Seriously? You would shoot at an upright bipedal unidentified target that is definitely NOT a legal game species?

Les Stroud! He is a one-man show. Sadly, I heard he's not going to do it anymore. Whatever "qualifications" Bear Grill may have, his show is filmed by a crew, and looks and sounds scripted. I have to say WA Mtnhunter, I get what you're saying. But I think it is helpful to see someone think outside the box in a survival scenario. Not to copy a specific solution, but to encourage ingenuity working with available resources.

My local Walmart has flies, but ultimately, you pay for quality. Cheap flies tend to unravel. I have three tying kits I haven't used in 30 years. I'm still using the flies my grandfather and uncle gave me as a kid.

Currently, I would only shoot a wolf in defense of human life. I imagine the adreneline rush from killing something you're afraid of would be quite a high, but I'm having enough fun with edible prey. I don't shoot crows, either. That said, I do not own any livestock, nor do I live in a state where there are wolves, or I might feel differently.

A good reliable rod. I've broken several rods in that price range, but not the UglyStik.

Sounds to me like we elect a new administration every 4-8 years just so we have somebody to blame for everything we don't like.

I use Remington Sluggers in my smoothbore 20ga 1100. I have shot at least half a dozen deer with them, and never missed. Farthest was about 60 yards.

A point for WA Mthunter for the reality check. We tend to overestimate our own importance. Try to remember there are millions of years of evolution behind that basketrack buck. Your choice of what to shoot is like a drop of water in a big river. Management practices can affect what you SEE by allowing bigger bucks to grow to maturity but it is one deer you are affecting, not the gene pool.

Why do people stock trout where they are not native? Florida has enough problems with invasive species, doesn't it?

That's pretty long range for what I'd call hunting. I hunt forest, and I'd want to get closer. I don't plan on ever shooting anything with more oomph than a 180gr 30-06, and with the required holdover and getting an accurate sense of the distance and wind, I wouldn't try half the distance you're talking, even if I could see that far. You probably are talking 300WSM. Hope someone with more experience than me in open range can give you a better opinion.

It does seem like a chance to taste dog, without the guilt of killing someone's pet. Perhaps it is like in Little Big Man: "Boiled dog; a bit greasy, but the flavor is downright delicate."

All of my deer to date have been taken with a single bead shotgun or iron sights lever action. The stars have yet to align on the 3-9x40 I got with my bolt action. The lever action now has a red dot (1x) "scope" because I liked the sight picture. My in-line has open fiber optic sights.

Most toy guns are replicas of mankillers, and that's the game kids play with them: bang, bang, you're dead. On the surface it may look like Lord of the Flies, but if you let kids play out those dramas, they also work out the social skills to negotiate who wins, why, and what to do when peace breaks out.

Whatever you get the tightest groups from (every firearm is unique), combined with what you're willing to pay. The artwork on the box is about all that's left after that.

Kingfishers and redwinged blackbirds. An occasional osprey or common merganser is welcome, too.

The best truck is your buddy's, especially if he never asks for gas money. My buddy has a Chevy S10. I wrestled with the dilema of Dodge Dakota quad-cab or Dodge Durango, until I got a used Jeep Grand Cherokee. Love the turning radius. But these are all consumables. It seems to me that Toyotas, not cockroaches, will inherit the earth, after Nuclear Winter.

My idea of survival gear is what I can rely on when high-tech gadgets fail. High tech is what's gonna distract you from the business of survival when the grid goes down. A basic 440stainless knife, a sealed matchcase with strike anywhere matches, a lighter, 20 feet of heavy twine, a space blanket, disposable poncho, antibiotic goo, a compass, handwarmers, as flashlight, a lightstick, 32oz of water. I carry that stuff every time I'm in the woods more than 100 yards from my car. High tech is my cell phone (no service where I hunt and fish).

Maybe put your bait in a wagon and only leave it out in the day? They won't eat it at night if it isn't there.

I like to keep the shell from the round that downed my deer. Sometimes, I've been unable to locate it. A couple of years ago, my son and I were checking out a tree I'd been under, and he found a brass from the year before. I think that was pretty lucky.

I think WVOtter makes some plausible scenarios. One time I heard shooting, and two bucks came crashing right at me. I shot once and missed. They turned and stopped. I shot a second time and dropped one. Then the original shooter showed up and insisted on checking the deer for holes. There was only one, and a third guy came up and had seen me fire and the buck drop. So I kept my deer. When you hunt on public land with a lot of pressure, stuff like that happens.

I am surprised at the amount of brass around the benchrests a a private range I go to. This is recycleable at worst, reloadable at best. Our public ranges on Game Commission land in PA are often closed, some for lead abatement.

Since they are recognized as separate species, they must have distinguishable DNA, even if they can interbreed. Another point to your question is, are there reliable and available DNA testing protocols for these species?

I had a groundhog my uncle shot when I was a kid. I recall it being delicious. Haven't had one since, but rumor has it it is closer to beef than other rodents, because they eat grass.

Yes, legal in PA, but with the same rules Kyle mentions. Spotting is what we call it. Shining, or shinning, Kyle?

I have one shoulder mount: my first buck, a small 8pt. Everything after that, bigger and smaller, is just the antlers on a plaque. My brother-in-law has a room full of mounts, of all descriptions. The decision to mount a trophy comes down to how much of the animal you need around to remember the hunt. I suppose in some minds, there is the idea that there is historical importance to some animals, so they get mounted for posterity. To me, that still can't be expressed in a B&C score.

An estrogen-charged decoy, if you consider that "hunting." I prefer to go where the deer ARE.

Petzel's article on velocity in the current issue mentions the tradeoffs you are questioning, and it corraborates what you can infer from "kinetic punch" tables. The 180 retains more oomph at longer distances, while the 150 gets there faster. As Dakotaman suggests, the 180 is a better choice for larger large game at closer distance, or medium large game at longer distance. The 150 is flatter in its effective range, so experience with drop at different yardage is not as key to success. Personally, I don't buy the "brushbusting" point, because deflection is deflection, and it means you won't hit your point of aim.

What does it matter WHERE a dead animal is lying? HOW seems more to the point of "respect." (I think that's PCBS, too) Shove the tongue back into the mouth, turn the body cavity down, and prop the head up. That way those who can't abide thinking where their meat comes from (it's a lot worse for domestic animals) won't have to confront reality.

If you mean gray squirrels and their relatives: no. They build a leafy nest in a tree, and spend most of the winter trying to stay out of the wind. They come down to forrage for acorns, beechnuts, etc on the forest floor, especially when the weather is calm. They probably have it worst in February.

I've been using #4 high brass 2.75" in my 100 for squirrel with the idea of taking a turkey if one presents itself within 30 yards. Missed just such chances last 2 Saturdays. I agree that there are fewer pellets, and they are a little easier find for eating. Still, the #6 or even #7 1/2 would do for squirrels.

Of course you can. But it is probably illegal, and it probably won't kill the squirrel.

I cut the legs off, so there are five pieces including the spine. Douse with teriaki and grill. Serves children, who may react negatively to the whole body profile. Handy snack like buffalo wings.

I started noticing increasing numbers over the last decade during deer season, and thought I'd give it a try. I've been hunting fall turkeys the last two Saturdays. Those birds may not be smart, but they've got some great programming. First weekend, I ran into 4 flocks, without a single success. Last weekend, I brought a call, and ran into 3, with even worse success. Wearing orange is sure not the way to surprise a turkey! With deer, turkey, and squirrels hard at work, the forest floor looks like someone rand a rototiller over it.

