Pennsylvania Game News - December 2020 - 55

camouflage patterns now on the market
allow hunters to take advantage, to fit in
better, particularly when bowhunting from
ground blinds, tracking or still-hunting.
A fresh coating of powdery snow is
ideal for still-hunting and stalking. Draped
in white camo while playing the wind correctly, you can navigate the deer woods
like the invisible man with your footsteps
perfectly muffled. Any deer you encounter
will be unlikely to see, smell or hear your
approach. Another benefit here is that
hunters on the move tend to stay warmer
than those huddled on stand.
But let's say that last week's snowfall
has crusted over. What was once a powdery silence is now an icy crunch with
each footstep. Effectively stalking or stillhunting under these conditions is nearly
impossible. Now it's time to use a stand
within range of the whitetail's preferred
travel corridors and pinch points.
By the late season, most agricultural
crops and fallen mast have been cleaned
up. Hungry whitetails survive mostly by
foraging for browse scattered throughout
the forest, eating grasses or scavenging
whatever else they can find. It can be
tough trying to locate and set up on feeding areas; setups near bedding areas or
along heavily used trails often are more
productive.
When using tree stands in the late
season, bigger is better. Staying comfortable in freezing weather can be challenging, and being crammed on a small
platform doesn't help. Larger stands
allow more freedom of movement in your
bulkier winter clothing.
While hand and toe warmers always
can be used, a stand large enough to house
a space heater will add to comfort. And
long hours in an enclosed stand always
are far more bearable.
Throughout last year's early archery
DECEMBER 2020

season, I'd hunted with my compound
bow, but my wife gave me a new crossbow
for Christmas, and I switched to it for the
late season, as it was better suited for the
enclosed stand I hunted.
Aside from a dusting of snow, winter's worst never materialized. While the
advantages offered by snow cover were
lost, the abnormally mild late season made
my long stretches in the enclosed stand
even more comfortable than usual.
During the early season, I'd set my
sights on a few older bucks. As luck would
have it, two of those big bruisers finally
came within easy crossbow range in the
late season, with an unwelcome twist.
A beefy older buck I called Big Ugly
funneled through my pinch-point a couple
times during the late season. But the
recent weeks of rutting and butting his
competition had resulted in significant
damage to his headgear, leaving most of
the points busted off or broken.
I debated pulling the trigger on him,
but figured he'd be much more respectable
next year, so I held off.
Then, in the season's waning days,
another of the big bucks came by within
10 yards.
On the left side of his considerable
rack was a wide main beam sporting four
impressive points. But on the right side?
Nothing but a bloody, bright red pedicle.
This monster buck unfortunately had
very recently - maybe even that day -
shed half his rack. I wasn't about to shoot
a half-rack buck after investing so many
hours on stand.
I considered it an occupational hazard
of hunting big bucks deep into the late
bow season. Many of those formerly
majestic racks aren't what they were a
few months ago.
But it's a challenge, I hope I'll be up to
when the season again rolls around.
55

Pennsylvania Game News - December 2020

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Pennsylvania Game News - December 2020