Plans ”“ Three good friends to meet up in the woods in northeastern PA for 3+ days of deer hunting between Xmas and New Year’s, during the special late Winter flintlock-only deer hunting season. My friends ”˜Mighty Oak’ and ”˜NJ Flinter’, who both post on these forums here, rounded out the participants for this year’s trip ”¦ which was forecasted to be a ccccccold one!
Weather ”“ Woo boy, the forecast was to be frigid and it was ”¦ temps from 4 to 6-degrees in the morning and we saw 17-degrees one day at noontime. Winds were light for the most part, but there tended to be a breeze up in the am or late hours and wow, did that sure make it cold!
Camp ”“ M-Oak setup his 12x12 Panther Primitives wall tent ahead of us and it was warm and cozy with the wood stove going when we arrived. Sorting the gear out of the ”˜metal horses’ and keeping the camp as primitive as we could (less safety items) and the hunt and camping trip commenced. We had initially planned to setup 2 wall tents, as a 4th thought about joining us, but in the end we made do ”“ consolidated the wood supply ”“ and had a great trip, albeit a tad cramped at times.
Hunt ”“ You know ”¦ there’s a LOT of woods out thar’ in northeastern PA with their State forests and game lands! I’d end up in the middle of no wheresville woods ”“ surrounded only by nature’s beauty ”“ and would wonder if I should have taken that ridge, or gone across the west side of the swamp ”“ not the east side, or perhaps should have stalked through that marsh or swale ”¦ rather than the route I took.
Hunting at this time of year is tough! I believe the deer sat tight in the mornings, between the extreme cccccold and that there was a brightening moon each night, with the full moon coming on towards the New Year. Most deer sighted were seen before we moved, or observed moving as they saw us move. It was not a sit and wait hunt. We at least had a few inches of snow cover and one night got some fresh snow to help aid in observing where they had been moving. Most interestingly, we came across more than a few late season scrapes, freshly dug through the new snow that happened just after Xmas Day.
Gear ”“ Anytime I’m out in the cold I’m amazed by how well wool items work; this trip being no different! I had thick wool socks on that went up over my knees, tucking under the woolen breeches and between them and my French-style winter mocs by Arrow Moccasins, called solieur de bouefs and my feet stayed warm. If my toes got cold, just moving them a bit, or continuing to stalk or still hunt warmed them right up. These boots date to the late 1600s and are lined with real shearling wool and are THE warmest boots I own ”¦ and are historically correct to boot, no pun intended.
One day we spent the entire day out in the woods, which started out at 6-degrees and warmed up to a balmy 15-degrees or so at mid-day, dropping back to single digits at the day waned. The highlight of that day was stopping to build a fire with Mighty Oak and having hot tea from melted snow around noon. The beef jerky and nuts provided by our NJ companion kept us full enough for the day.
A wool shirt, caped heavy wool coat, plus gloves, hat & scarfs or neck wraps, rounded out my woolen gear, as it did for my fellow hunters. One wore a matchcoat whilst on stand one day late and getting his rifle up to ready ”“ cost him a shot, when the buttstock got tangled up in the blanket wrap.
The one time I got frigid cccccold was at the end of the whole day spent in the woods, setting up on stand 1-hour before shooting time ended, overlooking a draw by the edge of a swamp where deer had been seen before. Man was I cold walking back to the iron horse, as this site was aways from camp.
Lessons Learned ”“ I was totally satisfied with my gear and flintlock rifle, which lit off instantly at the conclusion of the hunt, whilst using a rotted stump as the mark. In retrospect, I think I should have covered more territory ”¦ I saw deer, but just never had the opportunity for a shot. Either they were moving or were in brush so thick that I couldn’t risk a shot. I did find areas where I saw most of the deer activity and this gives me ideas for future hunts.
I also like the idea of a matchcoat to wear whilst on stand, but I’m going to have to practice wearing one and shedding it, so it doesn’t cost me a shot at a deer someday.
