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in reply to: Harvest limits #19430

Etter1 wrote: I’ve spoken with many people who have legally killed 10+ bucks per year.

😯

I’d need to sell my car to pay for the processing fee each season

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in reply to: Harvest limits #19299

In PA every hunter is only allowed one antlered buck per year which is included in your license, which you can shoot during any season. If you want to kill a doe, you need to send an application for $6.50 and can only use it in the zone specified on the tag. You can then apply for a second doe tag for another $6.50 if there are leftovers, but no guarantee. You can also get special tags called DMAP tags which allow you to kill a deer on certain property (a lot of farmers sell them).

One bear in the fall, but the tag costs $25 and the season only lasts 4 days. This year they added a few days for archery though so that helps.

You’re allowed one turkey either a gobbler or a hen in the fall which is included in your license, and in the spring just a gobbler.

Small game is mostly 6/day.

My knowledge of Elk is limited, but I believe you have to apply for one for around $10 and hope you get one. This year they’re only granting 86 licenses – 26 bulls and 60 cows.

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in reply to: Back from ETAR, what a blast! #18062

I’ve actually heard of Reg before, but don’t think I’ve ever met him unless it was when I was a kid (I basically grew up at our local trad archery club). I believe in one of my local book stores the other day I was just looking at a venison cookbook he wrote back in the early 90’s.

I hope to meet up and shoot a course or two with you guys next year as well. Definitely planning on camping the entire weekend because it was a blast.

I like the idea of getting you Ausie guys and Dave all there – sounds like fun already 😆

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in reply to: Back from ETAR, what a blast! #16991

So I just figured I’d put a short intro here since I haven’t gotten the chance to formally introduce myself to most of you;

I’m Alex, 22, from Northwestern PA. I go to California University of PA (between Pittsburgh and WV) and graduate this December with a Bachelors Degree in Human Resources. Been shooting a bow since I could walk but just recently picked my recurve back up and started shooting with it exclusively. I have already learned so much from reading through these forums and have a feeling that learning will probably never stop 8)

You seem like a great group of guys and I hope to contribute in some way – although I have some work to do if I want to keep up with you comedians 😆

I had never been to ETAR before but got the chance to go on Sunday only. I only live about an hour and fifteen minutes away so it was easy to run over there.

Me and two buddies went just on Sunday and got to shoot, buy some cool stuff, meet some cool people, and see some seriously good shots.

My buddy Garret got a screamin deal on a 1970 Kodiak Magnum for $80 – the thing is a beauty. I bought 2 dozen shafts from Allegheny Mountain Arrow Woods, and we all got some miscellaneous feathers and points.

Didn’t take many pictures since we were only there for a day and since I have verizon there was no service anywhere – even on the mountain.

Some pictures –

My late ’72 Kodiak Mag riding up the ski lift with me

Me (on the right), Garret (in the middle), and Andy (on the left) riding the ski lift up to the top of the mountain.

The view of the mountains on the way up

Me shooting at a polar bear target on the way down.

We had a blast and are going to make sure we go and camp the whole weekend next year. Oh yeah and bring about 5 times as much money 😆

Alex

P.S. – sorry for them uploading sidways, not quite sure how to run this darn thing yet 👿

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in reply to: Eastern Trad Archery Rendezvous #13902

Glad to hear it was a good time! I’ve only been shooting trad exclusively and seriously for the past year, and have always heard of the Denton Hill shoot but never realized how big it actually was. I only live about an hour to an hour and a half away, so I’m gonna head out just for sunday. Busy weekend but I’m gonna try and leave around 7:00 am to get there with enough time to shoot a few courses before they close down.

I’ll have to keep an eye out for some of you seasoned TB members. 8)

Have fun to all who are there or are going!

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in reply to: Cougar tips? #11317

Well I don’t know anything about cougar hunting but my first piece of advice is take a handgun for backup, and maybe an extra pair of underwear 😆

But in all seriousness, if they have a track record of not being afraid of people, safety first. I know this is common sense but cats aren’t an animal I would take lightly. Don’t go out there alone if you can help it or unarmed because those are some pretty nasty cats.

I’ll leave the hunting tips to the professionals here 😆

Good luck!

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in reply to: Your first trad kill… #9460

David Petersen wrote: I could almost write a book about times I’ve been just a few yards from black bears of every size and shape including females with cubs, and the closest I’ve ever come to a “problem” bear was having to clap my hands twice rather than once to get them to run away bawling.

It’s amazing to me how many non-hunters don’t understand this concept – especially in PA, black bears are the last thing you need to fear (aside from coming between a mother and cubs or taunting one with food, etc.). People don’t seem to believe me when I tell them that they really are more afraid of us than we are of them.

