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PA late season

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YOu have to figure out where the deer will be staying in their day beds. Look for south facing slopes, to catch what little heat might come through from the sunlight that comes at mid-day.

Don't look at the bottom of ravines, because that is where the cold air gathers, and stays the longest.

Don't look at the top of wind swept ridges, as that brings wind chill.

Look for shallow "saddles" along ridge lines, which are out of the wind but high enough to let the cold air settle down the ravine below.

Deer will want lots of brush and trees to cut the wind even more, and if the saddle faces out on the South, even better.

If there are green plants still showing in the bare spots on those South-facing slopes, that is where they will feed during the day, but still early, and late afternoon. ( Their stomachs don't know what the weather is!)

If there is a blow down area from storm damage, that is several years old, in the woods, check there to see if the deer are not making use of the downed timber as wind breaks, and the new shoots and grasses that grow up in the exposed( to sunlight) forest floor that is opened to the sky after the blow down opens the canopy. Dark Bark hold heat, too, Rotting bark, and tree limbs, and sticks( compost piles) create warm spots on which to lie.

Don't be looking for full body images of deer. Look for "parts and pieces." I have seen massive bucks laying next to the roots of a deadfall tree, where their rack is concealed among those exposed roots, and their bodies are hidden behind the tree trunks. They will often remain hidden, and just wait for you to go past them, before they sneak away out a " back door."

Accept the fact that you may not see a deer within shooting range this year. Use the time to scout the territory to find out where the deer are. FOLLOW any deer tracks you do find, and see where they go. Then, turn around, and go back to follow them back to see where they came from.

The sharpness of the edges of the tracks in snow will tell you how old the tracks are. No matter how cloudy or overcast the day is, there will be a slight melting or " burning " of the north edge of a track. Each day, the sun will be hot enough differently, and at a different time of the morning, to begin burning that edge. Where it begins to burn is the same for all tracks, so look at your tracks from yesterday, to see where the burn begins and ends( as the sun risesin the SE, and falls in the SW). You can use these burn sites as a clock to tell you how old any track made in snow is.

The presense of Kick-out snow on top of the crusted snow from yesterday, or before, tells you the tracks are fresher, made at least today.

You will know the kick-out snow is freshly deposited if you can blow on it, and it blows away easily. (like blowing sawdust off a table saw.)

Even when we think we Know the ground we are hunting, until you have traveled that same ground through the eyes of a deer, coyote, fox, etc., you haven't really seen the ground as they do. You will learn lots more spending this time exploring their world during the winter, when tracks are easier to find and see, than at any other time of year. :thumbsup:
 
Went out yesterday with BillD (thanks for the tour of the SGL and those really nice rifles your working on) and we did some serious walking about but he only saw 2 early on walking in.

Went out in the afternoon with my son and all we saw were the icicles forming on our bodies. By nighfall it was 12 degrees with a near 40 mph howling wind and blowing snow!

Went out today around lunchtime and I sat while my son walked around a trail in the area we hunt. 20 minutes later I almost got run over by a doe that came from behind me at a full run! I couldn't get turned quick enough before she high-tailed it outta there waving the "kiss my a**" white tail at me.

Still...at least I am seeing deer...getting a shot at one is another story.
 
I saw 5 does at dusk today, to far to shoot. The wind all but died down before the sun went down. Very hard to walk quitely. CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH!!
 
Went out again today after work to find someone in my tree stand on private property! When I asked him what he was doing he said he thought since it was here, anybody could use it! I said "No" and asked him to please get out. He said how did he know it was my stand? My reply was to pull out the key to the lock on it and ask him if he would like me unlock it with him in it and watch him fall? He left....but made enough noise that any deer in the area went to opposite direction.

Oh well...there's always tomorrow after work.
 
Wow - what a nerve! :cursing:
Sounds like something that would happen during the orange madness. Usually no one around during the flint season in NEPA.

Maybe that's what he thought! Bet he won't be back.

Finnwolf
 
Stopped today..all I got was cold and snowed on. BUT....nobody in my stand! :thumbsup:
 
I live in 5B. This is my 3rd year doing the flintlock hunt. I like that the woods are more quiet than during rifle season. I usually wear orange even though I trust the muzzleloader hunters more than the rifle types. (I suspect I look like a deer to some of the rifle guys.) I do see a few flinters on the farm I hunt on, it is actually quieter on public land. I did not see any deer this year. I hurt my knee on 2 Jan so my season is over, no deer. Next year!!
 