Alas, none of us tagged out, but the trip was a rousing success none the less. With the warmth of a hot shower awaiting all of us with anticipation back at our respective homes ”¦ I think I speak for the entire group when I say that my thoughts were looking forward to our next Winter camping/hunting trip together!
Weather ”“ Woo boy, the forecast was to be frigid and it was ”¦ temps from 4 to 6-degrees in the morning and we saw 17-degrees one day at noontime. Winds were light for the most part, but there tended to be a breeze up in the am or late hours and wow, did that sure make it cold!
Camp ”“ M-Oak setup his 12x12 Panther Primitives wall tent ahead of us and it was warm and cozy with the wood stove going when we arrived. Sorting the gear out of the ”˜metal horses’ and keeping the camp as primitive as we could (less safety items) and the hunt and camping trip commenced. We had initially planned to setup 2 wall tents, as a 4th thought about joining us, but in the end we made do ”“ consolidated the wood supply ”“ and had a great trip, albeit a tad cramped at times.
Hunt ”“ You know ”¦ there’s a LOT of woods out thar’ in northeastern PA with their State forests and game lands! I’d end up in the middle of no wheresville woods ”“ surrounded only by nature’s beauty ”“ and would wonder if I should have taken that ridge, or gone across the west side of the swamp ”“ not the east side, or perhaps should have stalked through that marsh or swale ”¦ rather than the route I took.
Hunting at this time of year is tough! I believe the deer sat tight in the mornings, between the extreme cccccold and that there was a brightening moon each night, with the full moon coming on towards the New Year. Most deer sighted were seen before we moved, or observed moving as they saw us move. It was not a sit and wait hunt. We at least had a few inches of snow cover and one night got some fresh snow to help aid in observing where they had been moving. Most interestingly, we came across more than a few late season scrapes, freshly dug through the new snow that happened just after Xmas Day.
Gear ”“ Anytime I’m out in the cold I’m amazed by how well wool items work; this trip being no different! I had thick wool socks on that went up over my knees, tucking under the woolen breeches and between them and my French-style winter mocs by Arrow Moccasins, called solieur de bouefs and my feet stayed warm. If my toes got cold, just moving them a bit, or continuing to stalk or still hunt warmed them right up. These boots date to the late 1600s and are lined with real shearling wool and are THE warmest boots I own ”¦ and are historically correct to boot, no pun intended.
One day we spent the entire day out in the woods, which started out at 6-degrees and warmed up to a balmy 15-degrees or so at mid-day, dropping back to single digits at the day waned. The highlight of that day was stopping to build a fire with Mighty Oak and having hot tea from melted snow around noon. The beef jerky and nuts provided by our NJ companion kept us full enough for the day.
A wool shirt, caped heavy wool coat, plus gloves, hat & scarfs or neck wraps, rounded out my woolen gear, as it did for my fellow hunters. One wore a matchcoat whilst on stand one day late and getting his rifle up to ready ”“ cost him a shot, when the buttstock got tangled up in the blanket wrap.
The one time I got frigid cccccold was at the end of the whole day spent in the woods, setting up on stand 1-hour before shooting time ended, overlooking a draw by the edge of a swamp where deer had been seen before. Man was I cold walking back to the iron horse, as this site was aways from camp.
Lessons Learned ”“ I was totally satisfied with my gear and flintlock rifle, which lit off instantly at the conclusion of the hunt, whilst using a rotted stump as the mark. In retrospect, I think I should have covered more territory ”¦ I saw deer, but just never had the opportunity for a shot. Either they were moving or were in brush so thick that I couldn’t risk a shot. I did find areas where I saw most of the deer activity and this gives me ideas for future hunts.
I also like the idea of a matchcoat to wear whilst on stand, but I’m going to have to practice wearing one and shedding it, so it doesn’t cost me a shot at a deer someday.
Alas, none of us tagged out, but the trip was a rousing success none the less. With the warmth of a hot shower awaiting all of us with anticipation back at our respective homes ”¦ I think I speak for the entire group when I say that my thoughts were looking forward to our next Winter camping/hunting trip together!