Pennsylvania Game News - September 2021 - 11

field, " Stainbrook said. " For those who
use it, this season is a great time to get
youth in the field, hunt without the colder
temperatures, and put some early venison
in the freezer. "
Hunters who want to give it a shot
should start scouting for deer in August
and September, then refine things in early
October, Wallingford said.
" Find where deer are feeding. Where
are they are going in the morning after
feeding? Where are they coming from
in the evening? In general, what is their
pattern? " Wallingford said. " Determine
that, then find some trails to watch. If you
already know some of this from previous
years, set up your stands early so deer can
get used to them. But be ready to refine
the location of your stand if you see deer
have made some changes. "
" Each time a hunter picks a stand on
the ground, he or she should have at least
two good reasons why they are there as
opposed to someplace else, " he added. " It
may be a trail, the prevailing wind, previous
observations, known food sources.
It's especially important to pay attention
that saw their buck harvests climb by more than
1,000 animals each last season. They are 2F, 3A,
3B, 3C and 4E.
On the other hand, if you want to hunt a
mature buck and have the chance to do it without
a lot of competition, and are OK with perhaps
seeing fewer deer on a day-to-day basis, WMUs
2G and 2H offer great opportunities.
" The woods are big, the terrain steep, and
the deer, including the bucks, get old for those
reasons, " Wallingford said. " Get more than a
half-mile off the road and, similar to hunting in
Maine, Vermont, and New Hampshire, you will
find very few hunters. You may not find a lot of
deer either, but if you find a buck, there's a good
chance he's a slammer.
" Just be aware this is a tough hunt in rugged
country and not for everyone, " he said. " Packing
an animal out may be the best way to go. "
SEPTEMBER 2021
to wind.
" A change from one side of a trail to
the other may be the difference between
being busted and a successful hunt, "
Wallingford said.
FIREARMS SEASON
By comparison, the statewide firearms
deer season is still a huge deal. It remains
the largest component of Pennsylvania's
annual deer harvest, with lots of hunters
shooting lots of deer in a relatively short
amount of time.
The exact timing of those surges has
changed, though, and may do so again.
In years past, the Monday opener was
the busiest day, followed by the first and
second Saturdays, in that order.
Last season, Saturday's opening day
was the busiest, accounting for 29 percent
of the harvest. The second Saturday was
next, with 16 percent of the take, followed
by Sunday at 11 percent. Hunters
took 9 percent of the harvest on the final
Saturday.
Going forward, Stainbrook suspects
No matter where you go, the best bet for connecting
with a deer is to spend as much time in
the woods as possible. Harvesting a deer when
the weather is really warm requires some extra
planning, of course. Cooling the animal as soon
as possible is critical to avoiding spoilage. Rain
can be an issue for bowhunters, too.
But rather than let things like wind or cold
become barriers, hunters should embrace opportunities
to get into the woods.
" It appears weather doesn't really influence
deer as much as we would think. It does,
however, influence hunter behavior, " said David
Stainbrook, chief of the Game Commission's
Deer and Elk section.
" In short, the deer are out in all kinds of
weather, and susceptible to harvest. But only
to those hunters who are out there with them, "
Stainbrook said.
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Pennsylvania Game News - September 2021

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