I hunt pressured public land. I try to locate the paths deer will take to avoid other hunters, and sit with a view of them. The call may cause the deer to pause if it is only walking, but there's not much you can do to slow a deer in full flight.

Doesn't an article/story like that get published in every outdoor magazine every other month? This one must be very good, for you to remember it.

Saturday (11/14) was picture perfect in in Lycoming County. Overcast but not a breath of breeze, and very mild. My buddy and I busted three or four deer while turkey hunting. Also saw rubs, scrapes, and tracks everywhere. My buddy's bow is old enough he can't find anyone to service it, and I haven't got the slightest interest in archery, or we'd have been doing that instead.

Yeah, don't dispute - compute!

Go back out for him. If he was just passing through, then so be it. If he's a regular customer, he'll be back.

Yes. Something that's hard to duplicate at the range, too. You can run around or do pushups between shots, but other guys tend to give you a funny look.

Not that I can remember, but I have seen melanistic ones.

My buddy got a 3" 12ga 870, and after seeing it smack him in the face twice, I'm happier than ever with my 20ga 1100. Both of these guns failed to bring down turkeys at 50 yards this weekend, but I don't blame the guns. If I REALLY needed a 3 1/2" 12ga, instead of a lesson in patience, I would choose an 11-87 or 1100 to suck up some of the recoil.

I have a pair of 12-year-old Timberlands with 200gram thinsulate. My feet get cold when the temperature goes below the thirties. So I put a pair of the newer flat footwarmers in, and I've got warm toes the rest of the day.

Pretty sure REMINGTON would be the one to fix any potential problems. WalMart is a retailer. The discount is what you get instead of a backroom full of gunsmith tools.

Beekeeper's got my vote. Coldwater mountain streams is the natural habitat of trout. Pennsylvania has plenty of both, and a major stocking program (which I feel degrades the fish, and thus the fishing experience), but Georgia is at your end of Appalachia, so start there. If you must catch a Dolly Varden, I think you'll have to travel. I've been catching rainbows since I was a kid, and I don't appreciate them. I suppose they are a better fish in their native range. To me the brook trout (which is really a char, like the lake trout) is the most rewarding, since their habitat has been ruined in PA for about a century, which makes them more of a reward. The brown trout is from Europe - it does better in warmer water and I catch them here in SE PA, but my darling is the dear brookie.

3-9x40mm Nikon Buckmaster on 30-06 Rem700. This is actually overkill in both, since I hunt eastern deciduous forested mountains, but I wanted something I could take elsewhere if/when I get the opportunity. 1x red-dot on .35Rem Marlin336, which is more practical in midstate PA.

Yes, PA. At least it's marked on the GC maps, but I don't see much to eat there. I wish they'd forget it and just cut some timber out and let the brush grow up. The numerous windfalls are a pain to navigate without making noise, and the standing timber shades the browse. The acreage planted is ridiculously small, and cannot be expected to support wildlife. I suppose it is meant to bring them in for easy shooting, but I haven't seen it.

The sack is a message: "I killed a buck hereabouts." It may or may not be meant with humor. It may simply mean if you are expecting to kill this one, he's already gone. I don't see a reason to get mad. That's information you wouldn't have if the hunter had tossed the sack in the brush.

I second the glue idea. I'd try a very small amount of gorilla glue, and try to fit the patch on the inside, to keep the exterior smooth as possible. If it's a camo pattern, choose something dark for the patch. If you have an old beat up rain suit, you could trim a small patch from the hem, but I think the glue itself could be made to supply the waterproofing with any backing material.

Seemed to me we'd never get a Saturday without rain for a while, there. Then last Saturday was beautiful. I was out for turkeys in Lycoming County. Saw four flocks, but my buddy & I managed to mess up three opportunities, and the other, they were just too far away. Going out again, better planned, but the weather looks less favorable. Hope you get a break for archery. Seeing generally favorable sign for deer, but nothing spectacular.

Well, I was turkey hunting in northcentral PA this Saturday, and I saw a fox squirrel on top of a forested mountain. My buddy is a forester, and declared that fox squirrels do not live on forested mountains, nor does their range extend to the part of PA where we were hunting. He says it was just a large gray squirrel, but I realize now that it was a cougar;)

Archery is 50yards, right? Firearms is 150yards. You can be that close, but you absolutely cannot fire into the safety zone. A lot of nonhunters don't know the law in this respect. I've been in this situation twice, in Delaware and Chester counties, where huntable areas are often in full view of non hunters. In Delaware Co, the cops showed up, checked us out and agreed we weren't doing anything wrong. The best you can do with an irate individual is remain calm and respectful. Eventually the fear (remember YOU are the one holding a visible weapon) or anger will diminish, and hopefully reason will return.

Unmolested, deer are more likely to move dawn and dusk. Under pressure, they will move a lot in the day, or hang out where no-one bothers them. Heavy or variable wind is my least favorite weather. Rain is miserable without some shelter. Snow is fun, whether you see any game or not. My favorite weather is dropping temperature and pressure as a storm moves in. Deer will move and feed more then, and thus be more visible.

In PA legal shooting hours are 1/2hr before sunrise to 1/2hr after sunrise. However, the printed table PA provides to hunters often disagrees with the Naval Observation website on when sunrise and sunset occur. I hunt in forested mountains. The 1000ft difference between the mountain tops and the valley bottoms means I can see later on top than at the bottom. Cloudcover also affects how much light there is at the end of a day.

Use fragrance-free laundry detergent. Tumble-dry clothes with leaves and acorns. Hang the clothes outdoors for a day or more. Smoke the clothes with wood smoke. Bathe yourself with scent-free soap. Unless you are planning to infiltrate a herd, scent elimination is not as important as stillness and watchfulness.

I killed my first deer around age 30, so I was pretty well prepared emotionally. I felt possessive of it, proud I had taken it, amazed at how beautiful it was. Before that, I had killed pheasants, and despite their beauty, I was more focused on the shooting part of the hunt. I ate them, and as stated by others, that generally justifies their deaths to me. My first memory of remorse for killing an animal was dropping a live sea snail in boiling water for its undamaged shell. Another time, in biology lab, we had to add drops of poison to a container of daphnaea and record how many died over time until they were all dead. I recall feeling it was a senseless waste of life and a sunny afternoon. It helps the conscience when the decision to kill includes a plan to utilize the animal.

PA Forest. Public land.

"30ptBuck" and "Grandmagotrunoverbyareindeer" for laughs. I don't feel a need to listen to "serious" songs about hunting. I have a 3 hour ride to camp, half of which is spent in solitary silence, and half with a talkative buddy I pick up on the way. Half my camp grew up in the suburbs and wants to listen to CMT on satelite radio and talk about their last hunt. The other half actually grew up in the country but moved into the city and likes to watch movies (LastoftheMohicans, Zulu, Gladiator, Master&Commander, JeremiahJohnson, QuietMan), so there's often a little friction.

You know, the same thing happened to me with my first and only BEAGLE. We had him about a week. He slipped his NEW COLLAR and we never saw him again. As it snowed that weekend, I've always HOPED someone found him and took him in. I don't fee superstitious about it, but I am REAL careful about sizing new collars, and we've had stay-at-home breeds ever since.

