oldblue

There seems to be a big push on ground blinds. Some of them are very big, some of them are very small. Some have lots of windows, shot through windows, etc, etc. My question is are they really any good to use. My thinking is that deer or turkeys or whatever are going to see the blind and know that something is not right if we go in the day before or the day of the season and put up a blind. Or do we have to go in a week or month before the season and set it up so they become accustomed to it. If we set it up several weeks or a month before the season we (I think) risk the possibility of someone walking out with a new blind. Your thoughts are appreciated. Andy

Razortech and love to shoot it. Although not at a deer yet!

Pennsylvania needs to get into the 21st century and remove the prohibition for hunting on Sundays. I am retired and can hunt 1 - 6 days a week, but many, many hunters don't have that opportunity when they are working 2 or 3 jobs to make ends meet and only have one day (Sunday) off in a week.

Another PA rifle season bits the dust. All in all it was not that exciting and very unproductive. I mentioned in an earlier post what we saw while out hunting during the start of the season. Well I have only one more sighting to mention and that was yesterday. Dad and I were moving by truck to another location to see if we could find any deer and a legal buck (at least 8 points) ran across the road in front of us. Stopped up the mountain about 50 yards away and then took off at warp speed for parts unknown. That concludes my hunting until spring gobbler season. Hope everyone is safe and sound. Hope everyone is now concentrating on Christmas and New Years and your families. God Bless and be safe. Andy:D

PA Rifle Season Well opening day was a bit foggy and just a little wet. Not to bad all in all. Dad and I were in the ladder stand before first light and saw 7 doe on the far side of the field we were watching. Had a doe shot on the other side of the field (big field), but that is about all the action we had close to us. There was alot of shooting around us, but nothing (other than that one) real close. All in all not a bad day, but nothing to exciting either. Second day (Tuesday) Dad and I were watching several huge corn fields that were bordered by woods. As I was walking along the field to my Dad 4 doe and 1 buck came out of the woods heading across the field. The buck was a spikey (not legal in PA) so it was nice to see the deer but did not get any shooting again. Third day was at the same spot watching some corn fields with a hollow behind me........a hunter got in behind me and took a couple of shots at a buck that was bedded down in the hollow. The buck came in my direction but was going about 100 mph so I really only got a brief look at him before he went into the woods and only a tail twice as he headed up the hollow. That's my report on PA hunting so far. Have fun and keep smiling. Andy

OK all you Pennsylvania hunters lets start a thread on how our season is going. We get started on Monday, Dec 1 and lets starting posting to this thread to report on what is happening around the state. I will get back with everyone on Monday night to report what happen we me and my Dad. Hope to read how you guys are doing as well. See you Monday night. Andy (live in Union County and hunt in Northumberland County)

Great deer and it appears you did your homework before you bagged him. Good job! As for the comment about Ault being a genius; it is apparent that he is not in Sunbury, Ohio or you would think differently. The bucks have bigger racks but there is a lot less deer which makes for some terrible hunting overall. Just my 2 cents. Andy Keep smiling and having fun:rolleyes:

Got a gobbler Friday morning (11/6) and had a blast getting him and his buddy to come to me. Had been seeing them pass a patch of woods that is seperated from the mountain by a dirt road. So, I went after them on that Friday by moving to that patch of woods; as luck would have it here they come and bang got a 15-18 pound gobbler. Now getting ready for gun deer season here in Pennsylvania. Have fun and keep smiling. Andy

How about one of you turkey experts giving me a clue here. It is 16 degrees, 4 inches of snow on the ground and the wind is blowing about 10 MPH. My dad thinks because it is so cold the turkeys will stay on the roost longer (even days) until they get real hungry or the snow melts and it warms up. What say you???? Thanks Andy

About 50 miles west of Harrisburg is where I hunt on public land and have seen nothing more than a rub and some signs of a run going by my tree stand. I also think in another week or so it will start to happen for us. Andy

I like the picture and really like the play by play. I just love hunting stories.....I think it is one of the things that get us up at 4 a.m. to sit in a cold stand. We hear a story and get the thought that it will happen to us. Congratulations and well done! Andy

Turkey Gun Picked up the Mossberg 835 yesterday and it is sweet. Adjustable stock, pistol grip, camo finish, red/green dot scope, sling, etc and all for less than $600.00. Thanks guys appreciate your input. Andy;)

I have a chance to pick up a turkey gun and was wondering what you guys think is the best gun for the money or what is a good gun to use. Any suggestions would be welcome. Thanks. Andy

PA guys - how you doing? I have become accustomed to not seeing any deer and since the PGC will not listen to us why complain anymore? Really envy those that see does, bucks and can pass on bucks while looking for that special one to arrive. I have been out two Saturdays and have only seen one deer and that was very far away on the other side of the field. However, last Saturday was my fault in that my tree stand was set up months ago and a strip miner decided to look for coal behind my stand. He fired up his equipment at about 7 a.m. and that was the end of my hunting. Will try this Saturday and then retire on October 31 and will really give it heck after that. Have fun and be safe. Andy

