Northeast PA/Pike County/Pocono hunting

[RRatch]

I'm looking to try my first year hunting in PA this year (I've been going to my dad's place in Milford for over 30 years, but never hunted). Family problems and my dad's health make it unlikely that his house will be be there for me to take my sons hunting from it when they're old enough, so I want to try it while I can...

I know in years past while visiting, I'd see cars parked everywhere along 209 and throughout the water gap area during rifle season, and I figured it must be challenging as heck just trying to find a spot that's not at least invaded.

Is the hunting in that area typically very busy woods with "orange army" for the season?
How's archery season? I don't recall seeing a lot of parked cars during then.
Are the residents in the area generally friendly toward hunters?
Are non-residents generally unwelcome?

How far in should I think about walking? A mile doesn't sound bad to me, but it doesn't sound good if I actually get something I have to drag out.

Is the state land really like the wild west? Anyone know off-hand where I can find some info on hunting accidents in that area from years past?


Thanks!

[Dredly]

In all honesty unless you have private land you really are going to have a lot of trouble trying to hunt public land in NE PA, the army of orange invades and it is not a pretty sight.

You'd have much better luck (and access to land) by going to upstate NY then you will in NE PA.

[Sandcut]

I know in years past while visiting, I'd see cars parked everywhere along 209 and throughout the water gap area during rifle season, and I figured it must be challenging as heck just trying to find a spot that's not at least invaded.

Is the hunting in that area typically very busy woods with "orange army" for the season?
How's archery season? I don't recall seeing a lot of parked cars during then.
Are the residents in the area generally friendly toward hunters?
Are non-residents generally unwelcome?

How far in should I think about walking? A mile doesn't sound bad to me, but it doesn't sound good if I actually get something I have to drag out.

Is the state land really like the wild west? Anyone know off-hand where I can find some info on hunting accidents in that area from years past?


Thanks!

We here in NE PA are blessed w/ an abundance of public land that is available to hunt. I'm gonna have to disgree w/ Dredley on the going to NY to hunt thing. There are plenty of places to go where you can get all the solitude that you want to hunt. It just takes doing your homework over a couple seasons to pattern, not only the wildlife but, the other hunters.

Most main parking areas along State Game Lands or certain areas in State Forests or Parks generally draw the most people. Do some pre-season scouting and learn where the smaller pull-offs are. You may have to show up at 0-dark-30 to ensure that you get it before the other guy that knows its whereabouts gets it. Or leave a little space so he can park there also. I'd rather hunt w/ one guy than 100.

Another trick that I use if I'm scouting out a new area is to wait until after sun up and drive around to see where people have parked. You look for a spot that isn't used as heavily and give that a try. What can you lose? You're exploring.

Or you can play the odds and hunt w/ the crowd. There's a lot of humanity driving deer around out there some times. That can be capitalized on once in a while.

If you have flexibility in your schedule as to when you can work, don't hunt the first 3 days or the last Saturday. The crowd usually thins out the rest of the time.

When hunting a new area, I'll often wander up to the other folks in the parking area, extend a friendly greeting and ask them where they intend to set up so that I can avoid crowding them or shooting in their direction. They (usually) will not only appreciate that, I've been given some tips on locations to hunt that I wouldn't have known about that someone from their party usually hunts but couldn't make it for one reason or another.

You've got some great territory out your way! Enjoy it!

[ruggerio]

beaver dam along bloomingrove rd past 738? lords valley.
an abundance of state land and you just park on the rd and walk in.

will you see another hunter? more then likely and you may see more then one butm you wont be surrounded.

sometimes in public land such as it is other hunters can help.

be safe and i hope you have one hanging on monday.

btw, i have hunted all over pike county for the past twenty some years and i find it exellent.

for a really nice hunt get into the bow. its like hunting private land there is so much that isnt used in the bow season.

[wis bang]

Get out and scout. Most of the Orange Army won't walk too far from their cars.
get on line on google maps or one of the programs that lets you search around on a map and then switch to a topo or satalite view to find the out of the way places. The most crowded rifle days [often the most successful too] are listed by the PGC as the first Monday, the first Saturday, the first Tuesday and the 2nd Saturday. That leaves alot of quiet days. Their are alot less hunters around during archery.

[RRatch]

Great, thanks for the encouraging replies. I guess I'll focus more on bow than rifle, I think I'm going to only be there on saturdays and sundays.
I wanted so bad to do some scouting yesterday and saturday while we were there, but the wife and kids were hanging on me to do final summer stuff before schools starts...

Are sundays restricted hunting days?

[wis bang]

Are sundays restricted hunting days?

Yes you can't hunt deer on Sundays but you can scout!