Hot Spot

The PA Rifle Season opener has come and gone, and while it didn’t bring with it the action we were hoping for, it turned out to be a great weekend in Penn’s Woods. Saturday morning, our crew made our annual hike into the Wilderness. I had high hopes, especially with the big set of sheds I found there this spring. I was set-up in the same spot I have harvested 2 big bucks in years prior.

The morning was slow, with none of our group seeing much action. I did manage to see a coyote around 9:00 AM – my first while hunting – but he busted me as I tried to lift my gun for a shot. I met Dad for lunch around noon on top of the First Finger and came up with a game plan. I was going to head to where I found the sheds and hoped to set up my cell-cam.

As I made my way there I found two things: lack of cell-service and super thick cover. While I wasn’t going to get the camera set-up, I thought this was at least a good place for deer to hide. As I snuck through the brush, I heard movement down to my right. I made my way over to a log, and glassed a deer in the bottom. The problem was, I couldn’t see more than 30 yards clearly and the buck was at about 75. I tried to get the scope on him and saw that he had a rack. My heart started beating. As I maneuvered for a shot, I lost the deer.

I peered into the bottom for the next 15 minutes, failing to see or hear the deer. Then, “Pow!” Directly to my right. I radioed dad as I was sure it was him. I figured the buck must have snuck over there as I didn’t see it run at the shot. I made my way over there as dad was standing over his half-rack 3-point. He informed me that the deer had limped through the bottom, and sure enough we discovered a hole in its leg.

As dad began processing the buck, I made my way back to my morning stand. The afternoon was quiet, and the only other deer I saw were 2 does in the bottom around 3:00 PM. We made our way out of the woods and I learned that no one else had seen more than 4 deer on the day. Not exactly what we hoped for on the opener.

We hung out at the top of the hill after our hike out celebrating Ken’s buck while devising a plan for the rest of the weekend. Some had to head home Sunday, with Uncle Rob, Robert, Vince and myself staying through Monday.

Sunday evening, Rob, Robert and I headed out behind camp. We got into an area with a lot of sign, and Robert was into the deer early. He saw a shooter buck trailing a doe but couldn’t get a shot. While Uncle Rob and I started our push towards him, a shot rang out. “Think I have a big buck down but didn’t see him crash”.

I made my way over to Robert who directed me down to where the deer stood when he shot. He informed me that he was with another buck as well. We looked for a blood trail to no avail. As we began to search for any sign of the deer, I glanced down into the bottom. I saw white, thinking it could be a deer’s belly. I pulled up my binoculars, and saw the wide rack sticking up from the ground. I called to Robert and informed him he had a buck down.

We made our way down to the deer, and Uncle Rob came over to celebrate Robert’s nice Allegheny National Forest 10-Point.

With all of the hot sign in the area, Uncle Rob, Vince and I headed back there Monday morning. I got my cell-camera set up around 9:00 AM, and set up 30 yards behind it, about 20 yards from where Robert shot.

Around 10:00 AM, 2 does worked up out of the bottom to about 40 yards. I was just happy to see some deer. At 11:00, the wind and cold set-in and I thought about moving. 10 minutes later, I heard crashing from around the point to my right. I dropped to a knee and grabbed my gun as I watched a nice buck trailing a doe, headed directly at my camera.

I got on the buck and let out a bleat as he came to a stop broadside at 30 yards. I settled the crosshairs on his shoulder and fired. The buck did a massive mule kick before bounding 30 yards into a log and crashing, leaving a massive blood trail behind. I couldn’t believe what just happened. Suddenly, another rack buck came in on the same trail. As I called Robert for help, the buck didn’t have a care that I was there.

I pulled up my phone and saw a notification from my camera, a picture of the buck staring directly at it.

I made my way down to the buck and found a nice heavy ANF 8-Point. All made their way over to check out the buck and talk about the morning. Everyone agreed this was certainly the “hot spot” and is one that we will keep a close eye on next season. What a hunt!