Oct 21, 2018 4 min read

As for the deer, which are Pennsylvania’s most popular game animal, things seem to be picking up. My guessing the number of deer is just that, a wild guess, based on what I see.

Bucks seem to be in low numbers while does and last spring’s fawns seem to be everywhere. Perhaps the scarcity of antlered bucks might be caused by being in the wrong spot and that person on the other side of the hill might be overrun with bucks. We will find out the truth soon as the hunting season is beginning and the rut will take over the senses of all the male deer.

This high number of youngsters should make the average hunter feel better but, on the other side of the coin, the lack of bucks works the other way. Along that same line, judging and guessing just how many deer are out there, I noted little movement in previous months and that leads one to worry about deer numbers. But there could be other reasons for their absence.

Perhaps the high mast crop kept the deer in the woods. There is little doubt that the Hickory trees carried a whole lot of nuts this fall. This, along with the huge acorn crop, could keep them in cover that makes them harder to see. Also, the hot weather kept them from moving as they simply just stayed in the shade like you or I would.

At least there seems to be a bit more activity in the woods as archery hunting increases. The bucks are starting to feel ornery and the prerut is starting to take hold. So far, I have heard of a few big bucks being taken. But only a few. Speaking of archery, don’t forget to keep safety in mind. As a high number of people want to climb a tree and pretend they are an apple, be safe. I have known more than one person to fall when the platform collapses, or they step off the stand and sometimes when they fell asleep while 20 feet up in that tree. It can happen to you, so be alert. If it were planned, it wouldn’t be called an accident.

There is other game in Washington and Greene counties that attract hunters now. The turkey population has been as good as any area in the state. However, I remember Denny Fredericks asking me this past summer if I had seen any turkey polts? He noticed what I had commented on. There were very few turkey polts to be seen. I shouldn’t be surprised at this because turkeys don’t like wet weather.

How many people out there remember when country roads were dotted with cars parked off the berm? It was one of the biggest days of the year. The first day of rabbit season is when many a beagle had to earn its keep. For many miles, the baying of the hound could be heard as it chased the rabbit in a circle waiting for the hunter to shoot it. Many of those dogs are still waiting. Very few persons chase bunnies anymore, preferring to just watch the NFL on TV.

Much of the problem here at home can be blamed on the lack of places to hunt rabbits. They might call it growth but I have other names for the destruction caused by the bulldozer. Without habitat, you have no life and without the game to hunt and a place to hunt, you do not see hunters.

Well, that’s it for this week I think I’ll go sit under a tree and watch for a squirrel. If no one falls out of it, and lands on me, maybe I’ll see something interesting. I don’t think they cut down my favorite nut tree just yet but I better go check.