Autumn has arrived....

[Adam Helmer]

Our foliage is turning here in northcentral PA and our deer season opens October 15th, the same day as grouse and squirrel seasons. I plan on carrying a .50 smoothbore flinter that shoots roundball well out to about 75 yards and also handles shot loads for small game.

October is my favorite month and I plan on hunting everyday a season is open. I will hunt a few days with the novice muzzleloader hunters I mentioned in another thread. Take a kid or new hunter afield, if you can. Hunt safely.

Adam

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Don't know if I will get out for deer or not.....my season doesn't start until Dec, and it isn't a 'traditional season', so the inline crowd has them pretty spooked with all thier "long-range shootin'":rolleyes:
Was going to go for ducks with my trade musket next weekend, but the DNR has closed the trail to the lake that I have hunted for the last 10 years....not sure if I can find a spot this late or not.:(

[skeeter@ccia.com]

Adam...I hunt your area of Pa now and then anyhow...BEAR.Question is...how is the mast crops that way this year?..Acorns here around Exit 2 of the Pa Pike are like raindrops...can't take a step in the woods without crunching them..The past few bear trips eastern Pa have shown a decline in them..Info would be helpfull..Thanks....I too enjoy the novice hunters....My daughters have become seasoned hunters now and saturday archery opener I didn't even take my bow..just sat with the one daughter that is trying her first archery year...was a very interesting day...seen lots of deer....I also took my 14yr old cousin (whose dad passed the year he became 12) to a wild game dinner where he won a flintlock...shoots it well and is ready for the 15th..took him out for his first pheasant and spring tom...did well and watching the shotgun shake while aiming at his tom made me laugh so much I almost spooked the bird...ahhh what a great feeling isn't it?.....good luck this year

[Adam Helmer]

skeeter,

We have very few oaks hereabouts; mostly ash, maple and apple trees. The apple trees are full up this year. Not much on the beechnut trees. Hope this helps.

Adam

[Adam Helmer]

Our week-long ML antlerless deer season opened last Saturday. I have been out everyday and saw my first deer just before dark last evening. As luck would have it, I watched a small 4-point buck graze in my big hayfield for about an hour. I was in a weedy diversion ditch and lasered him at 19 yards at the closest distance. It was nice to finally see a deer. On Saturday evening I had 4 squirrels in a nearby beechnut tree cutting nuts. Of course, the smooth .50 was loaded with patched ball when I needed a shot load. Best of luck to all Longhunters.

Adam