Proper hunting attire for the PA Traditional Deer Season.

[Adam Helmer]

On Monday, December 27, 2010 the PA Traditional (Flintlock) deer season begins. There is no Hunter Orange requirement that I can fathom, but I will not wear my buckskins. I hope for snow enough to use my Alaskan Snowshoes, but that is probably not going to happen.

I have my drab color attire for opening day. I like to glide through the big woods quietly in my soft attire. I like the heft and feel of the .54 Hawken flintlock stoked with Roundball and 75 grains of 3F Goex. On my belt I carry a horseshoe knife and a tomahawk in belt sheath. Twice in the past seasons I have seen fresh bear tracks in my wonderful West Woods. Bear season closed before Thanksgiving, so a bear now is just a great sighting unless he/she has hostility and then the game changes!

I am looking for a big racked buck. I will only shoot an injured doe, as in the past. I have never seen another hunter in Flintlock season over the past 22 years. I hunt 2500 acres of mostly woods and see far to few deer tracks thanks to the Pennsylvania Game Commission deer decimation policy.

Adam

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Good luck, Adam.....I hope you find a nice buck.

I have never seen another hunter in Flintlock season over the past 22 years.

That's how our muzzleloading season used to be....I had lots of state property pretty much to myself; I would rarely see another hunter. Now with the wide prevalence of in-lines (remember: in Michigan, it's billed as a muzzleloading season), there is a body behind every tree. Our muzzleloading season is almost as crowded as the regular firearm deer season.
I don't know the politics of your PA game commission, but be thankful that you at least have a primative season that you can hunt in period attire.....here in MI, I'm afraid for my life if I wore anything in earth tones, although I did have my red voyagour cap on when I shot my little buck a few weeks back......even if it wasn't "P.C." (period correct) for the caplock Hawken I was carrying.

[Johnny Reb]

Good luck to ya Adam.
My season is over and I never fired a shot. My weapon of choice this year was my T/C 54 cal. Renegade equipped with 100 gr. of goex 2F powder and a .530 patched rb. The deer are getting more and more scarce every year. I think NY is more concerned about the revenue of the hunting license and DMP's than managing the deer population. In my area to see more than 2 deer in a herd is a rare thing. I have a better chance at seeing a Buffalo.

[Adam Helmer]

Johnny,

We have very few deer. I will go afield with my .54 flinter Hawken stoked with 75 grains 3F Goex and RB. I have lots of nice Big Woods to "cruise". I reread th Journals of Lewis & Clark and gotta trek the wild lands.

Merry Christmas.

Adam