Aug 18, 2018 4 min read

It’s hard to believe but September is just around the corner. I have always thought that September is the beginning of the hunting season.

The undergrowth in the wooded areas is starting to clear and the things we want to see are beginning to become more visible. Rainstorms are knocking the apples and the mast from the trees, and guess who is gathering them seeking a good meal? Yes, I am referring to the deer, which soon will reach full antler growth. It is in September that the velvet on the antlers will begin to slough away and later in the month the bucks begin to make pre-rut rubs.

Antler growth in itself is a strange thing and is nothing more than bone without marrow. Instead of getting nourishment inside by bone marrow, it is fed externally through the velvet which is a form of blood vessel. These deer antlers are the fastest-growing material on any mammal, that I know of. Regardless of size, they normally start growth in the spring and are done growing in September. They have always fascinated humans, which can be observed on the walls of caves dating back to the prehistoric days.

So, you see, because it is in September that the whitetail buck becomes interesting, so that month could be considered whitetail month. People who were in a hurry as they drove the small country roads will be seen driving a bit slower in September as they scan the hillside for a big buck. They are not seeking to shoot one, nor to trespass later, but instead just like watching these deer.

If my memory serves me correctly, there are about 10 major sub-species of whitetail deer scattered around the country. I am not including those small groups here and there on such places as the Florida Keys and in Florida itself. Pennsylvania falls very close to the line separating the Northern Whitetail from the Virginia Whitetail. It is in the northern sub-species that we find most record book deer, for it is the northern that covers that special area of Minnesota south through Illinois.

The other whitetail sub-species that has to be mentioned when talking antler size is the Dakota Whitetail. This is a sub-species of Saskatchewan. Of course, record book deer come from other areas, such as Texas, but those are the whitetail sub-species that produce the most record book deer.

So, you see, there is something about September that draws us outdoors. September is also the month of the dove and goose. Few birds are harder to hit when pass shooting than a dove. Find a stubble field or a place where domestic animals are fed and one will likely find doves. Many of these places will be near cattle or near a farm building so be sure you have permission to hunt.

Most dove hunting is pass shooting but most goose hunting involves a good set of decoys and calling. Geese, like other creatures, are creatures of habit. See them in a certain spot today and they probably will be there tomorrow. Set up in the morning darkness, get in cover and wait for daylight. The thrill is hearing them T-wonk, T-wonk in the half light as they come for breakfast. Don’t forget a federal duck stamp is needed to hunt migratory birds and no lead shot is allowed by federal law.

Do you remember Myron Cope and his little birdy that fed him information? Well, I too have a birdy and it told me that he has heard a rumor. The Pennsylvania Game Commission is thinking of forming a committee to study the hunting rules and trying to eliminate the superfluous ones. Great idea. Remember this is just a rumor.