Looking for a place to hunt

[PaMtnMan1964]

I am currently living in Willow Grove and am looking for some place local to hunt during the late muzzle loader season. I have checked out some of the game lands in 5B but am really looking for private land to hunt and am more than willing to share the venison with the property owner if I get a deer. I work weekends so I would be looking for a place during the week, mostly Monday and Tuesday afternoons or week day mornings if it is not to far of a drive. I have talked to many land owners in the area and either they do not allow hunting or have people already hunting the land. Any help would be great.

[ChamberedRound]

Good luck. I'm a new hunter, and this seems to be the hardest part of getting ready for the season. In my opinion, lack of available land to hunt, or the unwillingness of property owners to allow people to hunt on their land, is the reason why more people don't get involved in the sport.

Furthermore, experienced hunters seem to be unwilling to share information about hunting grounds with others, for fear that somebody might take their kill for the season. In this regard, hunters are their own worst enemy in terms of propagating interest in the sport.

[cdi]

Ain't that the truth!
When hunters get a prime piece of private land, they keep their mouths shut!

That is about the only time they keep quiet.

As a group, you won't find a bunch of more conniving, lying, trespassing evil doers than dedicated hunters.

I have a SMALL piece of ground up near Nockamixion (where the deer yard-up!)
And run trespassers off the time.

I have repeatedly offered to trade gunsmith work or dealer cost on guns to no avail. NOBODY wants to open their hunting spots.

[hzox221]

Look at state forests and state parks in addition to game lands

[mikal90]

I hunt public land along the blue mountain. Most is on the border between Berks and Schuykill Counties. The game commission has the road open Between Strausstown and just about rt.61. Thats about 10 miles of mountain rd to hunt on. Park out of the way and both sides of the mountain are SGL or SF. You'll be parked ontop of the mountain, If you walk all the way down to near the bottom you'll run into posted signs. I think its near 26000 acres of public hunting. There are 3 access roads that lead up top.
1st- Rt 895 N past Strausstown about 3/4 the way up the mountain you will see the SGL sign on the right. Theres a parking lot and the gate is supposed to be open so you can drive up to the top.
2nd- I-78 to Shartlesville exit. Go north past the Loves travel plaza and watch for the small blacktop rd next to the farm house on the turn. Bare left and follow the road till it splits at the SGL sign and then stay right to the parking lot. The gate up the mountain is supposed to be open also.
3rd- Rt 61 north Past Hamburg, Cabelas, Then turn left at the red light at the Walmart. Follow the road back about 3 miles and you'll see the SGL sign on the right. go up the dirt road to the parking area. That gate is open for sure as I took a doe there in muzzleloader season this year.
All the parking areas are open the gates are after them. You can drive that road from Spot #1 to Spot #3 if the weather holds, or you have good 4x4 drive. I wont drive them in the snow with my 1/2 ton PU. 2wd.
4th- Rt 61 north past Cabelas, through Port Clinton there is a SGL on the right side of Hwy. Turn at the SF sign and follow the road up to the Port Clinton fire tower, On top there is a parking lot. from the lot if you hunt too far down the mountain either north or south you will hit posted signs. You can go east all the way to Hawk mountain and not run out of public land. This area has alot of hunters during the rifle season within about a mile of the parking lot. You guys looking for the late season will be almost by yourself.
I took my deer at area 3 on the last friday of early muzzleloader season and there was 1 car in the parking lot and I only saw 2 other cars go up the mountain. I'm not sure what the total acreage is for these 4 spots but you'll get tired before you hunt it all as it goes from Hawk Mountain to Strausstown. You can find plenty of space all by yourself on that mountain as most guys don't hunt more than a 1/2 mile from their truck. Me and my youngest son will be out there in rifle someplace. We want 1 more in the freezer. Good Luck.

[mikal90]

For you guys with doe tags the WMU is 4c

[disturbed]

Look at state forests and state parks in addition to game lands

Exactly what he said.In my area i have permision to hunt a few private farms but there ten times the amount of deer in and around the state parks.Gamelands in pa are usually hunted hard but there is deer on them.I think the trick is just getting as far away from everyone else as possible and let the other people push the deer to you.If your ever in nepa let me know and ill show you some good spots.

[magras]

i have noticed more wildlife when entering gameland from the opposite side of the gameland from where the parking lots are let everyone else push the deer to you

[Delcozrt]

Good luck. I'm a new hunter, and this seems to be the hardest part of getting ready for the season. In my opinion, lack of available land to hunt, or the unwillingness of property owners to allow people to hunt on their land, is the reason why more people don't get involved in the sport.

Furthermore, experienced hunters seem to be unwilling to share information about hunting grounds with others, for fear that somebody might take their kill for the season. In this regard, hunters are their own worst enemy in terms of propagating interest in the sport.

Agreed, hell I love to hunt but can't stand most "hunters".

[TerminusEst]

My family has always hunted in Elk State Forest (state game lands) so I've never had to deal with private property owners. That being said, it seems like the past decade has seen a decent decline in the deer population up there :/

Last year I spent a day in a Lancaster County SGL but didn't see a thing. I think this year I'll try to hit up some landowners and see if I can get any permission.

Daniel