Deerhunted

A late post, but better late then never. Weekend of Dec 3-4 Dad did it! After 13 years of hunting hard things finally came together for him. Let me first start off by saying how proud I am of my dad for all of the years of hard hunting and with luck just never being on his side, he has stuck it out and never given up. Dad started hunting with me when I was 13 years old, so it was a new learning experience for the both of us and we had to pretty much teach ourselves as we went along. I was lucky enough to harvest my first deer, a doe with the bow on the ground non-the-less when I was 15. From that year on I have been fortunate enough to harvest at least 1 deer a year since then. Unfortunately for dad luck was never on his side with either no deer in range, brush in the way and on one occasion actually blowing his bow up while shooting at a deer (old school Oneida with the retractable limbs that hit the bar on the climber.) But he has stuck it out and kept a great attitude. Once I went away to college and now have moved 4hrs away from home there has been little time for us to be able to hunt together. Each year he only is able to find a week to hunt in archery due to constraints at work which limit his time. I try my best to get up to Forest county for a day or 2 to try and hunt with him but at times school did not allow that. For years though I have asked him to come up for rifle and he always said no that he wanted to get a deer with the bow because the rifle was too easy. Boy did he eat those words later haha. So after another unsuccessful week of archery hunting I again BEGGED him to come and hunt with me. At first he seemed a little reluctant but after some convincing he finally said yes. I tell you what I could not have been happier. I was telling all my friends, my fiancé and my mom how excited I was that we were going to be able to hunt together. Being as that I have already taken my buck and just wanted to see him get a deer I was along for the ride. Dad arrived late Thursday night of the first week and we unpacked his stuff and discussed the next two days hunts. We would be heading an hour west to Clarion to tackle some gamelands where I was certain I could at least put him in front of a nice doe. Well we made the trek and arrived to our spot just as it was getting light. With fresh sign everywhere it was just a matter of time before the deer I was used to seeing each time would show up right? WRONG. For hours we sat there with no luck. So off to another spot for another couple of hours, still no luck. So back to the truck for some lunch and to wait out the impending snow which was now falling. So back out we go around 1:30 and wouldn’t you know it, while we were in the truck there were fresh deer tracks crossing a field right where w were. This was beginning to get a little frustrating now, but we stayed positive because I was putting dad in a stand where does come out every night. I set him up and as I am leaving run into a buddy of mine heading to that field. He said him and some friend were going to be doing some drives and I told them that dad was in that field and trying to get him his first deer and if they could try and just stay clear of that small area and he said ok. So I went and just sat on a hillside 200yds from dad and wouldn’t you know it 4 does come by me at 10yds not 10minutes after I left dad. Talk about your all time luck. They did end up running across the field by dad but no shot presented itself. Oh well, those does I always see will come out right? NOPE. My “friend” and his buddies decided to do a drive right through where dad was sitting, which made the night a wash. Oh well, that’s hunting I guess and dad still had a great time and just loved spending it with me. Later that night after visiting with my future in-laws we headed back to Clearfield where I received a call from my fiancés dad asking if we wanted to hunt with him in the morning and we jumped at the chance because it is private and lightly pressured land. We woke up early and headed out and met up with Gary (fiancés dad). He then drove us up to his one spot and set us up. It was in the middle of some spread out pines, surrounded by a thicket to our back and left and a big field 200yds in front of us. About a half hour in dad started hitting my arm like I did something wrong. I turn and whisper what. No response. Again I whisper what. Nothing. Again, but this time louder, WHAT! He then said I see deer haha. So I told him to slowly get up on a knee to get a better shot but when he did some leaves rustled and the deer took off. It was my bad for telling him that because he could have shot from sitting down. Well more time passes and nothing, then at 9 he says deer coming and he immediately gets up and ready. I can see the deer 80yds out and coming to us. I am telling him to stay calm and where the deer is at, as I can see it a little better then him. Next thing you know its at 20yds and is quartering to us slightly. I tell him you have to shoot now. He takes aim and BANG! I see he broke the front shoulder and watch as the deer falls, but is still alive. I tell him we need to get another one in it and as we move in position the deer takes off. Not wanting to push it we waited for another hour and then slowly made our way to where it was bedded. There was good blood in the bed and knew she wouldn’t be far. After tracking another 25yds I spotted the deer down ahead of us! I don’t know who was more excited at this point, because it was one of the most special moments for me to be able to not only spend time with my dad but to experience his first kill. It was a memorable day and the least I could do by taking him out. He has always been there for me, never missing a baseball game, giving advice and just being the best father and my best friend. Sorry for the long post but this was an experience I will never forget and more memorable then any hunt I have ever had. Congrats dad, love you!!!