100gr. The heavier weight will carry the energy farther. The longer length will be more stable in flight.

If you're going to argue about the relationship between sporting and military weapons, you might as well start in the middle ages. The military elite drilled for readiness, but also enjoyed sport hunting, because it demonstrated the effectiveness of the weapons and execution of orders through hunting plans. Hunts were organized with military discipline in places like Sherwood Forest, where commoners were forbidden to kill game. The weapons were spear, sword, and arrow. Later, the crossbow joined the lineup. The sporterized rifles of the 20th century follow the same pattern, as the USA abandoned isolationism and embraced world peacekeeping. Semi and full auto weapons are a natural extension of the military elitism of the Old World. But is that our true heritage? The principles of our nation are equality and liberty. The weapons of our hunting fathers were not lead-spewing damn-the-cost military weapons, but highly accurate, powder- and lead-thrifty specialized hunting tools crafted by citizen gunsmiths. The flintlock was perfected in the 1800s and cannot be improved, but it does require skills beside squeezing the trigger - hunting skills. There is no arms race with the animals we hunt. Modern weapons, of whatever design, take something essential from the American Hunter. Turning to the medieval European system of private game reserves and elitist weaponry is essentially UNAMERICAN, and I am afraid that is the direction our nation has taken for the last half-century.

Good point, BioGuy. I waded through a lot of this data a week ago, trying to estimate the PA population of whitetails, and finally came to the same conclusion as the GC: it doesn't matter. They reproduce at a high enough rate to replenish their numbers, whatever they may be. From informal counting along the highways I drive, I had a hunch that drivers killed more deer than hunters, but insurance estimates indicate that I was wrong: Vehicles only cause about 100,000 deer deaths per year in PA, which is the worst in the nation.

The .270 is a 30-06 optimized for deer-size game. If you want a dizzying variety of factory loads check out the 30-06. That doesn't mean it's better at any one thing - more of a jack-of-all-trades.

You did the right thing: nothing. Sometimes that's the hardest choice. Animals have been surviving and dying unassisted by mankind for a heck of a long time.

Yeah, 10 or 100 grains? I agree with Elmer Fudd about 100 grains being all you need. Sorry, Cgull, but the extra 50 grains is burning AFTER it exits the muzzle. You can see it yourself if you keep your eyes open. If you are missing, you have to work it out at the range. Something is off, and the paper will show it. Shoot in the same stance you hunt with.

Yup, compatibility view. This is a browser issue.

Depends on the pressure. About 10 minutes, if your area is crowded. My strategy always assumes that other hunters will be more clumsy than me, and I sit tight. If that doesn't work before mid morning, I go for a walk. The deer have usually found a spot no one is bothering them. Knowing where those spots are is key to success, when everyone else is also sitting tight.

I think your next question should be "does it matter if my underwear matches (top and bottom)?"

What is a "scent-free" cover scent? Smoke is a natural smell everywhere fire can burn. Fire does not require humans. Smoke also actually absorbs odors, rather than just covering them. That said, it's not an attractant, either.

They know you're there. They walk around you.

I tossed three quartered squirrels into a crockpot with spaghetti sauce for half a day. The flesh fell away from the bones, which isn't necessarily a great thing, but it was pretty darn easy, and tasted good. I gobbled mine up before I thought of serving over rice.

I've seen both films dozens of times, and it hasn't stopped me from hunting. My children have seen them, and it hasn't stopped them, either. I have to say, since it's told from a deer's perspective, Man the Hunter remains properly mysterious and dangerous in Bambi. Can't say the same for Fox and the Hound, where the message is really anti. You can throw "Open Season" in the same dumbster.

I don't know that the time was actually wasted. You had a deer under close observation for all that time, and he didn't bust you. You know him better than he can know you. You know he likes a nap at that time of day. I think a short noise might have roused him, and he might not have got a lock on you, but any movement or noise is a risk.

Good advice above. Hope it's what you wanted to hear. If everybody takes a turn doing something else, the team will never be as good as it could have been. Love the Uncle Rico comparison!

In PA ruffed grouse roost in hemlocks (nice combination of state bird and state tree). I usually flush them when hunting something else, and their wing beat is alarming. If you were to hunt them alone, you'd need lightning reflexes. If your grouses are ground birds, I think it amounts to the same thing: you've got to believe they are there and flush them and be ready to shoot all at once.

The odor is largely the product of bacteria colonies, which are more active in heat and moisture. Reduce their number before you sweat by using fresh clothes. Change out of your hunting clothes when not hunting if you are in a primitive camp for multiple days. Personally, I'm more concerned about the chilling effect of sitting in a breeze after perspiring. I like several thin layers of fleece as they do allow the moisture to evaporate while still insulating. If I get pretty warm hoofing it in (in my case, it's a 1000 foot vertical ascent, which I take as slowly as my impatience will allow), I take a good drink as soon as I'm on stand. This replaces the water I lost sweating, and brings my core temperature down so I stop sweating, but the heat absorbed by the drink is still in my body, not lost out to the air, like if I vented my clothes.

Heel-toe, lift your feet, don't move fast, pause often to listen to what's around you. That's what animals do. I also step on large rocks and dry fallen logs where available. You can cover the occasional snapping twig with a bleat or other call if you have one handy.

They're taking different trails. Either get more cameras or do some scouting yourself.

Yes, I know several ignorant fools who say things like that.

Happened twice while I was hunting in the past three years. First time I must admit the signs were in poor repair. I talked to him for a while, established that he was staying at a neighboring campground, and explained my intention to hunt the same area with my son. He got the gist, and offered to leave, and I thanked him. Second time was a guy from a bordering lot that we are on good terms with. He had inadvertantly spooked a buck I had profiled for several weeks before opening day, so it screwed up my hunt. Still, it's a better long-range strategy to be hospitable to neighbors.

You did the right thing. POSITIVELY IDENTIFY YOUR TARGET. If you can't do that, you have no business shooting at it. I've passed many deer because I could not make out the head.

Well, I guess we'd better give up some MORE of our hard-won freedoms, so we can screen these devils out. Let's see, we gave up our privacy on the internet, phones, libraries, bank cards...What have we got left?

Seems like an "all deer, all the time" premise in your question. They don't all do the same thing all the time. I went out on bare leaf litter one morning and sat through 8 inches of accumulating snow. By late morning, I had enough, so I walked around. There were clear tracks and some with snow in them. I got into some heavy hemlock cover, and bumped a deer from it's bed, which was a bare spot in drifted snow. I'll post a pic of it.

hostas, roses, arborvitae

Venison refers to the meat from a hunted large game species, originally the European Red Deer and related species. As the elk is most closely related to the red deer, I think venison is the best word for elk meat. The etymology of venison, is that comes from the Latin for hunting, venor, which is connects to venerate, venerial, and venus, meaning love, because of the concept of pursuing something desireable.

Hunting, because I've only been doing it for 15 years, so I'm still in the honeymoon phase. I've been fishing for about 40, so it's like a comfortable old marriage. Trapping? haven't tried it, and no plans to start.

You roll cast when your line is out about where you want it, and/or other conditions (wind, obstructions) make the full cast a bad choice.