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in reply to: The Challenge – Video #9106

Great video – thanks a bunch for sharing. Will have to watch again sometime when I’m not at work and can turn the volume up a bit more 😆

I agree though that ending with a kill may have just not seemed a fitting way to end the video. No one likes to miss – but despite the thousands of arrows and hours of preparation that is put in year round, we’re all human. Sometimes we miss. Sometimes the odds are just stacked against you on that particular day and no matter how much you focus on that perfect shot, the arrow flies high or low. Like he said – it’s all just part of the challenge – and that’s why we all love it so much.

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in reply to: Your first trad kill… #62331

blancharddm wrote: I lay no claim to being a “master” or a “walking book of knowledge”, but this question brought back some fond memories of a great day from long ago, so I thought that I would share:

It was western Pennsylvania, mid-October in 1994 and I was 13 years old. My dad and I would head out into the woods to hunt whitetails as soon as he returned from work and I from school. We had a few stands hung in the piece of woods that was a few miles outside of the town in which we lived. Dad would take me to my stand and get me settled before moving along to do some stalking nearby.

At about 4:30 that afternoon, a grey fox came up the path about 15 yards in front of me. I remember thinking that it was pretty cool to watch that fox quietly slink through the woods. I had seen many a red fox in my life, but never a grey.

A moment after the departure of the fox, a small deer appeared following the same path. Within a few moments, it was directly in front of me, following the same route that the fox had taken (not sure if the deer was tracking the fox, but it sure seemed like he was).

Within moments, the deer stepped into a clearing and presented a clear, broadside shot at about 15 yards. I was shooting a 55 pound Bear Super Grizzly that was my dad’s first bow. I picked a spot and before I even realized it, had drawn the bow and sent the arrow on its way. I watched the autumn orange Easton arrow tipped with a Zwickey Eskimo pass through the deer right behind the shoulder. I was very excited and began to feel the adrenaline flowing immediately thereafter, but I knew that I had made a great shot. I watched the deer as far as I could follow his path and made a mental note of the last location at which he had appeared.

I was confident that I had made a good kill shot on the deer. After waiting about 45 minutes, I climbed down to begin the track. I had followed blood trails with my dad before, and felt confident that I could do it. Fortunately for me, it wasn’t a difficult trail to follow. After about 75 yards, I spotted my button buck lying motionless against a tree with his white underside clearly visible. I approached from behind and gave him a nudge, but the life was clearly out of him. I had taken my first deer with a traditional bow!

I finished the business of field dressing and tagging, and then proceeded to drag my trophy to the truck. Cell phones and radios were not a part of our repertoire in those days, so I simply waited for my dad to return (our original plan was to meet at the truck anyway). I’m not sure that the grin ever left my face the entire time.

When dad came strolling down the road, his first thought was that I had become bored and left the stand early. He could hardly believe it when I told him that I had killed a deer, but there was the indisputable evidence for him to see. I still remember the pride that beamed in his smile and handshake.

It’s incredible to me that I can still recall that whole episode as if it was just yesterday. It was definitely a great day, and helped to cement that I would remain a traditional bowhunter for life. In the process of writing it, I’m reminded of how important was the role that my dad played in shaping who I’ve become and the values that I have as an outdoorsman. I can’t help but think about how great a blessing he has been to me.

If you made it through the whole story, I thank you for reading. I hope that you’ve had a similar experience, or that if you haven’t, that one will find you soon.

Awesome story. Where was this at in PA? I’m from western PA and travel all up and down the whole western side so I know all of the areas pretty well.

I know my dad is the sole reason I’m a hunter, and has taught me everything I know about the woods. I can just imagine the look on your dad’s face when he realized to had it gutted and dragged back to the truck all by yourself – probably one of his proudest moments.

Those are the special ones that you never forget.

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in reply to: Your first trad kill… #62292

WyoStillhunter wrote: I hope to have a “first kill” story before the year is out. This will actually be my first season of serious bowhunting. September 1 will find me in the timber with bow in hand.

This will be mine as well with a recurve in my hands and I hope to have one to share with you at the end of the fall. October 5th here, you’ll probably have 2 on the ground by then 😆

Good luck!

Keep the stories coming guys!

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in reply to: Your first trad kill… #62291

two4hooking wrote: You can read all about mine here:

http://traditionalknowhow.blogspot.com/2013/03/all-in-family.html

Hope you enjoy it.

Greg

Greg,

Thanks for sharing some seriously awesome stories! It’s amazing how much you can learn each time you hunt. Seems like the learning never ends.

Congrats on all the accomplishments so far! 8)

Alex

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in reply to: Your first trad kill… #62282

That one had me on the edge of my seat 😆

Let your friends ridicule all they want – I think coming home empty handed 10 seasons in a row because you were using a longbow or recurve is more of a trophy than killing 10 nice bucks with a rifle because you were 200 yards away.

From now on I’ll have to keep more of an eye out for “the majestic timber chicken” 😉

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