Larry A. Smail's Blog

  Saturday’s weather front hit hard with howling winds. Today those winds were still present.       

I was disappointed upon seeing any trace of snow had melted here at home. The fifteen or so miles to get to the game lands failed to see snow, However, once I arrived to my hunting spot a snow blanketed the woodlands. The woods were white and any bear would be easy to see. However, tracking would be a little difficult. I wished for another inch of snow to aid in tracking.

I found some very old bear tracks rather quickly. I estimated they were made Sunday evening. The snows that had fallen completely filled any tracks to make determining direction impossible. Also, I checked tracks from Point A and Point B. I completely lost the tracks at both points. Apparently, at the time of the bear’s movements the snow wasn’t able to reach the forest floor because of the dense Autumn Olive and Multifloral Rose brambles. I circled around trying to locate fresher tracks, but failed. Existing snow was melting by mid-morning in places.

I walked from six in the morning until sometime after 1:00. I stopped to rest one time for twenty minutes. My leg was telling me from the beginning to stop, but I pushed on. I saw some deer, ringneck pheasants and turkeys, but no squirrels at all. The front may have affected their activities. I heard few shots anywhere. I didn’t see a single bear hunter in the woods.

And the winds howled!!!!                                                                    

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Clear cut

What a difference a few hours can make in regards to the weather. I glanced into the skies as I began the pre-dawn walk up the

Beech

mile long hollow. I was planning on getting to a predetermined spot to await dawn before still hunting through a clear cut searching for anything black. However, I couldn’t help myself to observe the bright moon, starry sky and the calmness of that early time.

Memories of past bear hunts along with some very close encounters jarred my thoughts. A silent prayer of thanks was uttered.

The sky was bright by around 6:30 A.M. but the woodlands were still darkened. The little birds were chirping as I noticed a bird fly close to my head. The bird was an owl. I could see the bird’s “horns” as it perched about thirty yards from me.

Detail from my painting called, “Great-Horned Owl”.

  I began my slow walk up the hollow stopping often to listen and look. I found some past bear sign. I came to an area where I climbed the slope while utilizing a well-worn deer trail. Two hen pheasants flushed, but I couldn’t get the camera on them. Immediately, I noticed a hawk gliding from across the hollow. That Cooper’s Hawk either heard the pheasants or saw them , or both. At that time, another flushed rom behind me. The hawk flew right over my head and moved quickly into the area where the pheasant had landed. I don’t know if the hawk was successful. I heard two shots in the distance from across the road. (I didn’t see a hunter all morning. where I was hunting.)                                            

By this time the cloud cover was at about 90%. The western sky was dark now.

Nature’s Play-Doh

I reached the end of the hollow and turned to still hunt a high wall. The winds had increased and I would soon see leaves fluttering in the sky over 100 feet high. I saw one doe during this maneuver.

I approached and sat down to watch a big basin that had a lot of hemlocks and oaks. the woods became very dark and I knew rain would be soon. At eleven the  rains began. I heard four shots across the road over half a mile away.

  The winds were howling and the rain was pelting me as I headed the distance to the jeep. I saw a male ringneck. The bird allowed for a number of photos after I removed the camera from my shoulder bag. This really dampened my camera.

At noon the sky was mixed with rain and heavy, big snowflakes. I headed home. I was becoming quite wet!

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Bear hunting in Pennsylvania for the lone hunter is quite an experience. This kind of hunter (Me) has no person to follow, but his instincts. That is the way I like it. However, as I age I may need to rethink still-hunting to more stand hunting.

Pheasant track

Last Friday, the 20th, I scouted the area I planned to hunt bear, the opener fell the following morning  of the 21st of November. I planned to concentrate in, and around, a recently clear cut hollow on a local state game lands. I found several piles of bear droppings. I knew bear had been in this area two to three days ago. Maybe a bear would still be sticking around.

Puffball

   I walked about a mile on the first morning (Second morning here)while darkness still was the norm. I reached an area as the sky became colored  as the sun crept higher. It was a beautiful sunrise. However, prior to my arrival I was serenaded by a pair of Great-horned Owls. I stopped several times just to take their soothing hoots in. I smiled.                                                                                                                                         

  A flock of Canada Geese fly over minutes after the skies became  bright. I always enjoy seeing, and listening to geese. I saw four hen pheasants in the autumn olive thickets as well as one rooster. The next morning I saw this same rooster perched high in a tree.                                                                         

I left the woods earlier than I had planned due to severe knee issues.

I still-hunted most of the morning finding a total of fifteen piles of bear dung. They, too, were not “smoking fresh”. I talked to one hunter as he was coming in to hunt, and I was leaving.

My Jeep was parked behind the higher hill, in shadow, on the right.

The second morning (Third morning hunting)I  moved in to one area where the bear sign was most numerous. the food supply was still present, and I hoped they might be cycled back around. They were not around and no new sign was present.

The corn had been harvested.

Again, I saw geese. I patrolled around until after noon before leaving for home. I never saw another hunter.

The morning of the 24th found me in another area and game lands. I was near Mahoning, and could often see Mahoning Creek. This hunt consisted of still-hunting a steep northern exposed hill. I had hoped to find a bear in this habitat.

Bye!

I heard the sounds of a screech owl this morning as I maneuvered into the early woods. Around 7:30, I heard bear hunters  way across the Mahoning putting on a drive. Five shots rang out…bear, coyote?

These hills spell Pennsylvania! They are big, and steep. No wonder I hurt so bad anymore. A lifetime of scrambling up, and down such terrain takes a toll! I returned back to the jeep around noon.       

I saw a number of deer, a grouse, and squirrels on these days afield. I feel blessed to be able enjoy times like these.

