LR Deer Herd

[cronhelm]

Remember that Deer Cull hunt I went on a few weeks ago?

This is a perfect example of why the cull licence was issued. This is one of several large Mule Deer herds in the area.

In this picture there are 14 obvious deer but we counted 19 as they crossed the snowbank.

We first spotted the herd bedded down on the other side of the valley about 2000 yards away. This picture was taken at a laser ranged 550 yds.

Unfortunately the wind was not cooperating so we did not even attempt a shot. A gusty, full value, 20 mph wind was not something I wanted to play with at long range.

I am hoping for a calm day so we can do some long range shooting. As you can see there is no lack of targets in this area.

Peter Cronhelm

 

[PrimeTime]

Peter-
Where was this? I didn't know there were any deer seasons this time of year.
Most importantly, can I come next time???
I promise to do all the gutting and dragging!
PrimeTime

 

[Steve Shelp]

Peter,
If you want to see deer, go to NE Pennsylvania. For the first 2 days of buck season last year I saw 70-80 deer total and that was woods hunting only. Not overlooking some valley.

It's not uncommon to go spot-lighting for a couple of hours and see 75-100 deer easy. My uncles still farm in the area and last I knew they reported 25-35% crop damage from deer.

And then there's turkeys......

But it sounds like you've got a nice area out there with the muleys.

Steve

 

[Guest]

Steve:

Was that an invitation?
I just spent the day drooling over Alabama state regs: 2 deer per day limit and $125 ten day non-resident license.

Pennsylvania is a whole lot closer though!

 

[Boyd Heaton]

Mike I'm alway's looking for people to go with me.....

 

[Guest]

Boyd: If the hunting is really that good, count me in. In my area (near Glens Falls NY) if you see 5-6 deer together it's a big herd. I can only imagine what seeing 50+ per day is like.

If the offer is serious, I would definitely consider it worth the drive down.

I'm new to this board but you can reach me at [email protected] anytime.

 

[PAWildcatter]

Steve,

Where's that at in NE PA?

I live in Pike Co., PA and you can't get any further North or East in PA. If you did, you'd either be in NY or NJ.

My camp has 1100 private acres and we border on 1000s of SGL and SF lands.

Until about 3 years ago, we saw heard like you mentioned. these past few years they have dried-up a bit. I still do well however

hey, just think, Pike Co. is 1 of the 3 that will have bear concurrent to deer

Gotta love that!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do you think about what Dr. Alt has proposed?

I'm for it. Then again, I've known him for ~20 years. This past bear season at the Shohola check station, I pulled in with a "smallish" bear. In fact my Yamaha 660 Grizzly towered over top of the 200# bear. Gary came outside and said, "Who's next?" I said, "I am Gary." He said, "mark, what do you want me to do, weigh your quad?"

Needless to say, the 60 or so obsrevers that were there got a good laugh.

Anyhoot, let me know where you hunt in NE PA. Perhaps we can go shooting one day. Have a 750yd range at the camp.

[ 03-08-2002: Message edited by: PAWildcatter ]

 

[Steve Shelp]

Mike in NY,
I live in NC now so I only get to back to PA every once in awhile and only for a couple of days at that. If it wasn't for that, there's enough deer to go around though and it wouldn't be a problem.

Mark,
My family lives in Susquehanna Cnty. I live in NC now and have for the last 9yrs. Not many jobs in Cowtown, PA. Unless you want to make a living milking cows or plowing snow.

Even in Susq. Cnty it can be patchy about how many deer you see. Most of the area I'm from is/was diary farms. With many of them disappearing and corn fields turning back into forested land, there are some areas that weren't as good as they use to be. But the worst area in Susq. Cnty is much better than any area I've hunted in NC. And they complain about how many deer there are getting hit on the highways here! There's no comparison.

What do you think about what Dr. Alt has proposed? I'm still thinking it over. The changes last year I think were good for the deer herd in the long run. It will take awhile to see the benefits though. When I was in HS my Adv Biology teacher who was a big hunter/sportsman had Gary come in a speak about his bear program at that time. Obviously he's done a great job with the bear. Heck when I started hunting you didn't see (let alone kill) a bear in Susq. Cnty. We would go to Wyoming Cnty for bear. In the 2000 bear season I beleive there was 32 bear killed in my Cnty. Unreal.

Keep in touch. I usually make it back once a year for vacation and bring the guns along. Maybe we could hook up. Need a little more room than 750yds for my 338 though.

Here's a picture that was taken while standing in the back door of my in-laws house last Oct while having morning coffee with my father-in-law.

Enjoy turkey season!!
Steve

[ 03-10-2002: Message edited by: Steve Shelp ]

 

[PAWildcatter]

Steve,

Is your family close to Wheelerville?

My great uncle use to own a farm up there back in the 30s, 40s, & 50s.

He said back then the deer herds there were tremendous. He said the deer were massive too.

He now has a farm in Berks Co.

What's land like in Susq Co.????

We just lost our 1100 acre camp in Pike. Soldout from under us. I've been on that land for 18 years.

I've been telling some of my guys that we should look into Susq. Co for land that borders SGL or State Forest.

Any recommendations?

As for the 750 yard shooting, which you need more distance (I'm envious), that's gone with the 1100 acres.

Where in NC do you live? I hunted there 2 years ago. Can't remember the name of the closest town. I want to say Greensboro???
We got off at exit 150 and drove due east for ~30 miles. That's about where we were at. I saw 8 and got 5. Missed one in an open peanut field at ~ 150 yds. Still can't figure that miss out.

If you can provide any info on Susq & NC it would be appreciated.

Regards,

Mark

 

[Guest]

Thanks gents. Found out that Nebraska is out for my hunting options. Sure they have all the deer tags youwant...an unlimited number per hunter. BUT - at $151 per deer for non-residents. ouch.

 

[Bugs Bunny]

nice pic thanks 4 sharing, here in n central pa the deer are almost non existent from what it was in years past. my neighbor & i hunted heavy for 2 weeks of deer season i had a couple opportunities at pathetic racks. finally on the last day i bagged a nice doe for him at 420yards to prove a point & to keep his dad from giving him an earfull. the load i used was 111grns h1000 165 sbtsp cci250. it really made a nice capper on our final day of deer season.
but that fact remains that management isnt working here.
as for cowtown PA it seems there isnt much in the farming here either, they are only a few left and the twp supervisors keep passing ordinances to shut them down as well. when i grew up here every other person was involved in farming/milking. now the city folk dont like the smell gripe about the odor relentlessly at the meetings & the sub dividers have more rights then the folks that where here origonally.
100 acres & i must pay to hunt elsewhere for a rack??

151 bucks seems fair for an out of state lic, i am looking for a decent state to hunt next season myself..

sorry guys my 2nd post & im complaining..

 

[Lostsheep]

try alberta!