Traditional Pennsylvania hunt in the late season - anyone?

[Bushfire]

I can’t do it this year but I’d be seriously interested in flying over from Australia and coming along next year.

We have no weapon specific seasons here but I still choose to hunt flintlock PRB almost exclusively now.

Would it be a stalking hunt or tree stand? I would imagine the former would be more suited to the period?

 

[Thingamajiggy]

you can purchase a general license that comes with a buck tag. That tag is also good for a doe in any region only with flint lock in the late season flintlock.

I can’t do it this year but I’d be seriously interested in flying over from Australia and coming along next year.

We have no weapon specific seasons here but I still choose to hunt flintlock PRB almost exclusively now.

Would it be a stalking hunt or tree stand? I would imagine the former would be more suited to the period?

usually the type of hunting being suggested is a Pennsylvania standard, deer drives. You get a bunch of guys together and stand them in a line and have the other have walk thru a section of woods towards the standers. Moves the deer in direction of Standers who usually get the shooting. Next drive you switch places, can be a lot of fun. Are several YouTube videos on it of you care to watch. If lone hunting, its usually a mix of standing and still hunting.

 

[Thingamajiggy]

Might be interested. Only have doe tags in NE but if still have my buck tag, sounds like fun. Do not have any period clothing, camping gear though so you'd get me as I is but kit and guns would be all traditionalish, bag, horn, accoutrements and PRB.

 

[Bushfire]

Might be interested. Only have doe tags in NE but if still have my buck tag, sounds like fun. Do not have any period clothing, camping gear though so you'd get me as I is but kit and guns would be all traditionalish, bag, horn, accoutrements and PRB.

I’m still in the same boat. I don’t have the time or skill to make my own clothing and the price of PC gear would about the same as the return flights from Aus to the states.

 

[appalichian hunter]

You thinking of a traditional type of camp for the hunt. Also, how many days would be involved. Could this include friends who are not members or posters here but are very involved in the hobby.

 

[Dutch7]

Good questions guys - I am not period correct yet but have been working that way this past year or so - do the best you can.
I am not going to camp this year but I can maybe foresee a base camp with a fire to warm ourselves with, make up some coffee or heat up some tenderloin if someone scores.

As I said in the original post, I’d like to go hunting as traditional as possible, with like minded individuals wether that be 1, 2 or 10 doesn’t matter.
I will only ask that those that come are safe, ethical hunters.
@Bushfire - holy smoke, fly to Pennsylvania to hunt whitetail?? You da man! And I was worried no one would drive a couple hours each way!!

 

[Dutch7]

You thinking of a traditional type of camp for the hunt. Also, how many days would be involved. Could this include friends who are not members or posters here but are very involved in the hobby.

This deserves a separate response:
The goal of this forum is to bring people with similar (and very cool) interests together and grow our sport, this hunt would have the same goal. If someone new wants to come and had nothing but a license we will figure it out.
As much as I’d like it to be primitive in every way I don’t want to exclude someone based on that.
If you are interested in a western or central Pa hunt after Christmas pm me with your email address and I will start a group discussion offline.

 

[BoomStick]

Likely a little far for me, but sure sounds like fun.

 

[Bushfire]

@Dutch7 it's been a dream of mine to try for a whitetail buck, see some battlefields and meet like minded folks - with a flintlock just sets off the dream that little more!

 

[Brokennock]

Let me clarify
A hunting license can be purchased at any time, this includes a tag for a buck or a late season doe (antlerless deer).
There are separate doe only tags by game unit that are on a first come basis and all the good spots are taken early.
As an out of state hunter you can buy a license and hunt after Christmas with a flintlock only and take either a buck or doe if you also buy a muzzleloader tag (edit). Anywhere in the state.
Sorry I left that part out.

Thank you. I think I get it.

 

[Brokennock]

I can’t do it this year but I’d be seriously interested in flying over from Australia and coming along next year.

We have no weapon specific seasons here but I still choose to hunt flintlock PRB almost exclusively now.

Would it be a stalking hunt or tree stand? I would imagine the former would be more suited to the period?