This deer was shot in Elk County, PA....I do not know the hunter or the details of the hunt but thought that the rest of the hunting community would enjoy seeing a true world class deer...p.s. this was shot on public land http://www.huntingpa.com/forums/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=1956599&fpart=1

Things are really starting to heat up as far as I can tell..Alot of big bucks are hitting the ground and def some more to come. Went out on Tues and saw 4 bucks between 11 and 2 and I was just out for a walk and happened to shoot a nice 9pt...You should def be into them though if you are heading up next week...Good luck and be safe

Thank you for the kind words guys means alot. It sure was a day to remember and could only hope everyone could experience a day like that. And to answer your question, yes I did miss my 2o'clock class,but it was definatly worth it hahaha.

Nov 2nd started out just like any other Tuesday for me. The girlfriend was up and of to the hospital and I was up feeding and changing the baby. Off we went to daycare and then it was the hour long drive from Clearfield to Clarion for my 9:30 class. Needless to say hunting was not in the script for me. I go to my class and luck must have been on my side because the professor decided to let us out early. On my way to the truck I was talking with my buddy contemplating on whether to take my bow for a walk or not and try and call in a buck. With it being cool and calm and the rut kicking in, it was a no brainer. The only kicker was that I had to be back in time for my 2o'clock class. Jokingly my buddy said, "You are gonna have a big buck in your sights at 1:45 and have to decide to shoot or not to shoot." We laughed about it and off I went to some local gamelands. I pulled into the parking lot, gathered my gear and called my buddy who just moved to SC to see how his morning hunt went. He was telling me how he hit his grunt call and heard a grunt back and alot of rustling in front of him right away and sure enough 4 hogs came in. He was so taken off guard he said he almost pooped himself haha. Needless to say he didn't shoot and had to razz him for that one. But its now 11 and I head up the hill. Once at the top I check my wind to see which side of the ridgetop to work. I pick my way and not 10min later I kick up 2 doe. With the fresh scent of doe in the air I decide to set here first. After getting situated I use the Can and my Buck Roar with no results. Then I hit the snort wheeze on the Buck Roar and start an aggressive rattling sequence followed by another snort weeze. Sitting there for 10min with nothing I decide to move, when I hear branches breaking to my left. Next thing I know a 5pt walks 15yds in front of me. I was just watching him when he suddenly saw my ugly mug. His eyes got to about the size of softballs when he saw me and didn't know what to do haha. Once he worked his way off I went and did 4 more sits with no luck. It was about 1:15 at this point and I decided to do one more sit before heading to class. I picked an area on a logging road with a thick pine bedding area to the one side and open woods with sparse pines on the other side. I sat on the open woods side about 10yds off the logging road. Being lazy and not wanting to kneel or stand I opted to straddle a blow down so I could face up the logging road. Well once I sat on this blow down it was like a see-saw. I felt like a little kid again going up and down haha. Not thinking anything was going to happen I just sat like that and did my calls. Not 5min later I hear something behind my on the pines side of the road and here comes a decent 6 or 8pt (if it had brows?). Normally I wouldn't shoot a deer like this with the rut being on but I felt it would make a pretty cool story. So I drew my bow out in front of me and had to twist awkwardly to the right as I'm still straddling the tree. He is out at about 40yds and I put the pin on him and let it fly. The buck ended up ducking and it flew over his back. I just had to sit and laugh at what happened because I never thought something like this would happen, by just walking around between classes. Now it is time to head to class so I'm on my way out and I decide to take a break and sit down where 2 logging roads meet and to give my buddy from SC a play by play on what happened, being as that he used to hunt these woods with me. As we are talking and joking about my miss I hear something in front of me so I tell him to shut up (like whatever it is can hear him anyways). I end up hanging up looking and listening to see what it is and sure enough its a lady and her 2 dogs. So back down I sit to laugh that one off too and to thank God for such a wonderful and exciting day in the woods. All of a sudden I hear the loudest, longest grunt I have ever heard and jump up to see a buck running 100yds to my left at Mach 2. Then I hear the grunting closer and think it can't be that buck. Next thing you know 15yds to my right a doe and 4pt come charging through. As I am watching them the buck on the ridge turned around and came barrelling down the hill and I can see he's a big one. He looked like a 200"to me being that close. I fumbled to get my grunt call out and stopped him at 35yds behind one pine limb. Now mind you it is 1:40, and my bow is on the ground. What to do what to do? It's a no brainer, I kneel down,put on my release and knock an arrow, only the tip was loose. I tighten the tip and renock, draw on my knee, stand up and take one step to my left and put the pin on the last rib as he is quartering away. I let'er fly and WHACK!!! He ran 40yds and piled up! This was by far the most exciting and thrilling hunt I have ever had. He is a 9pt with an 18 1/2inch inside spread and 175lbs dressed. He is my best buck to date and couldn't be happier or have dreamt up a better hunt. Not too bad for a walk in the woods between classes when I wasn't even planning on hunting haha