I have shot more than half a dozen deer using 2&3/4in Remington Sluggers in my smoothbore 20ga 1100. They have never failed to bring down the deer. My greatest distance was about 60 yards on a walking 8pt. I held on the top of the shoulder, but wound up breaking both the front legs. Still, the deer was down and dead when I got to it. I advise some target practice to appreciate the drop at your expected longest distance.

If there really isn't another way in, and you can't get any quieter, you're going to keep disturbing the deer. What about breaking YOUR routine? Hunt your stand late instead of early. Or, since you know where they bed, move to cover their siesta or bedtime?

I hunt public land almost exclusively. It's a rare day that I'm alone, so plan A for me DEPENDS on other hunters moving around, pushing the deer out of their beds. I hunt the bottlenecks. If no other hunters are moving, then I go to plan B: food, water, cover.

Have my uncle grill it. It's like candy. I think he marinades it overnight. Teriake, citrus, or brine seem like good starters. This is a dry meat from a more athletic critter than a chicken.

If you have satisfied the law, gotten permission to hunt the land, and intend to eat what you kill, I don't think there's any ethics left to ponder. What I hear called "ethics" in this context is really sportsman's personal handicap, like in golf. You're not hunting for sport.

Easily? I don't know. What type of shooting are you planning? Check the length of pull. I would consider a youth model, maybe a used one.

Is this really a question?

Never seen one here in PA, but love the jerky.

A point for WA Mtnhunter, for going against the grain (pun intended). But in our camp, beer is definitely on the to do list. I agree with all who advise waiting until the hunt is over and the bullets are put away.

I think doing your own processing demonstrates what a mature camp (even if you hunt alone) is really about. The knowledge is passed from one person showing the next generation. Still, some are not so fortunate to have that continuity with the past, and some have specific reasons for jobbing it out.

I remember most of my hunts. Some of the dull ones blur together, but there's a novelty to each that makes it unique and memorable.

Ugly Stick. Serviceable, durable, and not near as ugly as they make out. My girlfriend (now wife) got me one in 1984. I used it for two decades, and then lost it in a river when the boat capsized. I "replaced" it with something more expensive, but my son slammed a cardoor on it the first time I was out with it. I took it as a sign and got another Ugly Stick. I still wonder if some lucky bum hooked my first one out of the river.

They're probably cheap because the foreign labor that made them didn't get much of a cut. I am not busting on you, though; a lot of my equipment is from WalMart.

I used to walk up on turkeys or have them walk up on me during deer rifle season. Now that I've started to target the turkeys, I hardly see them. Go figure.

Ask in a glasses store about antifogging cleanser. It may be that there is no such thing anymore, they used to have it when glasses were made of glass.

Not today, apparently. I was out from 12 to 4. Acorns, hickory nuts on the ground, but saw no squirrels. There was a gusty breeze, and I think that more than anything else determines squirrel activity.

If deer can't see green how do they find food? Red attracts human attention, so we assume it does the same for deer? That doesn't figure. I use a red LED because it doesn't blind me in the dark, and is easily recognized by other humans.

Weird rules at our cabin: there are so many rocking chairs you have to stack them on the porch to sit down inside; you're not allowed to burn beer cartons in the woodstove (though I've seen just about everything else tossed in, even when it obviously would not burn). These practices were established by my wife's grandfather (yeah, I married into camp). Now he has passed and cannot revise them, even though the rockers are past their prime and beer cartons are no longer printed with toxic ink. Tradition doesn't need a rationale.

I bought ammo last fall; the prices were a tad high then, with less "rebates" available than the past couple of years. I have not shot through all I bought yet, so I expect to make it through the hunts I have planned. I also got a good supply of blackpowder stuff. I don't shoot competitively, just to sight in for hunting, so I'll wait until the market is glutted and sales are slow, and stock up again. Eastern PA. Walmart usually has better prices, but less selection than Cabelas.

My Marlin336 has a red dot 1x I put on it last year. A good deal of rapid reaction (brush gun, yes?) lies in confidence, and I had lost some in the iron sights. The elevation increments are pretty steep and the fact that the sights cover the lower half of the deer's body got me thinking. The red dot fixes both these, and will stand out better on a black bear if I get a chance on one. The 1x gives no magnification, so no loss of view (the other eye stays open).

Hope your new governor supports hunting.

Hey, it's his camp. I admire it, even if I don't subscribe to it. I'd hunt a week without alcohol, if the hunting was good and it was the groundrule.

Good place to scout, see if your hunch is right. Topography sounds perfect. Only thing to screw it would be if the acorns are the best available food during your timeslot. Cgull gets a point for submitting a full plan!

Both are "drying oils," and both are from vegetable sources. Boiled linseed oil is what you want. It is the bonding agent in genuine linoleum. You must be careful to apply EXTREMELY thin coats, and wait for them to fully cure in warm dry air. The first couple of coats will soak in immediately, but don't be fooled. If you put too much on or recoat too quickly, the oil will turn into a tacky gel and take months to harden, if at all. Probably best to clean it off and start over if that happens. A piece of wool blanket is an excellent applicator, as it does not have lint. Some people use very fine abrasive and a tiny bit of oil to seal the grain. I thought I would speed things up with by using a clear acrylic finish, and it's better than nothing, but it does not come close to the beautiful warm tone of hand-rubbed linseed oil, and it sets up too quickly to properly fill the pores. You get a grayish filmy look on the endgrain. Polyurethane is no good either: it is too hard, and if it chips it is difficult to feather the touch up. BTW, I completely disagree with the idea of removing the old finish, especially in a dishwasher. If you rub the oil into the wood with wool, the old finish may disolve in the new oil, preserving the character of the original. If it doesn't, you could try very fine wet/dry sandpaper with the oil. Remember, you are not trying to remove the wood, just move the finish around. If you are trying to get a vintage look, that's the way to go.

To catch fish, do everything you can imagine. Stop doing things that don't work. If someone says you're doing it wrong, ask them to show you how. If they catch something, try it for yourself. If they don't catch anything, just smile indulgently. My grandparents taught me to cast and wade upstream using dry flies on floating line. This keeps them floating and the water ahead clear. You can take up the slack line as it comes toward you, and if some of it gets around you, well, it's behind you and not in your way. A dry fly will pop under at the end of its run if you let it float downstream, and sometimes that's when a fish hits it. But if you leave it there, it will just look like something caught at the end of a line. And it gets wet, and stops floating. The idea of dry flies is to make them look like they are drifting, not swimming.

I like the RT AP, too. It's real pretty. But I really don't think the deer have a preference, and most of my gear is solid earth tones. Only my vest (orange) has a camo pattern on it.

Use what you are enjoying most. Don't throw away the lures, though. It's a different style, and you may come back to it. Even if you don't, you can sell them as antiques in a few years.

To me the important feature is silent mode, where an incoming message is not preceded by an alert tone. I would also look into earphone and possibly boom mic. I believe both of your choices have those features. I had a pair of much cheaper (and simpler) Motorolas that I liked very well. Sadly, they were stolen from my car. A hunting buddy of mine has a pair of the more expensive type (but an older model). These things work well if you are in an area with little topographic obstruction, but they do not approach their advertised range in hilly country, where you can be just around the corner and get no signal.

I think it's most likely to hit you when there's more riding on the shot than just the shooting. First time out, camp competitiveness, somebody watching.

