The first day of the 2025 Pennsylvania Rifle Season proved to be very interesting. I sat down in the wee hours of dawn to await what may be the outcome of the day. The first few hours were deerless but as the sun warmed the temperatures up some the deer began to move. I would see twelve deer this day. The photo of the spike buck was one of those twelve.
At one time three deer became in view. They all came to just yards from me. Two walked by on my left at eight point seven yards and the other one was just under eight on my right. I debated shooting but held off I was waiting to see if a buck would come through.
The swans were flying over as would hear five flocks. Squirrels were all over. I would see a turkey, two Barred Owls during my day in the woods. By the way, it was cold out!
Day Three would find me at the same location. (I didn’t hunt day two.) The landowner’s grandson had sent me a photo of a very nice buck. I hoped, maybe, just maybe, I would see this huge-racked buck. He got a doe but couldn’t take the buck for he had harvested a dandy in archery season.
I would see ten deer this day including three illegal buck deer. One doe was at about twenty-seven or so yards. I placed the crosshairs, and the rifle wouldn’t shoot. Later, I believed I had not racked the pump on the 30.06 Remington hard enough. I saw a Great-horned Owl this day and lots of squirrels.
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