A few PA whitetails..

[Monteman11]

Antler restrictions in PA are really starting to pay dividends. I would say that this year I have 4 deer over 3.5 Y.O., which is a really big change from the normal 1.5 and 2.5 year olds.This is all on a 50 acre section of woods. Obviously, these deer come and go, but that being said you don't often see deer of this quality in the area. The attached bucks are what I consider shooters, given the pressure these bucks receive and the number of hunters come rifle season. These deer are on public land and have already gone into a pre-rut hiding mode becoming almost significantly nocturnal.

 

[Bowhuntrben]

Wow...love the piebald!

 

[Monteman11]

He is a stud that is for sure. The first buck in the post is alot better than he looks. His beams cross each other in the front. He isn't real wide, but he has solid 10" G2's and 9" G3's. He is the only one currently flirting with disaster moving just at dusk.

 

[buck23]

Nice bucks there.Same here as far as going nocturnal,they are tearig the woods up but most
all activity is at nite.It is amazing how these older bucks flip that switch and just seem to disappear.We know they are there but man they dont move much.

 

[WFGinNM]

Great seeing some deer from PA, I'll be there sitting in a tree 4 weeks from tomorrow. I look forward to it every year. Just have to get an elk hunt finished here first.

--Bill

 

[Monteman11]

Very cool, as you know, spot on for the rut. The bucks are getting better every year. What general area do you hunt?

 

[WFGinNM]

I'll be hunting 5C. Last year we had great buck movement the first 2 days, I was seeing so many I was being selective. Then like a switch, it was only smaller sub-legal bucks and a few little doe moving during the day. I'd get to a stand a couple hours before daylight and you could hear the bucks chasing but when the sun came up nothing. Same in the evening, not much until after dark, then you could hear them running around like crazy. It's awesome listening to them grunting and chasing does.

--Bill

 

[Monteman11]

I would guess they switched from chase to tend which holds big bucks up tight on one doe. I have buddy that hunts out there and saw a similar thing last year, sounds to be like the same week if you went 2nd week of November.

This year, looking at the rut calendar, if you are hunting the 2nd week of November it should be really good.

 

[WFGinNM]

Last year it was the same time, 2nd week. This year I will be hunting the 4th - 12th. I hope they are moving, thanks for the info.

--Bill

 

[jlmatthew]

Nice bucks. My wife is originally from Tioga county, but I've never seen deer like that over there! Biggest deer I've seen where her family lives are little 3X3's.

 

[1_pointer]

Very nice!! I really hope you get a crack at that piebald.

 

[walnuttree]

Nice buck for PA - curious what unit? I live in 5B and have seen a similar change but the hunting pressure is still heavy with most 1 1/2 year olds meeting the antler restriction so therefore paying with their life

 

[highmountian]

Great buck's, hope you connect!