I used to paint miniatures and draw a lot; still do some photography. I was into tropical fish for several years, cichlids and armored catfish mostly. I collect broken junk with the idea of fixing it, but I find I'm usually satisfied by figuring out how it works while taking it apart and cleaning it, so most of it goes to the local recycling center after my wife asks me what I'm going to do with it three or four times. I've been working on genealogy research off and on.

If you want to use the coyote pelts, small is the way to go, even a shotgun would be better than a single projectile, as multiple small holes are easier to conceal than one big one. If you just have to have one rifle for everything, I vote for the 30-06. Big kill power in 180 grain for elk, and Remington's "managed recoil" is 125 grain with less powder, which emulates the 30-30, and that means limited range. I know there's factory loads smaller than that, but you're giving up bullet length or bullet diameter (sabotted), and thus stability, so it still seems to me you would do better to get a smaller caliber firearm for the coyotes.

A point for cooner. The bullet in factory loads is designed to break up on impact, for smaller game. Even as a military round (and I doubt if your rifle is chambered for the military version), it's intended to inflict disabling wounds, though it will definintely kill. If it's legal where you are, the only thing you've got (no shotgun?), and you're bent on killing a deer with it, sound's like you already made the decision. I am reminded of the scene from Into the Wild, where he kills an Alaskan moose with a .22cal semiauto. Took quite a few rounds, and made a lot of hamburger, but eventually the moose stopped walking. I hope your deer doesn't require that much.

Well, half the guys have a tradition of french toast, but eggs do a number on me, and don't usually make it all the way to the top of the mountain. I like hot oatmeal or grits. I MUST have a mug of coffee or I don't really consider myself among the living. Dinner? There are two local restaurants that rely on the seasonal business, and I like to help keep them afloat. But I've also grilled steak, red snapper, sausage. Crockpot of chili or stew going all day for anybody who swings down to the cabin. I gave up drinking real beer with my hunting companions, since they count cans, and cannot be made to appreciate the real stuff. I was losing too much at 31, anyway. So now it's any light beer. One guy and I enjoyed a pretty fair fifth of 30-year-old single malt scotch, but I guess it's my turn to buy, and it's pretty expensive.

The size of the pack and what you put in it depend on where you are and how long you plan on surviving. Warmth, even in warm climates, is key. So is hydration. So emergency blanket, firestarter, water...But maybe you're asking what hunting gear to pack?

Wash with fragrance-free detergent or baking soda. Line-dry outdoors. Store gear with leaves, acorns, pine boughs, etc. Keep your dog away from your stuff. Bathe with fragrance-free soap.

Woodsmoke is not an alien smell to deer. Most deer in PA live around farms and suburban developments where practical and recreational fireplaces are common. Also, the Nov issue suggests some chemicals released in woodsmoke absorb or at least mask human odors. It makes me think of the various cultures around the world where one prepares for hunting (or other spriritually important task) by purifying the head, hair, skin with smoke.

bjohnston's got it, and a point for the answer. Miss high, and you hit spine, miss low, and you break a leg. Either way, the deer goes down.

Elmer! You saw that guy, too? You know, he DID get a deer, anyway. It should be obvious to everyone that making noise and stink is not the way to keep the deer relaxed, but I do think some guys are getting neurotic in their frenzy to go NINJA on the deer. One guy I know sprays himself down every time he leaves the cabin. But he also brought his DOG to camp, and got mad when I asked him to leave it home next time! I think there's common sense to minimizing your odor, but there's limits to what I'm going to do. As my hunting buddy says, it's a HOBBY.

Now wait, I read all kinds of brand names all over these threads, but no one dares to spell KitchenAid? I just bought the $50 attachment, and cannot wait to try it. (Well, that's obviously a lie, since I could run some beef through it to see how it works.)

I'd have to say there's less difference between salmon and trout eggs than between organic and factoryfarm chicken eggs. I doubt a fish willing to eat one would refuse the other.

150,165,180 - whatever you choose, sight it in. These three weights have points of impact different by inches on paper @ 100 yards, so beyond that they will open up unacceptably. If you switch brands, sight it in again. My 700 is zeroed @ 100yards with 165gr Remington CoreLokt. The 125gr managed recoil and 150gr hit about 2" low for me, and I haven't tried the 180gr, and probably wouldn't unless I was hunting elk.

Fear is okay, but panic is unacceptable. That alertness is an asset, but you have to harness it. Your worst enemy is the tree branch that pokes you in the eye when you keep looking over your shoulder. I had my hair stand straight on end one night when I could hear something big shuffling through the leaves right at me. I yelled but it kept coming. The scariest thing was not being able to see it. Finally, got my flashlight on it, and it was a porcupine. Obviously, they don't get too concerned about people yelling at them. Try going into your hunting areas after dark outside of the hunting season. Don't turn on that flashlight, as it blinds you and makes the dark seem darker. You'd be shocked what you can see if you let your eyes adjust to the night. If there's any moon at all, you've got all the light you need. Get to know your area in the dark, and it won't creep you out. USE THE FLASHLIGHT DURING HUNTING SEASON, because some idiot with no judgement of shooting hours might not positively identify you in the dark.

Yes. Though the hesitation in identifying what was on it's neck might cost me the shot. Mortality is an important statistic for whoever put the collar on, presumably GC.

Are those ballistics from the bullet maker, or your own measurement? I've been hesitant to get a BDC reticle scope for my CVA, because the scopes are designed for 150 grains of pyrodex, and a 28" barrel doesn't fully burn 100 grains. Adding more just shoots burning powder in the air after the bullet exits. PA also requires blackpowder or substitute in muzzleloader seasons.

I bought a Rem700 and a WeatherbyVangard Youth model the year before all the new triggers came out. They both shoot well. I like the looks of the 700 a little more. So, if it was me (but it isn't), I'd try the Savage, since I've never had one, and it's said to be a great value. Shoulder all of them. Does your eye go right where it should? How it fits your frame may be the most important and most overlooked part of the decision. Then there's aesthetics. I got my 700 with the walnut stock, because I just did not like the feel of the overmolded synthetic stock, even though the synthetic is more stable in different weather conditions.

If it's really bothering you, lobby your legislators to make more of these things illegal. They probably won't do it, because the sales tax generates revenue. I agree that scents and baits and trail cams do take some of the footwork out of the scouting and site selection. But they don't necessarily take anything away from those who do it traditionally. If you love to hunt, just hunt, and don't mind those who think it's all about the 1st/biggest/tamest deer.

#1 say "thank you" #2 take real good care of it, and put it to use #3 keep your uncle posted on what you've done with his gift

If they contain phosphorus, yes, they do. An advantage on day-glo orange, a disadvantage on earth-tone camo. IDK about deer's UV range, I think their visible range is the same as dogs.

If they are feeding on the surface, just about anything will work. I was out one day with a small collection of poppers to try, but I still had a cahill fly on. So I tried it. Caught bluegills and pumpkinseed all afternoon. Never got to the poppers.

Whoa, if you caught a state record largemouth, why do you need advice? Just keep doing what you're doing, and conservatively add to your arsenal.

Unconcerned deer will choose the path of least resistance, so they travel the trail. If they do feel pressure, they will use trails hidden by heavy brush/briars. You may wish to get off it yourself, and hunt along it. If there are deer trails intersecting it, or if you find a heavy hub of activity set up with a good view of the coming and going. Baiting is illegal where I hunt, so no advice there.