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Silvery frost on everything.

Granted I don’t become too enthralled with harvesting a black bear. I, however, do go through some of the motions of a bear hunter and that is I have a license and I have a rifle. Having taken bear before I now realize the work removing the animal from the forest can be a chore. I am a solitary hunter for the most part. I enjoy getting out into the woods to take photos and see wildlife and taking a bear is less on my priority.                                    

The landowners are friends of mine. He has had some bear issues over the summer with his bee hives. I thought, maybe, I could help. Three events caused me pause with hunting. One was the lack of acorns in this area. The second was that all the neighboring corn fields had just been harvested and third was the cold weather we have been having. I felt, at least, some of the sows may have been denning up due to these activities. A solitary hunter has decreased chances with such events during these times.

Note flash in deer’s eyes!

This morning, I walked from the jeep into single digit temperatures. The eastern skyline was pink and the western skyline was yielding to a cloud bank. Freezing rain and rain were being forecasted and warming temperatures. The leaves were crunchy, A slight trace of snow was present on the hemlock-laden northern slope I was hunting. There was  not enough to effectively track, but just enough to aid in visibility in places.                                                                                                              

I slowly walked down hill and was fortunate to hear a few turkeys on the roost. Later, I would hear another flock yelping and cutting and gobbling. I heard a raven flying over the hollow as well. These birds seem to be increasing in our area.

I saw a lot of deer including several buck. I managed some photos in the gloom. I still-hunted most of the morning only stopping to set ,occasionally,  for twenty minutes or so. The cold was going deep into my old bones!

Old beaver sign

Mid morning began yielding to light rain. The rains picked up at times. Distant shooting was heard off and on all morning. Most of the shots were far north of where I was hunting.                                  

Approximately 1:00, or later, I was on a steep slope and found myself slipping. The falling rain was freezing on the surface.  I elected to move out. The landowner’s wife told me of friends on Route 28 coming from Pittsburgh were having road icing issues.

I checked the temperature to find 31 degrees. Five minutes later the temperature had dropped to 29 degrees. Although, I felt like staying out more I decided to call it a day for concerns of falling.

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  I received a shot to the knee last Thursday. Saturday was the first day of the 2013 Pennsylvania bear season. I wasn’t feeling all that bad in regards to leg pains so I elected with a plan to hunt bear.  The plan was simple. Walk little and set a lot. The place was around Cherry Run.                  

I should have known the day was not going to go well when I walked across an open area and a fourth of the way up a hill only to see my dome lights were on in the car. I trekked back and pushed the door tight and proceeded back up the hill.

I set for over an hour and decided to go further up the hill to check on the local corn field status. I was disappointed the corn had been harvested for I knew a local bear was feeding on corn at times. I had seen one here in October, but due to my leg issues I couldn’t get out for scouting prior to the season. The fact of not scouting was  not an issue for I was out in the woods enjoying the day! Seeing any bear would be  a plus.                                                                                   

I returned to set  for a time but the urge to travel couldn’t be suppressed and off I went! The walk aggravated the leg and I knew I shouldn’t press the walking much for fear of a much worse situation.

I walked down slope and began to see a helicopter moving around. This guy must have been an anti-hunter for he seemed to just hover around me picking up debris from the seismic devices scattered everywhere. He chose to stay around me. At one point I could have hit the chopper with a stone if I had a good enough arm to do so. I became aggravated and decided to head home.                                                                                

I had seen a number of deer and some squirrels. I heard no shots or saw any hunters.

  Monday morning found me in northern Armstrong County. A total of 4-5 inches of snow was present on the ground. I elected to walk in search of bear tracks. The temperature was cold and I realized setting was not a good option. the leg was doing very well as I walked about in search of tracks.

I saw plenty od deer along with their tracks and coyote and fox tracks. I saw some grouse too but no bear. I felt good and still elected to hunt for half a day. The healing is happening and why push  walking although I, probably, did cover around five miles or so. I heard two distant shots that morning.                                                                                                             

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Sunrise

  November 19th 2011 was the first day of the Pennsylvania black bear season. I had a plan from some years ago and this day I finally tried the idea for reality. The area I decided to try hunting this day was State Game Lands 287 north of the communities of Templeton and Mahoningin Armstrong County.     

Railroad bridge over the Allegheny River

This area has rough and treacherous terrain. Steep river hills with some areas clear-cut in past years. The briars and brush from the clear cut makes for terrific bear habitat albeit difficult for the lone bear hunter to hunt.

    I decided to climb a river hill in the pre-dawn hours. The elevation here is 1400 feet, steep with rocks ready to take off under a man’s weight. I had to be extremely careful. I need to remind myself of my age once in a while!

Hungry?

  Once on top I waited to see what would be the first critter to see. A buck walked down slope to me and looked at the new mass for a few seconds before continuing along the hill’s side. I, too, began to work my plan. I edged about 1/3 way down from the top of the ridge and began a slow sneak peering in all directions. I had hoped any bear feeding in distant fields might use this course of travel. The plan worked.. sort of! I found two piles of fresh bear stool as I walked. the bear apparently used the  contours over night. They had been eating various seeds and some corn.            

I walked a long time even into mountain laurel thickets. I eventually made my way back and started  up slope. I saw two more does and a grouse and three squirrels. I heard a raven with its raspy call.

Mahoning Creek Valley

  With the day winding down I made my way back towards the car. This too was a steep clear-cut area.This trek was rough going as briars ripped along my legs. This is a great place for bear. I may go back here come Monday especially if we get the rain. That would make for some quiet sneaking.                      

The Allegheny River

This evening I ache!!!!!!!

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