Sherk's Guide Service

Hey Guys, Just wanted to see if anyone has ever had any luck hunting over hot food sources and killing bucks there without any buck sign in the area. For some reason, I have struggled on finding buck sign in good sources this year. Here in NW PA, the acorns crop is great, both white and red oaks produced well. I have scouted both small and large oak stands and find very little sign. Apples, they didn't produce well. But I have found about a dozen orchards with a fair amount of apples. However, very little buck sign in the apples. The best sign I have found is near bedding areas. The edges of clear-cuts seem to be the most productive. Although I'm finding plenty of deer sign in the food sources, there is very little buck sign. I can't say I have seen a year like this. I have put stands near the bedding areas, but I want to set up on the food sources, too. Just don't want to waste my time hunting bucks near food sources when I'm not seeing sign of them. Any of you guys think bucks may still be coming into these areas?

Hey everyone, I'm thinking of switching over to a crossbow. I have been looking at the Barnett Predator that shoots 375 fps. I just think I might wound less deer and extend my shooting range another 10 yards or so. Give me some opinions on what to get and are crossbows really that good? Sherk's Guide Service

For me, I was guiding. I was able to harvest a decent 7 point with the bow back in October. I was guiding a first-year youth hunter. I chose to still-hunt since we had more than a foot of snow. At 8:15 am five bucks together came in front of us. Long story short, he shot the smallest one which was a busted up five or six point at one time. Needless to say, the kid was thrilled. He said he has never done something as fun as that ever. That made my season. Best of luck to any of you unlucky hunters.

Hey Bud, Don't get down. You remind me of when I was a young bow hunter. I started when I was 12 and only killed two deer in my first three years but I missed plenty. Since I was 16 there has only been one year I haven't shot a buck with a bow. It's just a matter of getting experience. Good Luck to ya! Steve Sherk Owner of Sherk's Guide Service Eastern Notebook Columnist of Turkey Call Magazine Writer for Water and Woods Magazine, NWPA Outdoors Magazine and The Bradford Era Newspaper

Steve, Thanks for the reply. However, I think you misunderstood me. I have cameras set up at the food source which is an apple orchard. The bucks are bedding on a mountain above the orchard. The mountain is home to an abundant oak forest with plenty of acorns. There isn't any cover up there so I don't think they are bedding in the exact same spot daily. I know it is going to be tough to nail one of these bucks as they come off the mountain during the evening. There is just too much ground for them to get by me. My question was that if I hunted directly in the apple orchard does anyone think there would be just one evening when one of these bucks would show during daylight?

Scrapes are always a good sign but I don't care to hunt over them even during the rut. A good way to find out what kind of bucks are making the scrapes is to look around at the rubs in the area. If you are seeing large rubs or even rubs on small trees but they are beat-up badly, it's probably a good making the scrapes. Another way to tell is the size of the tracks in the scrape. Tracks close to three inches wide and near four inches long are probably from a mature buck. The best way though is to set-up a trail camera to scout the scrape. I promise you, evenutally a buck will check it out again. Just be patient, it may be more than a week before you get a picture. Most often several bucks will visit scrapes. In my overall opinion, I bet there is a decent buck in your area making those scrapes.

Hey everyone, I have found more good bucks this year than ever. The problem is, I am getting trail-cam photos of these bucks in feeding areas after dark. Which is not surprising to me. I feel my best chance is to get closer to the bedding areas and catch them on their way to the food right before dark. This will be tough though because the bedding areas are very large and the bucks can travel to the feeding areas from many directions. There's not a lot of deer where I hunt so I know I will go times without seeing deer. Mainly, I was just wondering if any of you have ever been in this situation and instead of hunting in between bed and feed you actually kept hunt the feeding area in hopes of just maybe once a buck would come in during daylight hours? I can't say I have ever pounded on a spot all season in hopes of of a buck coming in during day light. I usually hunt near the bedding area or find some bucks coming into feeding areas during daylight hours. Let me know.

I have about a hundred different stand sites in the area I hunt. I'm still looking for more shooter bucks. Here in nw PA, anything over 100 inches is usually a shooter. I'm hoping to find something in the 120's, but I haven't seen a buck that big yet. I mostly hunt apples, but I might hunt over acorns or on the edge of a clear-cut.

I disagree. That's not a 2 1/2 year old deer. Possibly 3 year old but could even be a four, just too hard to tell. I think you are looking at a 125-130 inch deer. Without seeing from different angles, it is hard to judge. He's a shooter in most parts of the country. That's for sure.

I live in northwest Pennsylvania. The earliest I have ever found a rub was Aug. 18. That was why I asked the question. Here in this part of PA, I have seen bucks out of velvet at this time. Not all, but older bucks will start to shed and rub right now. Remember, if you see a rub this early, it's a good buck. Keep your eyes open.

Hey, Anyone seeing any rubs or bucks without velvet? It's getting close to that time.

Wow! I'd be sick if that happened in my territory.

I really enjoy the summer months. Mostly to prepare for the upcoming deer season. This is a great time to scout and hang stands.

I own a Savage Model 210 Bolt-Action 12 gauge. I am confident out to about 120-130 yards. Shoots real well with both 2 3/4 and 3 inch. My favorite slugs are Lightfield.

I saw my first decent buck spotting a couple of nights ago. I don't think he's going to be a monster but it was nice to see a buck that was forming points and sprouting past the ears. Gonna have to keep tabs on him and hopefully one of my clients will get a crack at him. Anyone else been doin any scoutin? Sherk's Guide Service