You get here, I'll help with period clothing and period gear. If you come across, I will definitely go down to PA with you. Besides, we have some pistol shooting to do here too.

Deer drives are common in PA and a few other states, in some states they are illegal. For the PA late season hunt I know folks who hunt in drives, but more who hunt individually, usually still hunting sometimes with a short final stalk. Might be some areas with terrain conducive to western style spot and stalk but I don't know.

 

[TransYank]

Man wish I could do that (Again). I was born and raised in southern Pa. I have killed 3 does with Flintlock and PRB back in the day. I moved away 30 years ago and have been blessed to hunt a lot of different states and areas with all kinds of weapons. I'm as proud of those deer as anything I ever killed to include Bear, Elk, Mule Deer, Hogs ETC. We always hunted State Game lands, after Christmas with the snow and cold, wet. the Flintlock. All the stars have to line up to make it happen. Going to New Foundland in Sept for Moose and Son and I to Florida for Deer in January. Maybe next year? Please post pictures of camp and guys. Good Luck

 

[Dutch7]

@Dutch7 it's been a dream of mine to try for a whitetail buck, see some battlefields and meet like minded folks - with a flintlock just sets off the dream that little more!

If you want a flintlock buck it might be better to plan for our rifle season after thanksgiving, most years antlers are off or half racks running around by Christmas.
I’ve been fortunate to take a few buck with traditional gear in rifle season but never late season.
Ditto what @Brokennock said, you get here we will get you outfitted.
There is no western style spot and stalk in Pa woodlands, best you can do is get the wind right and still hunt into them but they are tough to get close to.

 

[raylohr1965]

Might be interested , was thinking of doing something similar on Wills Mtn
Headed that way tommorow to my dads place

I have been gone for a long time I do not understand the liscense system any more . Ray

 

[Dutch7]

@raylohr1965 Super and thanks for your email, I’ll be in touch in September to everyone that has shown interest

 

[raylohr1965]

Have a buddy flying in from the Philippines to Michigan , we were talking about doing a beaver trapping camp up there or here in Missouri

 

[Mad Irish Jack]

First 2 pics are bird hunts in PA in February at Warriors Mark hunting Preserve with my friend Phil Urban and his put-them-upper pal Bella, I believe. Any PA ML hunt other than the Late ML season requires Flo Orange to be worn at all times.

The below pic is a 1990's (Approx) Late ML season hunt. I had harvested my buck in regular buck only season and harvested this Doe in Late ML season. No orange required.

In the late 1980's Myself and 5 of my brothers from the LLRA in Westmoreland County, We camped in an 18' Tee-Pee one of them owned. It was the weekend after Christmas and 7+" of snow was on the ground. We separated and scouted Thursday late afternoon and had dinner, turned in early so we could rise early and hunt. We had no luck that weekend but we all scored venison before seasons end. This weekend check off my ML Full-out Period hunt from my bucket list. Totally worth the memories. My suggestion: "DO IT, DON"T REGRET IT!!"

 

[BoomStick]

If you want a flintlock buck it might be better to plan for our rifle season after thanksgiving, most years antlers are off or half racks running around by Christmas.

May depend on the area of the state. In SE PA I had a big 6-pt come out at last light on the last day of the season, like Jan 27th or so. And I've often seen antlered deer throughout each late season. Winters at this corner are pretty mild...

 

[Brokennock]

If you want a flintlock buck it might be better to plan for our rifle season after thanksgiving, most years antlers are off or half racks running around by Christmas.

May depend on the area of the state. In SE PA I had a big 6-pt come out at last light on the last day of the season, like Jan 27th or so. And I've often seen antlered deer throughout each late season

This is interesting to me.
Here in Connecticut, I had smaller bucks (smaller 4 and 6 points, not spikes and buttons) creating fresh rubs again, and sparing with eachother not just after the rut, but well after Christmas. There would seem to have to be something more than geographic location north to south involved.

 

[Dutch7]

Okay play the odds. If I was flying half way around the globe to shoot a buck, I’d want to be there at the optimal time, that was my point.