I think most of the ads say "virtually eliminates odor," and the legal definition of "virtually" is "not." I'm sure saying it is all a scam is going too far, but I've had bucks approach me that I could have hit with a rock, and I've never used the fabric or sprays they sell. Holding still is more important than being scent-free, in my book.

I got really frustrated my first time on public land just that way; it seemed I could not find a place where I wasn't 50 yards from somebody. I felt like a real jerk. But like charlie elk and Skeep say, your movement can benefit them, as deer that move to avoid or keep tabs on you may become visible to the guy in the stand. Most of my deer have been taken as a result of some other guy bumping them. Seems like a compliment to his choice of a stand that you didn't see it in time to avoid him, either.

I use pyrodex pellets and triple seven 209 primers. I can't remember the source, but I had the impression the 777 was harder on the barrel, even though it cleans up easier.

Not a hybrid because of color. Sounds more like a pocket of melanism in the gene pool.

You will catch squirrels, not rabbits. Squirrels will go in a trap just to see what it's like, no bait required. If you catch a cat, I suppose the moral thing is to take it to the SPCA. They can neuter it and place it with a RESPONSIBLE pet-owner.

You can superglue it to the hook, for even better action.

I seem to recall it in F&S mag a year or two ago as a reader tip. Maybe it was a different magazine.

I think it is unethical and unfriendly. It is unethical because it places both of you at risk of potential injury, getting to your stands or from a badly (okay, REALLY badly) placed shot. The other guy may have been hunting that spot for years, and feels entitled to return to it. But each season is a new start, so I favor your "I got here first" claim. However, both of you are within your rights to hunt the public land within the law. If you can contact him, make an agreement, like others described above. If you can't come to an understanding, you have to decide what being the "better man" means to you; the one who gets his way, or the one who gives way.

Seems like the rattling/grunting advice applies here: maybe it'll scare off timid bucks, but draw in dominant ones looking for a fight. A lot of advice seems based on the simplistic notion that all members of a species will behave the same way. Obviously that's not true, or they'd all get shot every year.

Two years ago I asked my father to join my son and I for the junior antlerless hunt in PA. My dad doesn't hunt anymore, but he does like the woods. We hiked around where there was a lot of sign, and even bumped some bedded deer that we never saw, but the best moment was breaking for lunch together at the top of the mountain, the fall foliage lit up by the sun.

Point for BioGuy. Big buck influence, but don't underestimate shifting food availability.

I think you're exagerating the importance of scent concealment. There are guys who think it's the number one thing, but I don't. I make no effort in this regard, and still harvest deer. Do you really think a hungry deer will pass up an apple because it touched your hand? Do you think apples are a natural food for whitetails? They aren't native to North America. Neither are my mother's roses, but my parents' attempts to keep the deer AWAY from them using human scent have been a complete failure.

Great breakdown by Cgull, and BioGuy's got a good tip there. It's not a matter of accuracy: the longer the shot, the more time for the animal to move after the arrow leaves the string. One of the reasons I have zero interest in archery, since a bullet will get there before the sound.

If you are a biologist, you must recognize what inevitably follows a spike in a population. After the "crash", those of us left to pick up the pieces of the boomer generation's resource-exploitation orgy runs its course will enjoy a relative bounty of resources.

You should not need a 30-06 for Florida deer. I'm not familiar with Florida pine forest: if it is mostly open under a canopy, a scoped bolt rifle is a solid bet for longer shots. If the cover is thick your range will be limited and quick response necessary, so a lever-action 30-30 or a pump shotgun will do the trick with no scope needed.

I've heard early cold weather can cause them to drop a little earlier. A guy got a buck four or five years ago in Lycoming county in the first week, but as it went down, it struck an antler that came off. I would expect if warmer weather persists they may hang on a little longer. I really don't know if it is triggered by daylength, temperature, or body chemistry from a changing diet.

I talked with four guys who build flintlocks. All insist the sidelock ignition system is superior to inlines. Why? A 209 primer starts pushing the load before the pellets ignite - it's a loose unstable mess that's still burning after it exits the muzzle. With a flintlock, the projectile doesn't budge before the main charge ignites, and the charge burns more consistantly and completely. The electronic ignition system is designed to achieve for inlines what the sidelock does without batteries. dplummer - the PA early season allows all muzzleloaders including flintlocks - it's not "inline" season EdJ - two good points

Tippet material is generally much stronger than regular mono, diameter being equal. The idea is that the thinner material is less alarming to the fish, and as buckhunter says, it handles better. Tippet tends to be less slippery, too, which makes knots hold better, and it reflects less light. If you go with premium mono that has the characteristics of tippet, well, I guess it's the same stuff. If fish reaction and line strenth are less of a concern than abrasion on rocks and such, the cheaper mono makes sense.

If your local homestore sells "oops" paint for a deep discount ($1/pint, $5/gallon), as mine has ceased doing, buy three dull colors of exterior latex flat enamel house paint. Nothing sticks to aluminum better. The polymer takes a month to fully cure, but its a heck of a sight cheaper, and will stand up to sunlight longer than spray cans.

I was there with my family a couple of years ago. My main memory is being eaten alive by mosquitoes during the twenty minutes I was out of the car. In my peripheral vision, I saw quite a lot of inviting water; it sure didn't look overfished. Good luck, and beware the skeets.

Sunlight and moving air...used to be that was the only way to get clean clothes. Now we think chemicals and electicity are an improvement. Sunlight (UV, specifically) kills microbes and moving air strips away odors. There's ozone, and other reactive gasses, in good clean fresh air.

Maybe they don't like fresh asphalt. The smell probably reminds them of the commotion, and they will forget it as the smell dies and no more disruption occurs.

A biologist will probably have an answer. I agree with your theory, an injury or premature rubbing of the velvet before the bone fully formed. Does it have a bad oder? Maybe an infection that either caused the blood flow to stop or set in afterwards?

Tred Barto is funnier, but Tiffany Lakosky is easier on the eyes.

They are not robbing mother nature; they're robbing you and me of a natural resource. With all the nanny-state handouts available, you will never convince me the investment of a few bucks for a license is too much.

The knots above are good and strong and do not create a nasty bulge in the reel. But unless you expect a fish to take up all your floating line on a run, it's not as important as what you use at the leader end of the floating line. Fishing in relatively small streams for most of the twentieth century, my grandparents never used backing at all. Smaller reels designed for smaller fish don't have the space for it.

I have a 3-9x40 on my 30-06, and keep it dialed low, and I have yet to shoot a deer with it. I hunt in forested mountains of PA, so there is a real limit on visibility. I doubt I will ever be presented with a shot over 150 yards, and the longest I've taken while hunting was probably about 80. That was with open sights on a Marlin lever-action. About two thirds of my deer were taken with 20 guage slugs with just a brass bead on the barrel. I want to see what's AROUND the deer, too, to make sure the shot is safe. The sights, the action, and the chambering should all match the terrain. Open country (not like mine) requires high-velocity ammo, a heavy rifle, and higher magnification, if you're shooting from a rest. If you're moving in close on foot, forget the extra bulk and magnification.

The problem is it converts recoil into literally deafening noise. If you hunt with a guide or in a party for dangerous game, as many do with big cartridges, you expose the guides and others to hearing damage, and to yourself as well, though because of your position relative to the muzzle it is not as immediately noticeable as to others around you.

