Pennsylvania Game News - December 2024 - 3

A
nyone who knows me knows I'm a
bird hunter. Most of my outdoor
time is spent with my dog, Rudy, plying
upland hillsides and swampy bottoms in
search of grouse, woodcock and pheasants.
Finding
deer sign is fun, too, though,
as is anticipating the haunts and patterns
of bucks that might share my favorite
coverts.
But I hunt deer like a bird hunter in
that I usually don't last long at one spot,
preferring to quietly move between short
sits at various locations, wandering the
whole of chosen areas. I just enjoy being
out, perhaps seeing some deer and
exploring.
That led me to taking a spike buck
more than 40 years ago on family ground
in New York. But that was it for me for
deer. It took other hunters' stories - and
my imagination - to visualize the thrill
of a big-buck encounter deep in Penn's
Woods.
That is, until 2023.
The first Tuesday of the firearms deer
season was my first free day to hunt.
Snow showers were to begin the night
before, with flurries and windy conditions
carrying into the day.
Seemed like a good day to go " up
top " (on the ridge, where there would
likely be some snow), " back in " (where
deer might move around a bit midday
in sheltered areas), and " late " (as I had
some chores to take care of first).
Mid-morning found me headed to a
favorite nearby game lands in Cambria
County, along the Allegheny Front, still
not sure exactly where to hunt. I went
beyond where I saw any other hunters,
near a special spot where my nephew's
dog, Blondie, flushed her last grouse on
a memorable day last November.
I quietly looped along some food
DECEMBER 2024
plots, thickets and pine stands, enjoying
the light snow, before following a set of
tracks into the deeper woods until they
disappeared. As usual, despite coming
across some nice vantage points, I felt
drawn to move on after brief stands.
In time, after working my way along
In time, after working my way along
a small elevation and keeping the light
wind in my face, I sat at the base of a
tree, halfway down the slope. The spot
offered a good view of what looked like
a natural funnel below. It was cold - 21
degrees - but with bright sunshine coming
over my left shoulder, a light breeze
in my face and light snow cover providing
excellent visibility, I felt like someone
in a classic deep-woods setting. I
took a picture of the scene to share later
with my nephews.
" Wouldn't it be neat to even just see
a deer? " I thought to myself, as so many
times before.
Suddenly, just like in my dreams -
and in tales I'd been reading - a deer
materialized in front of me, just 40 yards
away, between some trees.
it's a buck! "
" Oh...my...gosh! " I whispered. " And
It looked to have at least 6 points. UnThis
was a moment that
" Oh...my...gosh! " I whispered. " And
believable! This was a moment that only
happened to other people, not me.
The deer slowly but steadily picked
his way toward me across the snow-covered
ground, moving without a sound.
He appeared to be eating acorns, seemingly
totally unaware of my presence. As
he passed behind some brush and toward
an open shooting lane, I slowly raised
my shotgun and slipped off the safety.
" Get ready.... "
The deer slowly but steadily picked
his way toward me across the snow-covered
ground, moving without a sound.
He appeared to be eating acorns, seemingly
totally unaware of my presence. As
he passed behind some brush and toward
an open shooting lane, I slowly raised
The gun was the same 12-gauge
Remington Wingmaster Model 870 - a
gift from an old family friend - I'd used
to take my spike way back when, and the
remaining three slugs from the original
3
Suddenly, just like in my dreams -
and in tales I'd been reading - a deer
materialized in front of me, just 40 yards
" Wouldn't it be neat to even just see
a deer? " I thought to myself, as so many
Pennsylvania Game News - December 2024

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