I tried the kind that Tink described and they worked great. However, I also got hit with the 59.95 stick in the eye. They quoted me somewhere in the neighborhood of $5000.00 for a pair. They worked great but not that great. Andy

Work Stinks Not to sound like I am bragging or anything like that but I am retiring from my job on October 31, 2008. Just so happens that date is about the time the rut will get going in PA. Seems like I will be able to hunt anytime I want and really do intend to do that. Andy

Good luck to everyone that will start hunting deer in Pennsylvania on Saturday October 4th. Stay safe and have fun. Andy

Fletchings Am thinking of starting to build my own arrows. Am a novice at arrow building and while looking over supplies in a Cabelas catalog noticed that when ordering they ask for information like straight, helical, right or left. I shot left handed and really not sure what I should get for hunting arrows. Any help would be appreciated. Andy

Bigalt78 you really need to revisit the use of a safety harness. I agree with HUNTINGMAN you have been real lucky so far and may not be as lucky the next time. Get that harness on and happy hunting. Andy

I agree with almost everything everyone has said except the premise that you should keep doing what you are doing. I would not trust what appears to be guys guessing that the tree stand will hold you as word enough to use it. IMHO I would get one rated for your weight. Just my opinion and happy hunting. Be safe. Andy

PA a trophy state?? It is very easy for some hunters in some parts of PA to agree with Alt's program because they still have an abudance of deer and are seeing both doe and bigger racked bucks. The problem is that in MOST parts of the state we are seeing neither big racks or doe. It is extremely hard to get the young hunters, our future, to take an interest in deer hunting when they don't see deer. How can you ask young hunters to sit for 7, 8, 10 or 12 hours and see nothing. My own son hunted two season and said save your money Dad I don't really like going and not seeing anything. That is what Dr. Alt's program has done for hunting in PA. Agree to disagree.

Seeing but not hearing. Well almost not hearing.......they are waking each other in the a.m. but after that it gets pretty quite in the woods. Just this past Saturday heard a couple in the field I was watching but that was the first for much of the season and they were really just talking to each other. Not real good hunting from that area, but have been seeing turkeys almost everytime out just not close enough or not able to bring them in to my location. One more Saturday to go, best of luck to everyone. Andy

"Silver Member #44 TOTPG" Experience is what you get when you didn’t get what you expected. That is exactly what I got on Saturday. Could not have said it better myself. Thanks Andy

Saturday morning was a typical Saturday morning for me. I was at my Dad's house at 5 a.m. to pick him up for some hunting. He was pretty tired from hunting everyday for the first couple of weeks and much to my surprise there was no light in his house. Left and went to get gas and came back at 5:15 a.m. but still no light. Knowing he was tired from hunting and carrying his 24 lb 10 inch beard out of the woods a few days earlier I left him sleep. I left and got to the stop sign which if I make a right turn I go home and back to bed; if I make a left turn I go hunting. I really wanted to turn right, but turned left and went to the mountain to set up, alone. I heard a gobble over that way, then another gobble over the other way, but after trying for several minutes could not get anything to answer back. Now it is about 6:30 a.m. and there are three turkeys way out in the field, how they got there I have no idea, but there they are. They are pretty far away but what the heck here goes nothing. I gave a couple of "Here I am boys!" calls on my slate call and they immediately turned and started my way. They did not run, but they did come right down to me and all the way I thought these are small, not making any noise, so they must be hens. They got about 30 years away and I say the beards (small) sticking out of all three of them. I thought here I am with 3 Jakes coming my way and I don't want to take a Jake. Then my inner voice said "Go ahead, what the heck!" I picked out the biggest one and shot. The feathers flew and that guy dropped like a brick. The other 2 jumped but stayed right there, so I thought I would just sit and watch them for a few minutes. Then the one I shot lifted its head and then just like that dropped its head. So I thought it was done for now. One of the two that were left, started to jump on the "dead" one and peck at it. I slammed another shell in the chamber to scare them away, they either didn't hear me or didn't care and just stayed there doing what they were doing. I stood up and they still did nothing. So I stepped out of the woods and one ran that way and one ran the other way and the one that was "dead" got up and ran the other way. I was totally surprised and shot again at it while running and missed, then it jumped and flew and I shot again; of course I missed again. I stood there dumbfounded and watched my turkey fly away. Never again will I give them a chance, but get to them right away with gun at the ready. I guess I will be out again on Saturday. Have fun and keep smiling. Andy

How do you guys keep from gagging with mouth calls. I have tried and tried, but can't keep those things in my mouth. I would love to use them especially when the long beard gets closer so there is no movement for him to see. Any advice? Thanks. Andy