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.
Laurie thinks I am nuts to endure such cold weather. The temperature was somewhere in the lower teens, possibly even single digit, with a breeze later in the morning. I dressed for it for I planned to be around once the temps rose towards the forty-degree mark. I knew the deer would be moving.
I heard a squeaking sounding dog high on the top of the hill followed by the rush of running deer. I would later see another dog chasing deer.
I would see two racked deer during the morning hours. I still-hunted the one trying to see how large the “horns “ were. Later I would watch a bigger buck with five does. I stalked this deer to no avail. He always seemed to be just out ahead far enough among the brush to not identify the point number.
As I watched these deer in the shadows of the neighboring hill, I spotted three more deer moving slowly feeding but in my general direction. The deer crossed a gulley that is spring fed. I stood still watching them and allowing them to get closer. The lead deer turned and walked below me. The cross hairs were in place and the twenty-six-yard shot was true.
However, in an adrenalin rush the deer exploded and turned towards the gulley where she crashed. The doe was a big one as the drag would prove to me. The shot was around eleven fifteen. I saw over twenty deer this morning.
Another problem besides the half mile drag was trying to load the big deer into the jeep. I just could not do it. Eventually I called my cousin Bob Smail, and he arrived and the two of us managed to load the deer. Normally I would have butchered the deer myself, but I was tired and decided to drop it off at a deer processing place.
I imagine I might be sore come morning!
In my later years way of thinking I passed on four shots on does but when the hunting mode hit me the instincts took over and a shot was made. I am getting soft hearted with age and the concerns of dragging deer any distance are always present.
I entered the woods within the confines of the pre-dawn light. My anticipations were somewhat high. I was to hunt buck deer this day, although I was licensed to hunt antlerless deer, as well. I had seen a beauty of a buck prior to this season and was hoping to meet up with the deer. The landowner’s grandson had captured this buck on trail cams and, he too, tried to cross paths with the buck during archery season.
Walking in, my nose captured a subtle whiff of something being dead. I wondered what could have died and would check out any source later in the day.
The very first wildlife noise this morning was that of a few Ravens roosting in the pines. I thought that hearing Ravens here was odd. Their loud racket was common throughout the morning at times.
Throughout the morning hours into the early afternoon, I would see a total of twenty deer some within eighteen to 20 feet. Squirrel activity was everywhere, too. I would see and hear Swans over the next several days as their migration season always happens around this time of the year.
I was watching a Raven flying around and saw the bird dive near to where I crested the hillside in the dark. I went to look to find what was dead.
I saw the buck! Someone had arrowed the big guy and lost the trail.
I took a phone photo and sent it to J.F. who was hunting higher on the hill. He responded and came to see the buck. He was saddened to see the end result of this majestic deer, as was I.
I remained in the woods until around 2:30 hearing and playing vocals with a couple of turkeys that flew into the nearby trees.
NOVEMBER 27
Sunday, I went to church and later spent the afternoon at the Armstrong County Historical Society Museum in Kittanning, Pennsylvania.
A very cold and windy day was to be the norm for Monday’s hunt. There was no squirrel activity, and I would only see four deer.
NOVEMBER 28
Another cold and windy day in Penn’s woods. I would see twenty-one deer this day, but failed to shoot even when I had deer very close. A sad event happened this day. I loaded the Remington 760 with a clip of shells. Somehow, I failed to chamber a 30:06 cartridge leading to a failed shot attempt on a doe. Usually, I check to be positive of a chambered shell. I did not check this morning. Oh well. I did see a buck this day. I wouldn’t have been able to shoot this buck anyway even if I could have counted the points!
NOVEMBER 29
SUCCESS!TWICE!
This day would bring success twice to my rifle and me. The first deer proved to be an interesting story. I shot and watched the deer run away. I went after the deer and didn’t find it. I checked around well and became very frustrated. How could I have missed this deer?
I went back to the site of the shot to think. I went back again to look but farther to the right and dropped farther down slope. No Deer!
I concluded that I must have missed and returned to the log I was setting behind wondering what may have happened. I still doubted a miss.
Suddenly I saw two deer feeding along behind a stretch of thicker cover. I readied myself for the wait!
The large doe eventually walked into an open area and the shot was fired. I watched this deer run off, too, but I saw the animal fall.
