Larry A. Smail's Blog

The weeklong 2022 muzzleloading season has come to a close. A properly licensed individual may hunt bear during this week, also. I usually refer to this week as the early flintlock season since I generally use my eighteenth-century style flintlock rifle. However, the Pennsylvania Game Commission allows percussion muzzleloaders, (Cap and ball) the modern in-line muzzleloaders as well as the flintlock rifle or smoothbores. As a senior I could use a modern center-fir rifle the last three days of the season. I still prefer my flinter.

OCTOBER 15

The first day of October 15 had twelve deer observed including two bucks. This muzzleloading season only permits antlerless deer to be harvested. One small doe came past me at twelve steps, and I decided I wasn’t going to take a small deer. I took photos of this deer instead.

The first day as well as much of the season was windy with several being terribly windy. In fact, I heard a large tree cracking and the thud after it succumbed to the conditions.

I had to get ready to play guitar with a band at Ford Cliff.

OCTOBER 17

I decide to go to a state game lands to try my hand at bear hunting on this day. I still-hunted at three locations but never saw a bear. I did see two deer. I could have shot the one at about thirty yards, but I could not see the animal’s head. remember I had to shoot only antlerless deer.

This very windy day howled through the trees. I heard some loud cracking of a falling tree. The sounds were not far ahead. As I followed the occasional cracking, I soon located a tree. The tree was leaning at about 75 degrees with the limbs entangled with neighboring trees. Every few seconds it would crack until the support trees could no longer bear the weight allowing the tree to crash. That was an interesting observation. I walked upon a flock of seven gobblers allowing for a few photos as they fed in the high grasses. I heard a Screech Owl in the dark hours. I became entangled in a very thick timbered area. That takes the fun out of hunting as each step allows for briars to dig into one’s flesh. I left early enough to prepare to do acoustic music at the Kittanning Free Methodist Church. An event is held there twice a month known as God’s Choice for those of special needs.

OCTOBER 18

I sat up watching a field in the dark and windy morning. I would see one deer in the distance. I found myself very tired and decided this was going to be a short morning. I don’t sleep well usually. I still hunted my way back to the jeep seeing a Fisher twice. I only wished I could have gotten a photo. I heard a Great-horned Owl.

I went home and napped for company was coming.

OCTOBER 20

I stopped in the morning to take care of my mother’s garbage and enjoy breakfast. I did sneak around near to the homestead seeing two deer including one buck. I left early enough to prepare for my Thursday evening Bible study.

OCTOBER 21

This was another day to hunt bear and I went to State Game Lands 304 to still hunt. I would see seven deer this morning and a flock of turkeys two times. I walked right up on them the first time. I saw three pheasants.

OCTOBER 22.

This was the last day to hunt, and the temperatures were to reach into the seventies. I knew I would be quitting by noon for I prefer to not hunt in such temps. I stationed myself in the dark hours to wait.

I spotted a deer’s back and it appeared to be a doe. I positioned the rifle and as the deer approached, I thought I saw antler. I allowed the deer to come closer and I was correct for this deer was a spike buck, the spikes were about six inches long. That would be the only deer observed this morning. I walked off to where the spike came past, and it was eight steps.

I heard a Barred Owl.

Hunting deer by my preferred method known as still hunting can be very difficult during this early season. Multiflora Rose, Green Briars, our native briars and Spicebush form a dense canopy cancelling out any deer clarity.