Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association
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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Carbondale, Pennsylvania
    (Lackawanna County)
    Posts
    165
    Rep Power
    780709

    Default 5 years dry, looking for advice

    I’ve been hunting Lackawanna & Wayne counties for the last 5 seasons & barely see any deer, legal or otherwise & have only gotten a shot off at 2 but my adrenaline was through the roof & I missed those barns by a country mile.

    Do any of you have suggestions, advice or more fruitful areas in my neck of the woods? I normally hunt on my days off so long distance is kind of out, plus my “boss” (non hunter but deer eater) wouldn’t be too fond of that either

    I’ve already been told to spotlight them but I’d like to keep my license & my morals. They’re low but they are there

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    East side of the ANF, Pennsylvania
    (Elk County)
    Posts
    7,018
    Rep Power
    21474859

    Default Re: 5 years dry, looking for advice

    Well, just because you haven't shot a deer doesn't mean you should go back to drinking after 5 years.

    Noah
    Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Carbondale, Pennsylvania
    (Lackawanna County)
    Posts
    165
    Rep Power
    780709

    Default Re: 5 years dry, looking for advice

    Lol not that kind of dry

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    East side of the ANF, Pennsylvania
    (Elk County)
    Posts
    7,018
    Rep Power
    21474859

    Default Re: 5 years dry, looking for advice



    Noah
    Wisdom and knowledge shall be the stability of thy times.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Ambridge, Pennsylvania
    (Beaver County)
    Posts
    2,380
    Rep Power
    21474853

    Default Re: 5 years dry, looking for advice

    This was my first after 3 dry years. Mind you I don't doe hunt because of time limitations.

    Best I can tell you is scout the areas well that you want to hunt. Then scout some more. The more preparation you put in the more successful you will be.

    Look for all the usual signs..buck rub, scrapes, well traveled animal trails.

    If you hunting along a clearing use some sent drops to get a buck to stop and notice. Most deer won't stop in a clearing (like a gas line), but will cross it and then stop in the woods. Use some sent drops to get them to stop at the edge. Might just give you enough time to get a shot off.
    www.Steelvalleycasting.com is your new home for coated bullets and custom ammo.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    North East PA, Pennsylvania
    Posts
    3,437
    Rep Power
    21474857

    Default Re: 5 years dry, looking for advice

    Spotting is legal, just check the regulations for when you can do it.

    I've seen more deer in the last two years than I have in my whole life. The number one thing I changed is I always hunt the wind. If you setup with the wind blowing your scent to where the deer are coming from most of the time you will never know they are there. They will smell you and walk the other way. I don't care what cover scent or super scent free clothes you have, they will smell you. Scout way more than you hunt. Setup trail cams on scrapes and trails. Look for deer all the time when you are just driving around. I almost killed a huge buck last year. He crossed in front of my car one morning. I scouted the area and if I picked a different tree I would have had a shot. I hit one this year in the same spot buy didn't find it. Look in areas people don't go. This could be a swamp a mile back or 30 yards off the main road next to a bike path. I see a lot of deer in these weird places people overlook. I didn't get all these ideas on my own. Two YouTube channels I watch all the time are The Hunting Beast and The Hunting Public. Dan Infalt is the Hunting Beast. He has great advice and really shows you a lot. Hunting Public kill almost everything on the ground on public land. Hope this helps. Check out those channels.
    Any vote for a third party is a vote for a Democrat. You are the enemy.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Location
    Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
    (Allegheny County)
    Age
    66
    Posts
    3,140
    Rep Power
    21474850

    Default Re: 5 years dry, looking for advice

    All the Deer are moving to the city so you can't shoot them..
    view from my back yard Pittsburgh Pa.


  8. #8
    Join Date
    Dec 2012
    Location
    Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
    (Philadelphia County)
    Posts
    3,733
    Rep Power
    21474851

    Default Re: 5 years dry, looking for advice

    Quote Originally Posted by Noah_Zark View Post
    Well, just because you haven't shot a deer doesn't mean you should go back to drinking after 5 years.

    Noah
    Quote Originally Posted by mikeybonez28 View Post
    Lol not that kind of dry
    From the title I thought the same thing. You are doing great, don*t quit now. LOL.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Carbondale, Pennsylvania
    (Lackawanna County)
    Posts
    165
    Rep Power
    780709

    Default Re: 5 years dry, looking for advice

    Quote Originally Posted by DucatiRon View Post
    This was my first after 3 dry years. Mind you I don't doe hunt because of time limitations.

    Best I can tell you is scout the areas well that you want to hunt. Then scout some more. The more preparation you put in the more successful you will be.

    Look for all the usual signs..buck rub, scrapes, well traveled animal trails.

    If you hunting along a clearing use some sent drops to get a buck to stop and notice. Most deer won't stop in a clearing (like a gas line), but will cross it and then stop in the woods. Use some sent drops to get them to stop at the edge. Might just give you enough time to get a shot off.
    I mainly hunt “big woods” SGL300&310, not many clearings except for a gravel road & some wide spacing between trees, maybe old access roads?

    Scouting is one of my bigger shortcomings since there’s always something that requires my attention but hopefully after this season I can take an unladen hike & put in some miles. When I was out in archery I did come across quite a few rubs & scrapes in 1 area but no legal deer during subsequent hunts, only a doe (no tag, my own fault) and a hefty 4 pointer.

    Also doesn’t help that I’m hunting from the ground since I don’t have a stand yet. Technically I have a climber but I’m unfamiliar with it & it’s noisy as hell

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Location
    Carbondale, Pennsylvania
    (Lackawanna County)
    Posts
    165
    Rep Power
    780709

    Default Re: 5 years dry, looking for advice

    Quote Originally Posted by Yoder View Post
    Spotting is legal, just check the regulations for when you can do it.

    I've seen more deer in the last two years than I have in my whole life. The number one thing I changed is I always hunt the wind. If you setup with the wind blowing your scent to where the deer are coming from most of the time you will never know they are there. They will smell you and walk the other way. I don't care what cover scent or super scent free clothes you have, they will smell you. Scout way more than you hunt. Setup trail cams on scrapes and trails. Look for deer all the time when you are just driving around. I almost killed a huge buck last year. He crossed in front of my car one morning. I scouted the area and if I picked a different tree I would have had a shot. I hit one this year in the same spot buy didn't find it. Look in areas people don't go. This could be a swamp a mile back or 30 yards off the main road next to a bike path. I see a lot of deer in these weird places people overlook. I didn't get all these ideas on my own. Two YouTube channels I watch all the time are The Hunting Beast and The Hunting Public. Dan Infalt is the Hunting Beast. He has great advice and really shows you a lot. Hunting Public kill almost everything on the ground on public land. Hope this helps. Check out those channels.
    I know spotting is legal but spotting & shooting is what I was eluding too which isn’t legal & I’m not about to do. I’d rather have no deer than a poached deer

    I don’t religiously play the wind but I seem to come out on the right side of it. Of the deer that I have encountered they see me before they catch my scent, probably because I’m grounded at the moment. 1 winded me but after a staring match & he was only a few yards away, I could have just about landed a loogie on him

    I have 1 trail cam & it’s been soaking near a creek since archery. (I sat there 1 day, neither hide nor hair). Maybe Saturday or Sunday I’ll pluck it and go over it. I’d like to get a cellular cam but they’re a bit pricey & then I have to have a SIM card for it

    I’ll have to check them out, I watch plenty of other YouTubers, it’s about the only “tv” I do watch

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