I tagged and “gutted” the deer and began the drag still watching for the first deer. I went through the area previously checked for the first deer and continued down the hill. I glanced to my right and saw the downed deer. The shot was a good one, but the adrenalin surge apparently carried the deer farther than anyone would have expected.
I prepared this deer and began a drag, too.
The work now began in earnest. For I had to drag two deer to the Jeep. This drag would include crossing a creek and up a slope.
Loading the one deer proved to be quite the task for this old guy. Eventually I had the deer loaded. I would take this deer out and return for deer number two. There was no way I would be able to load both deer in the Jeep.
I will be doing other various chores the next two days.
I haven’t hunted deer much this season, however, the days I have been out I have seen deer and passed on shots a lot. Since my goal was makin’ meat, I am looking for good shots to take on medium sized deer. With my age I am not looking forward to dragging a two-hundred pounder. For instance, Friday December 9, I literally passed on small deer five times with ranges of 25-to 35 yards. Come flintlock season maybe I won’t be as picky. Laurie is to have surgery and has been told she is to not do anything for two weeks after the cut.
A few short stories of this day’s hunt. I was sneaking on a flat between two slopes when I saw a deer coming. I moved into position beside a tree. The little deer came so close that I jumped at her to scare her to educate. She jumped and ran a short distance to stare.
Later I sat down in an open area among White Pines. I watched a small deer feeding. The little button buck bedded down with a great range. While seeing this event happen, I noticed another deer feeding from in front of me. This deer was small, but she allowed for a bunch of pics.
Another example was a little deer from my right at twenty yards. With camera in hand, I was about to face a dilemma. About ten yards behind this little deer came a mature doe and I couldn’t move. The doe’s head went behind a tree, and I lowered the camera. By the time I got the rifle up the deer had moved to about fifty yards. I was planning the shot when I saw her ears funneling towards my right again. The button buck was walking past me. He was bleating. Any shot on the doe was lost. Oh well, I was enjoying all the other action.
Later I sat down at the head of a big hollow. About eighty yards to my right was posted property. Two deer showed up and it appeared they may come right to me. She spotted something about me and began staring. Eventually the two began walking again going at an angle below me. Shooting at this time would, probably, have the deer run over the steep slope into posted property so I waited for a better shot. A third deer showed up and the doe went to that deer. They came to about fifty yards below me with her still staring at me. Suddenly, the third deer began snorting for my scent was drifting down. They all went back into the posted property.
I would see other deer some were small ones and some too far to identify with certainty.
Crossbow bolt I found.
I was talking to a young mother last week. She told me of her young son hitting a buck with his crossbow on nearby property. This happened in archery season. I found this bolt and sent her a photo, and this was the shaft her son was using. I returned the shaft.
The first day of the 2022 Pennsylvania deer season found me heading home empty-handed. Yes, I saw some deer and even saw an illegal buck, but no shot materialized. I knew I had to be extra careful with my shots for I saw a small spike buck during the early muzzleloading season. I even had the hammer cocked and firearm aimed. Luckily my patience saw the four- or five-inch, pencil diameter spikes. I was watching for a racked buck but by the afternoon I would have taken a doe if the shot was a good one.
Today the third day of the season found me in my haunts willingly ready to shoot a doe. I would see twenty-three deer by the end of the hunt. One adult doe came extremely close to becoming hamburger. I spotted her while still hunting at about forty yards. She squatted to urinate as I anxiously tried to determine first if the deer was a big enough one for harvest and not the spike.
Unfortunately, she was on the other side of some downed limbs. I clicked the safe off of the rifle and slowly drifted to my right to open up the vital areas. As I raised the rifle she suddenly turned and saw me and jumped away.
Fox Squirrel, one of four I saw in two days.
Later I spotted a deer feeding ahead. I stalked the deer and spotted the deer at about forty-five yards. I could not tell with certainty of any head ornaments. The deer fed slowly away, and I circled around hoping to get ahead for a clear look. I walked to about twenty-eight yards and in those seconds, I still wasn’t sure enough to shoot. Hard to believe!
I was heading to watch a feeding area and saw three deer feeding. patience would be the answer in this hunt. One was a half-racked buck and a big deer. I lost sight of them due to terrain contours. A flock of swans flew over.