No definitely not a purebred, but a cross is what we all said when we discussed it.

I am still trying to get the pics of the face, I would have taken them myself but I had my daughter in my arms while I took the pics and didn't want her to grab the bloody head haha...But a taxidermist that he had talked with said there was a full blooded timberwolf brought to him last year that was shot in the area and it wasn't there too long because the game commission came and took it away telling him to keep quiet. Don't know if they don't want to admit they are not there or they don't want to alarm people or what but they just make themselves look silly by telling lies.

Well you guys pretty much hit the nail on the head. This was shot in Northwest PA by my girlfriends uncle. He didn't know what he had shot so he called the game commission to come take a look at it. The game commission came out with 3 officers and when they all saw it their mouths dropped and 2 of them just shut their mouths and didn't say a word. The other officer then started to examine the animal and pulled hair out and said if this was a wolf you wouldn't be able to pull its hair out. Now I don't know about you but this makes no sense what so ever. He then stated that wolves don't hunt in packs, while this one was with another, larger one. The officer then kept bashing him saying he prolly shot someones prized dog and to bury it and not say a word to anyone about it. Meanwhile if it were a prized dog it would have had a tracking chip. After the officer left he went on to tell people at the game commission what it really was, which was a wolf hybrid. My girlfriends uncle found out what was said from a friend of his (bet that officer wasn't expecting that to come out). Just angered people that the officer would lie to us about this. These are people we are supposed to trust and they can't even tell us what was really shot. But for people that don't believe there could be wolves or wolf hybrids in PA here's proof.

These pics were taken by me around the 4th of July. Before I give specific details on it I first want to hear what you all think this is. Just so you know this was shot in Northeast US. This is a female that weighed 83lbs and was killed at 6:30am hunting with another larger one. It was shot chasing cattle, and unfortunately the other one escaped. So before I give more info what is your take on this.

172 3/8" Great buck and great shot! Congrats

I was just wondering if anyone had any information on any outfitters for a fall black bear hunt in either Ontario or Maine. I'm looking for an affordable hunt and not something where I'm going to be spending thousands of dollars. Any information is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Chuck

Re: Will Bucks Cross Water? Hunting islands on a river is one of the best places for big bucks. We always get a group of guys together during bow season and have pushers and standers and drive the islands. It is probably the most exciting things that I have ever done. At times the deer will be so close when they come thru that you can reach out and touch them. I have actually had to jump out of the way to avoid being run over by a few does. The great part about these islands is that the does will run down the island while the bucks will sneak through making for an easier shot. I have seen some of the biggest bucks I have ever seen on these islands and must say that it is an adrenilen rush.

Re: live camera Two does on Chasinggame at 9:02pm.

Re: live camera 8:44 pm 1 racoon munching away on the chasing game.

Re: find it Found it! Squirrel on tree right in front. Neat pic and nice looking rub there.