The last day of flintlock in Pa. This is what happen to me. LOL We get a snow storm there calling for 10 inches in 2 E here where I live in Dubois. I Didnt load my flash pan I know better. I see a Big old Doe laying like 40 feet from me all covered in snow. She dont see me.I hucker down. Load the flash pan. And stand up she is standing looking at me. All I get is a flash . wet main charge im thinking I try it agean. No flash this time and she runs down the Hill. end of story. Im a die hard. Take the gun home take out the flash hole liner. Dig out some of the wet powder . dump some dry in fire it clean it dry it out and im off into the snow storm I go. I think I need a biger tooth pick. Ok later hope I get another chance like that. later
 
Went out Friday evening. Forgot my cows knee. The snow was getting into my pan on a regular basis. Kept changing my prime and drying the pan. Saw nothing at all. My hunting partner got a shot but no hit. At near dark, I "unloaded" my rifle and ignition was slow but it went. Saturday is the last chance, but this snow is really gonna challenge me. I will have my lock cover this time. I love this season!!!
 
Well, I'm done for the season. Spent 3 1/2 hours in a tree stand this morning and all I saw were squirrels and rabbits. The fresh snow we are getting is nice but the 1/2 inch of ice underneath makes it impossible to walk through the woods without every living thing hearing you coming a 1/2 mile away!

It was a fun season, met some new friends, actually saw some deer, spent quality time with my son and enjoyed the peace and quiet in the woods after long days in the office. Maybe next year I'll actually see a deer close enough to take a shot.

Now..on to small game and coyotes and finishing a rifle I am bulding!
 
Heck, I would be tickled pink to see rabbits while out hunting...

Sounds like you had a good season though - venison not withstanding. I didn't get one either, so join the club - we have jackets...
 
I didn't go out the last couple of days. I hadn't seen any deer anyway. On the 26th of December, I had sliced my left hand while doing some carving, six stiches across the first knuckle. :( Combine that with all the ice storms we had here, made for a crummy season. The highlight was last Tuesday when my wife accompanied me in the afternoon. :grin: We shared a tree, and just before dark she spotted deer aways off, moving through the woods. Good for her! Anyway, we have plenty of meat in the freezer from the earlier seasons. Next year, I'll have the .54 smoothie to hunt with. :thumbsup:
 
Seems like everyone had a good season...whether you got one or not.

Venison wasn't a problem for my either, my son got his first buck ever during archery and then followed it up with a nice size doe on the last day of regular rifle. I'm really proud of him, he did both totally on his own. Archery he bought his own bow and practiced all summer, and rifle he reloaded his own ammo and practiced all summer. Buck went 25 yards during archery, doe went 5 feet, he understands the meaning of don't take a shot unless you are positive of a clean shot and clean kill. I know he passed up several larger bucks, including a 10 point during archery because he was not positive about his shot.

Can you tell I'm proud of him????? Sorry about rambling on....
 
I went out Thursday evening, the 8th, after work and stood in a fence row. A group trotted out of a nearby woods ( I assume they were pushed) and came down into a creek bottom below me out of sight. One split off from the group and hightailed it on her own. About 15 minutes later the rest worked their way up to me...down wind. I was hoping I would get a clear shot before they got a good whiff of me. I could tell they were getting some scent as they kept checking the air and stamping their feet. There appeared to be one buck in the group. I decided I would shoot whatever gave me the first opportunity being the season ended Saturday. Finally a doe came within 25 yards but I still good not get a clear shot...then it winded me and the whole group ran back down into the bottom.

About 10 minutes later I hear crunching behind me and slowly turn my head to see the loner running back to join the others. It had circled around and came down the fence row behind me. Because it was windy I could not hear it until it was almost on top of me. I watched back out of the corner of my eye. It stopped about 7 yards behind me and looked at me. It seemed uneasy...perhaps it smelled me or saw me turn my head slightly. Then it went through the fence row behind me and started trotting across the field on the other side. I waited till it was far enough away to cock the muzzleloader and bring the rifle to the shoulder, and grunted. She stopped and turned back. I put a 54 round ball in her heart at about 50 yards and watched her run about 80 yards and keel over...and then discovered it was a button buck. So now my PA tags are full.
 
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