If you can't see the submit button, try clicking the "compatability view" button (like a torn page) at the top of your browser (IE).

I bought a quaker boy that has a bulb on one end. It gives you more control over the volume. I tried it on a feeding button buck at about 40 yards. The deer did not react at any volume. I have not yet had a chance on other deer.

After checking your form, eye placement, and other brands of ammo, I would suggest trying a barrel deresonator before altering the stock or barrel. All barrels resonate. The frequency of the resonance compared to the duration of the bullet's path down the barrel determines whether the point of impact will be consistent or erratic. I would guess that is part of why different brands of ammo work better or worse in a different gun. The contact point mentioned by Beekeeper is an attempt by the manufacturere to provide a built-in deresonator. It works on most of the rifles produced, but obviously not every single one. A barrel deresonator is adjusted by sliding it up and down the barrel. It doesn't really remove the resonance, but dampens it. Just find the optimum location for your chosen round, and leave in place. You can always slide it off if you want to pursue a more expensive and permanent solution.

I've been a fisherman since I could walk, but I didn't hunt till I was thirty. My brother-in-law invited me to the family hunting camp. There are three things I love (8.9 out of 10) about hunting: The camp culture - everybody's friends, or they fake it real well (though some are better at it). The whole long day, first light to last light, out in the woods, where the only people you meet have something interesting to say, for a change. The thrill of getting your first deer, your first deer with a decent rack, your first deer with no help from anyone. The one thing I don't like is... hmmm, I guess I forgot.

I have seen Escanaba in the moonlight (the lighthouse, specifically), but not the movie. Now I think it will be my next rental.

They are members of a cult of sensationalism. They get high on outrage. If they were rational, they would not espouse anti-hunter sentiment. Their "opinions" are expressions of ignorance. Their strategy is to save individual animals from death, which is impossible and absurd, since EVERY animal will die in one manner or another. They do not understand life. They get a lot of support from people with such mental limitations that they cannot imagine any use of a firearm than to threaten another human being.

I hope you are not still there, blackberry in hand. I think if you don't make a big noisy production of leaving, they would not be permanantly spooked, just that night. If they are there to eat, and the food doesn't run out, seems like they will come back, just a little more cautiously.

Black crappie. Just difficult enough to help you feel smug around the other guy who can't catch them. Big old mouth that makes handling them easier than other panfish. And tasty. For beauty contest, though, I agree with Skeeb.

Whitetail deer. Big meat payoff for the effort, here in PA. You can go it alone or with friends.

First you have to know what a full moon is and what a new moon is. A full moon means it is 180degrees opposite of the sun, so it is reflecting the most sunlight, and fully overhead around midnight. That means the entire night is lit. A new moon is mostly invisible, because it is very close to the sun and has its fully shaded side facing the earth. That means the night is lit by stars only -there is no moon in the night sky to reflect the sunlight. Animals that rely on some light, like crepuscular deer, very well might take advantage of a full moon to extend their feeding time, making their movements a bit more difficult to predict during that week. So...what? Ask yourself - what phase is the moon in right now? Can you feel it? No? Then why do you think other mammals do? They know they can see better when the moon provides light. You would, too if you went out every night for a one-hour walk without a flashlight. There's another post on this site attributing deep mystical significance to the cosmic alignment of the sun and moon, but I have to agree with hunter1849, weather conditions trump any celestial emminations.

Just punch "knife sharpening" into Google. The principles of sharpening can be applied to any tool blade, so it is a worthwhile investiment to get the hang of it. I once watched a half-hour videotape of a guy sharpening chisels and gouges. Okay, I slept through most of it, but it did help my knife sharpening a bit. Don't practice with an expensive knife, but if you have one, use something with a similar blade shape to practice. The most important thing is hold it at a consistant angle to the stone. Wobbling, or even changing the angle slowly, makes a rounded inconsistant edge. Remember that you are removing steel in the process, so if you aren't getting where you want, stop. Think through what you're doing wrong. I find a knife holds its edge a little longer if it is stropped after sharpening.

I am looking first for venison. If I fill my doe tag before PA's combined-sex rifle season, I will wait for the big buck. A "big" buck depends a lot on where you hunt. I would consider a trophy anything with a rack bigger than I already have on my wall.

For exotic, I'd like a red deer stag in New Zealand. But for now, I'd like to see one of my children get their first deer. Maybe this season.

The definition of a word is an ever-changing democratic process. The majority rules, for the time being. But that doesn't make other usage "wrong." Would a crick, by any other name, have less water in it?

Problem with IE - it's a Microsoft product, offered "as is." But to be fair, other browsers have their own quirks, and the price is right. I posted the same question about pics a while back, and another user pointed out the compatibility mode button, like you said: the broken page icon, next to the refresh icon in my configuration.

I think the quote assumes a constraining definition of fair chase. I don't agree that "fair chase" defines sport hunting. Sport hunting just means there are limits set on the hunter. Bag limits, weapons limits, hunting hours limits, season limits. Without these restrictions, it would be chaos, and the resource would be rapidly depleted. I would contrast sport hunting with market hunting to search for a definition.

Sporting means it's fun and has rules. Ethical means there are choices that are either more or less humane. Moral means there is right and wrong. People disagree on particular cases for each of the above; that's why we have laws. Tradition rules all the above, even when there are clear conflicts between them. It's traditional to shoot birds in the air.

DO NOT DO NOT DO NOT use shoe polish! I have not figured what the pigment is, but Kiwi shoe polish reacted with the antler and made an indelible PINK STAIN. I was able to conceal most of it by singinging the antler with a grill lighter, but that wasn't the appearance I had intended, either. I'm not the only one to fool with it, whatever it was, because the Gerber Wallowa caping knife I bought had stag handle with pink stains. I am replacing the scales with Ipe wood, as an experiment.

I'd think there is an economy of scale going on, too. They must make an enormous number of wood-stocked shotguns compared to pump rifles. And the similar cost difference in a bolt action would seem to be from the length of the unflawed wood being more than twice as long as a pump. Go try to buy a blank of rifle-grade walnut for less than $150, and then get it to fit a rifle. I'd guess the tolerances on the wood for a pump rigle are tighter than on a shotgun.

You will regret the sling when the game flushes, and your gun is on your shoulder instead of in your hands. I wanted to use the Quake sling that came with my CVA for all my firearms, so I retrofitted my 1100 with slingstuds so I could keep my hands free. But I only do that walking in to my chosen hunting ground. I take it off when I get there, and stick it in my game pouch. Other styles of sling slip on and off with a loop instead of swivels. You should be able to take a look at these starting around $10 anywhere sporting goods are sold, and online. Some people just use a length of clothesline with a slip noose at each end. You really don't want it in the way when it's time to shoot.

Same date in PA. Last year I saw 12 does on the regular firearms opener, but didn't have a doe tag. This year I do, and I'm taking my CVA Kodiak .50 to make a good first impression.