I waited behind some pine tree trunks watching the feeding area. Suddenly, a deer came into view just ahead. I prepared to shoot. The deer was about fifteen yards and must have winded me. The deer bolted in reverse and turned in front of me in open area. the deer stopped. the forty-three-yard shot was good. The deer collapsed about twenty-five yards.
The deer was actually a buck. The antlers were about one inch along and exposed. The weight was around 110 to 120 pounds.
Fortunately, the landowner told me I could drive across the field to get as close as I can to any harvested deer. That is great. This old pooper has some fears with long deer driving. I backed down a gas line and got to within thirty yards of the downed deer.
November 29, 2021 was the third day of Pennsylvania’s annual deer season. I had hunted the first day but only saw five doe. I often hunt only for buck deer on the first day. This year was no different. I didn’t hunt the second day.
This third morning was a beautiful time afield spreading peace and solitude all over. The heavy snow on a calm morning made for a great stress relief. With so much going on I sure utilized the mood.
I sat for a time before beginning to sneak around searching for a deer. This day I had decided if I had an opportunity on a nice size doe I would harvest some meat. As I ventured slowly around, I would see a number of deer feeding or bedded. Some were small and others were not satisfactorily identified.
I came close to a posted border line where I could see across a hollow. The landowner had timbered his property allowing for this opening through the woods. I could see a nice-size deer and I immediately felt the deer was a buck. I scoped the deer and just before he walked among some thicker brush, I could see a decent rack of antlers.
I could not go after this deer because of the posted property, but I knew from experience the deer on that side of the hollow sometimes work down slope and come across the hollow. If it worked, I could possibly see this deer on the property I was hunting. However, this could take an hour or so.
I turned to work my plan when I saw a deer about forty-five yards or so. I scoped and didn’t see any antlers and I could tell by the head the deer was not this year’s fawn. I shot!
The deer took off and I knew I couldn’t have missed so I quickly took up the trail. After about thirty yards I noticed blood. The trail increased until I found the downed deer. It had short “horns” and judging that fact and the size I knew this would have been last year’s deer. Both antlers looked as if they had been broken off about inch above the hair line of the skull.
The drag would be somewhere close to a half a mile. I took my time and rested often. I am not as young as I used to be so I decided taking some time would be the best way to do this task.
I am not sure how most artists are, but I have always felt a little sadness upon the time when a painting becomes the owner to another. However, I am not a young person anymore and I have to let things go.
The painting called, THE PINES, was inspired by an actual deer hunting event that happened awhile back. Three shots were heard up and over the hill. Approximately a half an hour later I heard a snap only to see a buck to my left at about thirty, or so, yards. This buck was not legal due to the four-points to one side law in Pennsylvania at that time. I watched the deer cut diagonally to my left and stop at times. This buck was looking around when I heard another disturbance to my left. I eased my eyes strongly in that direction and I could see antlers sticking out from behind a tree.
I knew this buck had a really nice rack although, at this time, I could only see partial antlers. Now, I was in a bad way. How do I get the flintlock rifle up and in place without buck number 1 seeing the movement. However, I slowly brought the rifle up. I still wasn’t positive of the point count.
Why do deer do unpredictable movements? Normally, the last deer will follow the first deer, but this buck turned and began slowly moving upslope. Unfortunately, I was turned sharp to my left and in an uncomfortable position. The shot would have to be soon or the deer would be in a position where I would be unable to get a shot.
Now, I could see the whole rack and was, almost, ready to squeeze when some limbs stopped my attempt. In seconds the buck was up and over the ridgeline.
The buck in the painting was never this visible for a shot, although I came very close on squeezing the trigger. Fate is like that when hunting is involved. Little things can make or break the shot.
Interestingly, I saw this same buck on the last day of the season close to quitting time. The range was farther than I wished to shoot with my flintlock. I tried to move and waylay him, but he must have went in a different direction. Moments later the season was over.
The owner of the painting was the hunter who had fired the three shots prior to the buck coming to me. I think that is a nice closure to this painting.
Deer hunting for me this year didn’t happen the first week of the 2019 Pennsylvania buck season. My step-father spent three days in the hospital and I felt I should be there for moral support to him and my mother. I attended two funerals of dear people to me. Five friends and acquaintances passed away in less than two weeks ago. This just “ain’t” right. Also, the family has been going through some difficult issues as of late, as well. regardless, I just either couldn’t hunt or simply I lacked the hunting mode mentality.
