Pennsylvania Hunting???

[brymor31]

My daughter is a sophomore at Penn State and I make several trips a year up there. Thought about going for 7-10 days and maybe get some hunting in too. Anybody have any experience hunting in the State College area??? Thanks.

Bryan

[hcshooter]

Yea , we have 250 acres in Pa but not in SC . I get up there to hunt every other year.

State Game Lands is about the only place you will be able to hunt. Plenty of deer population but nothing more than 2.5 years old for the majority. Game Lands look like the giant pumpkin patch on opening day which is the monday after thanksgiving. Too many hunters I have found, seems like every 50 yards you see fluorescent orange at a tree.
Most up there shoot what ever has horns.
You can find a few good deer but you have to get way back in the mountain where no one else wants to walk to and it takes a ton of scouting.
Clinton County is good bear hunting and deer as well, Warren County is another good spot.
Good luck if you go and just be careful.

[Jerb99]

I live just outside Pittsburgh so it's alittle different than where you would be hunting up around happy valley. As said before rifle is 2 weeks long and comes in Monday after thanksgiving, and there is a TON of hunters and hunting pressure. Some counties have antler restrictions, where I hunt is 2c and it's a minimum of 3 points on side. State game lands will be your best bet unless you can find a place and get permission but knocking on doors doesn't get you far these days. Any questions just shoot me a pm and I will help you the best I can.

[armadillophil]

I have found the Pa gun season is more of a social event. I always had a good time and like hunting the mountains of Pa but a big buck was a 2.5 yo 100 inch 10 pt.

[hcshooter]

I have found the Pa gun season is more of a social event. I always had a good time and like hunting the mountains of Pa but a big buck was a 2.5 yo 100 inch 10 pt.

Of course it is a social event, when you release a ton of Mountain people out in the woods at once and the numbers per acre are about 3 hunters for every 2 acres you can't help but socialize. LOL

Seriously though your right, when it is hunting season families and friends get together to hunt together, socialize, cook etc, not much different than what we do here.

Here is a thought as long as you don't mind driving from SC to hunt. Go to Warren and ask where or how to get to the old dump, alot of bears around there but you cannot hunt the dump. Go up on the top of the Mountain and head east and hunt the very top. Friend of mine lives in Warren and hunts there and I went with him a few times, seen over 50 deer a day each time I went. I haven't been there in 6 years but assuming it is still the same.

Another place not too far from SC is in Clearfield, good hunting there.

My advice would be make a reservation in Clinton now for a hotel. Drive out of Clinton to the East (I forget the route number). It is not far but get up on the top of the mountain and you find a road that travels back the pipeline. Hunt the top of that Mountain. Also right there near Clinton to the North West is Tamarak Swamp, Excellent hunting but you stand your best chance of getting back in deep in the mountain. Again alot of bears so be careful not to get between them and thier cubs or food.

My brother hunts Bedford County, I got family in Franklin, Fulton and Huntington Counties. All good areas for deer hunting but in Fulton and Huntington you don't want to go there unless you have permission or just hunt Stat Game Lands, those back woods mountain boys are know to shoot at tresspassers and flatten all 4 tires on vehicles that they do not know or trespass on them.

There are some outfitters up there, but most have now high fenced their areas (poachers which are big in Pa) and usually costly to go.

Be safe and as offered by Jerb Pm if you need any further help.

Hey Jerp what is up with our Steelers man????? FIre Tomlin and Haley NOW!!We need and O Line.

[brymor31]

Thanks guys. Good Info!!

I'm not so much interested in gun season. Is it that crowded during archery only season as well??

and I don't mind driving a bit.

[hcshooter]

Archery is alot better , you can archery hunt during gun season but you have the crowdedness . The late archery season comes back in after Christmas as well.

Since you dont mind driving I would hit the Clinton County area then from where you will be. Its not that bad of a drive and beautiful country. Tamarak Swamps always turn out some nice animals, Tamarak actually falls mostly in Potter County but it is right there at Clinton.

Good Luck and let us know if need more info.

[Jerb99]

Hcshooter is dead on with his info(especially with those d*%m steelers they need a serious change). You have till November 16th for archery season, then it comes back in Christmas Day and runs till mid January. Archery brings way less hunters but there are still a lot of them out there. I dunno if you are aware( sorry if you are) no Sunday hunting and no baiting. The tops of the mountains would be my recommendation as well, you gotta go past where all the lazy social drunk hunters do the deer are smart they know where no mans land is and they are there thicker than thieves

[brymor31]

Thanks guys. Just starting to look at it. Probably wont get a chance to hunt til next year.

[krtnorris]

http://www.questhavenlodge.com/

Does your daughter really have to go to college? Maybe she will let you shoot a deer from here this next year.

[hcshooter]

I know where Quest Haven Lodge is, but if you hunt in Tyrone other than on quest haven all I can say is good luck. LOL its not that bad but you will find alot of POSTED NO HUNTING SIGNS.


Yes in Pa no baiting allowed. You will find yourself paying a healthy fine. Buddy of mine tried to get away with it cpl of years ago over an apples pile. Well he lost his rifle and a nice 2500 fine along with lost license for I think it was 5 years.

I was born and raised in central Pa but been in texas for 17 years soon to be 18 but I go home alot and still hunt from time to time.

I will down load some pics of deer at my SIL property. My daughter and SIL bought a nice house with property that backs up to a creek. I will post you the pics, these are the usual and common finds up there and by Pa general hunting are considered a trophy. Although in my book if you archery hunt and kill with an arrow no matter what it is a trophy.

If it is next year you plan on hunting you may want to keep in toouch with me, I am not hunting up there this year due to change in holiday plans. Grandkids and Kiddos coming to Texas but I will be hunting next year at some point.
Generally our 250 only gets hunted every 2 to 3 years but is patrolled by family all hunting season so we keep poachers and trespassers out.
We have 3 food plots and a 1500 acre hunting club right beside us and on the other side is a farm , usually alfa or corn planted so hunting the trails and bedding areas is usually pretty active.

[hcshooter]

As Promised here are some pics, this is in the field right behind their house right at the adge of the wood line. They live in central Pa.

[Dakota7493]

My bro lives in Penn. Says public lands have too many people not knowing what they are doing. He goes back home to hunt in ND every year. Said the only time that it's worth while to be on public lands is when the weather is bad cause that weeds out most of the people who are not the true hunters (the ones shooting anywhere at anything).

[doeboy11]

If you go to McKean County and hunt either Willow Bay or Sugar Bay on top of mountain or way back in, you can have good success during Archery Season. I grew up around there so I know of alot of places between Ridgeway-Smethport-Ny state line triangle. Hit me up on email or pm me I would more than help you.

[brymor31]

Thanks guys. I'll be staying in touch...