Where do they live? What do they eat? I grew up in Tioga Coounty and hunt in Lycoming and Sullivan Counties today. I've hiked in Allegheny Nat Forest. I have seen bears, gray foxes, and a bobcat. A lot of people insist they know someone who saw a mountain lion, couger, puma, catamount, but no one has secured evidence - no photo, hair, blood. If there are big cats out there, they came from out-of-state, and recently. People forget that most of PA was clear cut around the turn of the last century. You see trees and you think they've always been there. You see deer, and you think the same. When the big trees came down, the habitat collapsed. The deer herd was so sparse the Game Commission imported I think 50 or so. As shrubs and secondary forest grew in, the deer herd increased, and so now there is a food source for big cats, but this is only in the last decades.

Chance favors the prepared mind. Prepare to see your quarry staring back at you as you climb out of the tent. If you are ready for that, you won't have much of a drag, and can spend the time sightseeing. If it doesn't happen, oh well, back to plan A.

Take a camera. Are they in their spawning colors about now? Brooktrout I've caught hide and pounce, swallowing live bait. If you use it, minimize undesired kill by bending down the barb.

If you can just watch your pet deer walking around, enjoying life, why shoot it? I think this becomes more like ranching than hunting. It starts to get away from being a sport and starts to be a job.

Where are you hunting? In heavy cover or brush, close little trees or low branches, I use a Marlin 336 in .35Rem (30-30Win is more common) with open sights. You're not going to see far enough for that 100yd+ ammo, and the shorter barrel keeps you from getting hung up. You loose that advantage with the new Marlin models with the long barrels they developed to shoot the LeveRevolution ammo from Hornandy. Over fields or in mature forest, I use a Remington bolt in 30-06 with a 3-9x40 scope. Open space gives you more time to settle into a steady rest to compensate for the distance. I chose 30-06 as my upper limit. I don't care to shoot anything that kicks more than that, and it'll do the job on big northern deer, and anything else I'd ever hunt. .270Win and .280Rem (if you want something less common) are still plenty big with plenty of reach. As you go south, the average deer is smaller, and you're wearing thinner clothes, so smaller caliber makes sense both ways: .260Rem, 7mm, 25-06Rem, 6mm, down to about .243Win. Really, think about your terrain, the relative size of the deer, and check out the ballistics tables on an ammo manufaturer website. Some rounds are more expensive than others, just because of demand, so you might want to choose something that's popular where you shop. There are lots of articles on this subject, too. Aside from length and chambering, there's other features: I like the Ruger 3position safety, though I don't own one. I've had my Remington open up while I was carrying it slung - the safety slid off when it contacted the flat lid of my Nalgeen bottle, then the bolt handle got caught on a pocket of my vest. It happened on my son's Weatherby, too. I think it could happen with any sliding safety. (We carry our water on the opposite side now.)

Failing all the above, mark the last bloodsign, and start a spiral search. Unless that deer went down on a golf green, it's probably hidden by some cover you passed without thinking it could hide your deer. You may have passed within feet of it. My first buck vanished into thin air; it's death leap landed it in a mess of honeysuckle growing over a downed tree. I began to doubt I'd hit it, but my brother-in-law spotted a tiny drop of blood, and then (thank goodness) one hoof sticking up. Now between logs and under shrubs is the first place I look.

All above advice is sound. Casting form is what this style is all about. Don't put a fly on until you get the line to do what you want. You can practice in an open lawn. Keep the cast straight over your head. Work on your timing; keep it slow enough for the line to stretch out on your backcast, but not hit the ground. When you think you can do it without hurting yourself or ruining you gear, forget it: go after panfish to get the feel of fish on the line and figure out how to retrieve. They will take dryflies and small poppers. Good time to practice the roll cast, twitch it here, twitch it there. Once you can cast, hook, retrieve, and release a sunfish without dropping your rod, practice your casting again, and THEN head for troutstreams. Big water is easier to cast on, but small water will teach you where the fish are. If you do get into tight places, don't expect to do much casting; just get the fly onto the water without making your presence obvious to the fish.

Seems there's two issues here: wolves in the wilds where we hunt, and wolves in the burbs where we live. I don't see the problem in the wilds, except for those that would be caught off guard cuz they're too busy studying their GPS or yaking on their FMRS. If you want a walk in the park, stay in a park. At home, yes, MN_deer, they will go to the food. But not every wolf; there was some studies done not long ago where they showed that in a couple of generations, the canines that get "used" to human proximity are biologically different from those that stay at a distance: they become more dog-like. Hence, the dog.

I think the main disadvantage is the mess insided the deer when you field dress it.

I don't want to find out. A tazer has a limited range. If the bear hasn't already turned away from you, and you haven't made your own exit, it's probably too late to do anything but make it madder.

If you shoot a deer, you have a responsibility to recover it. Find out who owns the land. If it's posted, get the name or number off the sign. If a day or more goes by while you're doing the homework you should have done up front, you should recover that deer, even if it's not edible. Know where you're hunting. If you don't dare set foot on it, don't hunt near it.

Jigheads with yellow soft plastic twister tail. I've tried tube baits, but I do not have the same luck with them. Match the hook size to the mouth of the fish you want to catch. Crappie have big mouths compared to bluegill/pumpkinseed and perch. Bass will hit the same size as crappie. I cast out into deep water, let it hit bottom, then retrieve into shallow water. They often hit right when the lure pops off the bottom at the beginning of the retrieve. I usually just raise the rod tip and maintain retrieve to set the hook. Don't jerk the lure out of their mouths. That goes double for perch, which have a much more subtle bite, and don't fight as vigorously as sunfish. In flowing water, I cast across and retrieve a bit slower, allowing the jig to be swept by the current in and arch. This works great in holes.

I had the same budget two years ago, and the prices have come down on inlines. I got a .50cal CVA Kodiak, and use Powerbelt slugs. If I was getting one today, I'd get the Kodiak Pro, and maybe look for a .45 - they're not as popular (though they're supposed to shoot flatter) so maybe show up in a closeout.

Food and water. I see bears occasionally where I hunt deer, between acorns and standing water. When PA started a limited-area extended bear season that overlapped deer season, I casually got a tag. After a morning on stand in the rain, I took a walk, thinking about where the deer would be bedded. Passing over an unfamiliar stretch, I came face to face with a small black bear. We were both plenty surprised, but the bear reacted first, spun and ran off through the brush. I remembered I could shoot it too late. I was feeling a little down about it, but the next morning I got my biggest buck, and the morning after that, a bear had been dining at the gut pile. I started to follow the tracks in the snow, but just then my buddy got his biggest buck, so I broke it off to help him drag it out. It seemed like enough to celebrate. I got another bear tag this year, and hope to get out in the statewide season (DURING the work-week -thanks, PA), with no deer to cloud my thoughts.

They are the larvae of a moth. The moth lays eggs in bee hives, and they hatch and eat the combs. Not good for bees or beekeepers, but pretty good bait. I caught a couple dozen panfish on them in one afternoon ice fishing in January.

In PA game remains are household solid waste. I live in a city, and my taxes cover putting this out for street-side pickup. My parents live in the country, and have to pay per load they drop off. Some places have pretty strict regs on waste disposal, so creating a dump on your own property may or may not be legal where you are. Absolutely, don't make hunting look bad like in sgaredneck's example. Putting it in someone else's dumpster is theft of services, and putting it where seen by the public is just bad for everyone.

The .45 develops more pressure behind the sabot than the .50 with the same amount of powder - that's physics. Keeping the grain weight of the sabot the same, the .45 will shoot flatter (for mulie distance) and hit harder. The popularity of the .50 is a hangover from roundball physics, where bigger is heavier.