Saturday, November 30, is this year’s opening day of the Regular Firearms Antlered and Antlerless deer season throughout Pennsylvania. Additionally, the next day, Sunday, December 1, is the third Sunday for the 2024-2025 season when Sunday hunting is permitted, thus allowing the two-day weekend open to hunting for deer this fall.
But first, a cautionary note: The annual rut, or breeding season, for whitetail deer is well underway. Over the past several weeks, there has been a notable increase in deer activity and travel. This year’s fawns have been chased away by their mothers as they go into estrus in preparation for breeding. To add to the deer movement during the rut, bucks are actively chasing does and traveling greater distances from their home range in search of receptive does. As a motorist, this means that greater caution needs to be taken for several more weeks because of the greater movement of deer throughout the rut. With the ending of daylight savings time on November 3, there are more vehicles on the highway just prior to dark through just before dawn — the peak activity time for deer — and that translates into a greater number of motor vehicle-related deaths of deer along our highways.
This coming Saturday is the day that many of our state’s hunters have been daydreaming about and will lose sleep over until it finally arrives. Some will merely walk out in their own backyards and hunt in nearby woodlots, many will travel to nearby State Game Lands to pursue their deer, and others will drive to one of the many hunting camps or clubs in north central Pennsylvania to meet up with old friends, spend time hunting together and share tall tales about past adventures. There are many ways our hunting fraternity enjoys the out-of-doors, particularly in the pursuit of our whitetail deer.
With the heavy acorn crop this year (particularly on properties where spraying was done to limit the gypsy moth activity), along with a decent production of beech nuts, if you are hunting on your own or with a buddy or two on either private or public hunting grounds, head to the oak forests. If you can get to or find a good vantage point overlooking an intersection of deer trails and be patient and not fidget around too much, you’ll have a good chance at a deer for the dinner table. Try to arrive well before daylight, and again, be patient. Not only are the deer moving a good deal this time of year as they feed as much as possible to put on a heavy layer of fat to carry them through the upcoming winter, but the other hunters in the area just may spook a deer your way. If you are on your stand early, you can benefit from the movement of the other hunters as they arrive later in the morning and then wander back for lunch at midday. Try to stay put and stay alert!
For those of you who are headed to one of our numerous deer camps, you will probably be hunting with a large group of fellow deer hunters as you put on several drives throughout the day in hopes of the drivers coming across a nice buck or the watchers getting a crack at a buck that is trying to sneak out ahead of the drivers. Deer drives are a common practice at the bigger clubs where a large group of hunters can work together to increase their chances of success. The captains of the hunt will determine where the drives will take place, and then it is your job to eat a big breakfast, take your assigned position as either a driver or a watcher and while you are daydreaming about a nice warm lunch on a cold fall day, maybe, just maybe a nice buck will wander by!
As always, the hunt for whitetail deer is something all hunters look forward to. The memories you create throughout the days in the woods, whether alone, with a buddy or two, or with a large group at camp, will last a lifetime. Certainly, bringing home some venison that will provide the family with some very healthy eating is the icing on the cake, but the quality time you spend in the woods in the fall hunting seasons is really the prize.
Good Luck. Be safe, and always remember to positively identify your target — and beyond!
