Pennsylvania public land bucks

[Gremcat]

I’ve been hit or miss taking Binos to work and haven’t seen them in my yard yet just a neighbors. All my neighbors feed everything including the over sized trash stealing bears and even does from hand.
I’m up in NE PA in the mountains.

 

[Betta1208]

2019 archery Allegheny national forest

 

[Sekora]

Some really nice bucks here. Anyone else catch themselves looking at the habitat these bucks are photographed in just as much as the buck itself? I find it very interesting.

 

[Trunscav]

Some really nice bucks here. Anyone else catch themselves looking at the habitat these bucks are photographed in just as much as the buck itself? I find it very interesting.

Ya man! I started doing that over the last year or two really looking into the background of the photo and seeing the type of habitat these bucks are getting killed it and usually it’s not over an open field or food plot

 

[Trr15]

Man it’s great to see some nice bucks coming out of PA. I was born and raised in central
PA and as a kid in the 90s, deer were aplenty but big bucks were scarce. Looks like the change in deer management strategy in the early 2000’s is paying off.


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[Gremcat]

I’m not sure if I’m in an area of anomaly with some hunting pressure but very difficult steep/thick terrain and the bulk of the flat land being unhuntable housing. I have seen some very nice ones in my travels across the state so I think it’s more like the result of AR but have only lived here 4 years and as a kid in the ‘Dax/Berkshires I’d heard PA had higher densities and more bucks.

 

[Trunscav]

I’m not sure if I’m in an area of anomaly with some hunting pressure but very difficult steep/thick terrain and the bulk of the flat land being unhuntable housing. I have seen some very nice ones in my travels across the state so I think it’s more like the result of AR but have only lived here 4 years and as a kid in the ‘Dax/Berkshires I’d heard PA had higher densities and more bucks.

The biggest buck I chased after over the years are in the lowest deer density areas. Check out that steep thick cover, they don’t get old and big by letting people see them in public.

 

[Sekora]

Unless its a shear cliff, its not too steep. It might be "too steep" for some hunters, but not for the deer.

 

[PA 5-0]

2019 archery Allegheny national forest

That's a PA brute! Congrats.

 

[buckchaser]

Some very nice deer. How much do big PA bucks weigh dressed out typically? Curious how they compare to other areas of the Northeast.

 

[ArcherAdam]

You will get many answers however a stud mountain buck will usually be 170# or less dressed. I hear of some farm bucks exceeding 200# however i cannot confirm that. I can tell you that our deer are bigger than ever now. 20 years ago I used to process deer which was before antler restrictions. Out of approximately 275 deer we did that year, the largest was 157# dressed. That deer definitely stood out compared to the rest!

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[Sekora]

The heaviest mountain buck I have weighed was 162 pounds field dressed. The heaviest non mountain buck I have weighed was 188 pounds dressed. I used to weigh all of my bucks, but do not anymore. Only the really big bodied ones get checked. I have seen some farmland bucks well over 200 pounds, but have never got one myself in PA.

 

[Trunscav]

Here is my 2020 PA public land buck. Had pictures of this deer throughout the summer. Narrowed down a ridge I thought he was bedded on. Was able to kill him on my second time in the stand on October 8th at 12 yards. My arrow hit high due to the angle at that range and it buried down into him almost up to the fletching. The blood was minimal due to high hit and no exit but was able to slowly follow the trail and recover this buck about 200 yards from impact site. I was over 2 miles back up and down multiple ridges so I had to quarter and pack him out to get back to the truck. Couldn’t be happier but sad my season here in PA is already over.

 

[Tartan]

These are both Allegheny national forest bucks.

 

[Michael54]

Whats funny is listening to the old timers moan and cry about the antler restrictions. The stuff that was considered mount worthy in the 90's now qualifies as dog chews. An 8pt or bigger was a rarity now its the norm. This was an 8 i chased from trailcam and scouting pre season and all through archery last year. He was a 6 by the time i got him in rifle...

 

[Hunt41]

Farmland buck in PA get to over 200lbs dressed. I shot one that weighed 190lbs after being gutted and skinned. Years ago my buddy was so jealous of the size of PA farmland buck compared to his “big woods” buck. Now the tables are turning. The farmland buck have improved. But the big woods buck have made giant size improvements.

 

[Sako76]

Nice bucks, I must be hunting in the wrong place (Clearville, Bedford County).

 

[cuttiebrownbow]

I have shot two mountain bucks (2g) that dressed over 180. I weigh all my deer and my scale is correct.

Both were shot by this time of year. Once rut starts they drop weight very quickly.

Haven’t seen much this year to catch my eye on stand, camera or on foot.

I think next week they should be on their feet more.

Good luck everyone.


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[cuttiebrownbow]

View attachment 223709
Here is my 2020 PA public land buck. Had pictures of this deer throughout the summer. Narrowed down a ridge I thought he was bedded on. Was able to kill him on my second time in the stand on October 8th at 12 yards. My arrow hit high due to the angle at that range and it buried down into him almost up to the fletching. The blood was minimal due to high hit and no exit but was able to slowly follow the trail and recover this buck about 200 yards from impact site. I was over 2 miles back up and down multiple ridges so I had to quarter and pack him out to get back to the truck. Couldn’t be happier but sad my season here in PA is already over.

That is an absolutely beautiful deer. A real trophy man. Great job and congratulations


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[Mossyhorns51]

2017. 6x4.

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That's a. Nice buck