Today, I had a day to hunt and this was the only day to hunt this week. I could have hunted Monday, but the all-day rains kept me from the woods. I have commitments for the rest of the week.
I had planned to carry my flintlock “Old Jacob” this morning, but rain was seemingly going to hold on for a time. I wasn’t confident with the forecast. I carried my Remington Gamemaster in a 30:06 caliber.
I set some ground rules for this day’s hunt. One was that I wasn’t going to shoot any buck unless the rack was big enough to meet my brain’s criteria. A second plan was to just shoot a doe. I didn’t rule out taking a smaller deer because, as stated above, this would be the only day to hunt.
I spotted a bedded deer and soon realized the deer had a rack. The “horns” weren’t very big and I didn’t try to count the points to see if it was legal. I soon spotted a second deer . It was a doe, but I didn’t like the shot. It ended up five or six deer were bedded around the brush. I would see other deer off and on, but none offered any shots and many just couldn’t be positively identified. I still-hunted the entire morning. The light rains quit around ten, but the winds had been roaring at times. The temperatures dropped fast as well and by mid-morning I was feeling the chill.
Eventually I was approaching a hill’s flat top area and I decided to continue still hunting over the other side and whenever I reached the road and jeep I would call the hunt and stop and see how Mom and Bob are doing.
About forty yards out I saw a deer’s ear moving. This deer was feeding and moving from right to left. The deer worked into a slightly more open area and I prepared to shoot. Once I realized the deer wasn’t a big doe I hesitated. Thoughts began flowing across my brain waves. Should I shoot? I remembered thinking of the recent summons for the federal court in Pittsburgh for the first two weeks of the flintlock season. The decision was true at this point. I placed the crosshairs on the deer and BOOOOOM. The deer dropped immediately. A short prayer of thanks was offered for the clean and humane kill.
The deer will add some meat for the following year t help nourish our bodies.
Today, I hunted for five hours. We discussed and everyone encouraged me to go to the deer woods. I still felt somewhat guilty. However, my step-father, Bob Miller is stable currently since the tree-falling incident on December 3. Bob is currently taking meds to help with his pain issues. His ankle is in a plastic cast and wrapped tight in elastic bandages. His left side is badly bruised. Next week the current plans are to x-ray and decide is surgery is to happen.
The other issue that has yet to be decided upon deals with his back fractures. One doctor even went as far as to say his back is broken. The debate as to how to handle these fractures is, also, being debated. Bob is, however, doing some physical therapy exercises.
Photo A shows the Poplar tree. The tree was dead and I walked off the length and the broken top at around sixty feet in length. Notice the snow-covered log with the text printed. You can see the root ball that stopped the tree from crushing Bob. His head was against the snow-covered log and his legs were stretched out beyond the Poplar tree.
Photo B
Photo B shows the Polar tree stopped within the root ball. My rifle is placed to show the size of the logs. Imagine a body under that Poplar tree. There was a gap of about three or four inches between the underside of the Poplar tree and Bob’s lower chest and abdomen area. His legs were extended towards my rifle’s stock.
I did hunt some today and had a great time, although I didn’t fire a shot. I saw fifteen deer and a turkey.
I chose to stay home on Pennsylvania’s 2018 opening day of buck season. Weather stations were all calling for lots of rain and wind. One station made claims of possible 40 MPH wind gusts. I had no regrets.
This morning, however, we had an inch or so of snow on the ground. The winds were still out there, in fact they were howling! I stationed myself downslope where the winds were not as powerful, but I could hear the racket across the hollow and behind me. Like I said the winds were howling!
I didn’t know what to expect as I ventured into the snow-laden woodlands. many trees and lower canopy trees were covered with snow. it was a winter wonderland to behold. Little bird life was very absent this day. I only saw one squirrel, however, I was surprised to see a Chipmunk move across the snow. As I worked to get my camera in position the little striped critter went into a hole.
The first deer I saw cooperated greatly. Few deer do that in the wild. This deer came directly upslope to me feeding along the way. I managed close to fifteen or so photos.
The next doe I saw came past me at about twelve steps in a full run. If that deer would have sported a thirty-inch rack I still would not have been able to get a shot. My best option would have been to throw the gun at the feet to knock it over. Ha Ha! I saw three more deer, but no buck.
Larry A. Smail's Blog 