I am suprised that PA has that many archers, I honestly would have guessed we had 20 rifle hunters for every archer, thats part of the reason why I say that it is 10X as hard to consistently kill a buck with a rifle in rifle season than it is to consistently kill a buck with a bow in archery season.
I have been hunting the Wayne National Forest for the past 2 seasons. I have been down there a total of 5 times. It is totally different land from what I hunt. I was in the same mind set as you. I did some scouting there, but I also did a ton right here from the computer. Also if you have a camper, you can stay right on the national forest in most spots. They have a good website. If you are intrested in any questions just let me know.
Last year was our first year down there. We were there the first week of Nov. We hunted during the 5 day work week, not knowing what kind of pressure would be down there. There were three of us that went down. We figured that one of us three should have a shot opportunity. Well the one guy we went with never really got off the beaten path, and got into a bad attitude about the hunt, so he was never able to lay eyes on a shooter. The other guy that I went with, ( and again this year) was able to lay eyes on two shooters, just never was able to close the distance. I myself seen good deer activity. Some young bucks and one shooter. I had a 130"-135" come in to 11yrds, problem was every tine was busted off his main beam on his right side. That was not the deer I went there to shot, so I passed him up. Definitly would have shot him if he wasnt busted up. This year we tried the OH opener since they open a week before we do. Opening morning my buddy shot a dandy of a 8pt. This year we did our 50% chance. I went back the last week of Oct., as you problably know it was extremely windy that week. Deer movement was really slow until the last day. I laid eyes on a good buck in the standing corn twice that day. Could never get him to come out. Not hunting the biggest chunk of the Wayne but a nice chunck in Hocking County. This land is probably very similiar to what your used to. I have seen some of your topo treads, and would say you would read this land good.
Last I heard Ohio was guesstimating/inflating their bow hunter numbers to "prove" that they were right in their prediction that hunter numbers would go up; not down, because of the inclusion of cross bows into the archery season. Don't know how much truth there is to that, but that's what a little birdie from the Michigan Bow Hunters told me ;-) You do mean WE don't you Josh?
The interesting stat to see would be how many bowhunters visit our state every year (Illinois). Then have those numbers posted.
Going off the top of my head, I think they had a total of xxxx number of tags in the drawing for NRs as follows.... pre2007- 15,000 2008- 20,000 2009- 25,000 2010- 25,000 I know that after the drawings there were tags left over the last 3 years.....whether or now they sold out, I do not know.
What a surprise.. Dan the out of stater swiftly answers the question for me. Your one-upping ways continue my friend. Well played sir.
From 1997 1. Michigan 385,000 2. Pennsylvania 328,193 3. Wisconsin 246,000 4. New York 170,000 5. Illinois 131,000 6. Indiana 122,000 7. West Virginia 121,000 8. Georgia 120,000 9. Kentucky 110,000 10. Ohio 100,000 http://www.thearcher.com/depot/resourceCentre/BowhuntingBook.pdf
Can you go find us recent info on this. It's very interesting and I'm lazy.... Who is feeling ambitious?
Fix you bit on a post from 9 years ago based on a bots reply, you do need an nemesis. Little advice go old school wrestling and turn heel, be the hateable bad guy.
Although I appreciate your perspective and understand what you are getting at - I think this is a bad take. I'm in Indiana which is the 12th smallest state in sq miles in the United States. I have had numerous places to hunt over the years - most of the time I've had to lease land to hunt but I could easily find public land to hunt in my area. The deer population is sound as well - I just don't get the resources argument that you tried to make... I guess that can vary from state to state but in Indiana that argument doesn't play. As for the end game of businesses in the industry and wanting to make more money - uhhh yeah?! I'm not in the industry and will never be in the industry - but I'm not going to fault them for being in business to make money. That is ridicuious. Of course it's all about the popularity and the money - you've got plenty of companies making great products that are leading to a good experience and positive outcomes! If they didn't care about the outcome or hunter success they wouldn't be profitable... In closing - I get a lot of joy in taking friends/client/family out to the deer woods for the first time. It's quite a cool experience to take someone out hunting for the first time! I think introducing the sport to future generations and young kids is very important to the sport/industry etc. We got enough kids playing video games and not getting out and enjoying sports like hunting and fishing. If you took your perspective and just applied it across the board then no one would ever become a hunter... All because of a selfish desire to have it all to yourself? I don't mean to be harsh just like you didn't mean to sound "crude" - I just don't agree with your take!
Yea I already cuss about too many hunters here. I couldn’t imagine some of the other states with hunter numbers so high. Illinois doesn’t have nearly the public land that a lot of other states have though. I know a lot of guys that just fish all fall and winter because they’re sick of fighting for a spot to hunt. I always tell them just to go early season and go late season. Those are the best times to hunt imo.
