that is my take on things ...

  Almost time again.......
 
So, being one who will be partaking in the upcoming festivities and dressed like a tree, I should like to ask the 'smoke poler's' to aim carefully as the life they save, may be mine. 
 
Past two weeks I been moving deer stands and cutting shooting lanes in hopes of killing, with a stick, those very same sub legal bucks I couldn't kill with a gun during firearms.  The difference being, I may not have a set of antlers to hang on the walls of my outbuilding.  Outbuilding as in garage, I do have indoor plumbing but never the less, the chances grow slimmer everyday, in killing an elusive trophy  antlered PA. White Tailed Deer, this time of year. 
 
In addition, the better half has reaffirmed, the same law stands as has for many... many years; there shall not be deer head(s) in any shape or form,  drying on the sides of outbuildings, regardless the use of said outbuilding.  So I guess no Euro-Mount and the only record of killing a elusive PA White Tailed Deer will be one of memory unless of course, one of those elusive deer happens to have an antler with 3  or more points, not counting the brow tine, still attached to it's stupid head.
 
Stay tuned, I'm on my way to check my field cams to see what lurks and awaits harvesting, with a stick. 

Go get it done there BTDT ... my stick shooter is put away in attic , cameras are in my gun case , guns are cleaned and my neighbor is keeping me in Bologna and hot sticks .... lol , still have a few bags of fish in freezer so i’m Good .... good luck when ya hit the woods again ... nice pictures , only saw one coyote this year . No foxes 😜

Well your not alone BTDT I too will be out I never even filled my doe tag work limited my time during gun season.Now work is back to normal and I can hunt but not to happy with the forcast tues-thurs might wait til Friday.Still a bunch of does around and I got a vid of a monster during gun season at night 12 pts 3 of them being kickers huge deer I doubt I will ever see him but the thought of him will get me out a few times.
Gud luck Stay warm...WCW

 About 50 years back I used to hunt 'out home' around Sugar Grove Pa- just over the line from Jamestown NY.
Used to say- if ya didn't see 2 dozen deer a day ya weren't out there very long.
From what I read it isn't like that anymore- back then it was bucks only and ya could pretty much hunt wherever ya wanted with no one being upset about it.
Doe season was a 2 day event after the buck season and bow hunting was minimal.
I firmly believe that large doe kills- predator increases- maturing of forest and far less farming-and posted properties have decreased the quality of deer hunting and number of deer all over- not just Pa.
Here in Ct ya must have and carry written permission  to hunt a property and most of my friends and I hunt small places commonly- generally surrounded by NO areas.
No walking the woods and still hunting like days of old--sad stuff.
Now its take a stand and sit there all day.
Generaly we have no deer being pushed and hunt natural movement only- that part I like.

Getting ready to go out eatin sum chicken noodle soup.
Temps in the teens suns out sounds gud compared to what it has been.
Hoping one of the big girls shows up but still willing to take a buck if I were lucky enough to see one legal and close.Wonder how much snow awaits me in my shack...WCW

I am in Albion PA area its been snowing plenty my shack has 1 wide opening over looking plot cant close it no window installed it is set up so wind does not blow snow in it.
I saw 1 small doe and 2 young ones yesterday back at it next week weather looks much better.
Message me some directions for posting pics I was using photobucket but no more that site was bad news b4 they started charging.I got sum pics you would like...WCW

Went out Wednesday evening after work (well, left a little early).  Only saw a doe and two fawns that didn't get any closer than 50 or so yards.  It was noisy walking in and climbing my tree with the climber so, I may have blown out some deer on my way into this woodlot.  Still got cold fingers and toes....
Maybe I'll give it another go next week.

After all the advertising they only had those for  day or two.

I see a warming trend in the forcast hang in there 1 more BRUTAL day I dont mind winter but its been a lil too cold for too long during a hunting season.
Sumone taught me how to share pics guna post em up soon...WCW