Just came in from listening for gobblers. I have a knoll here beside the house I can hear gobblers sounding off for a long way. They were really cranked up right at daylight.

Once again I had to think...why do I go anywhere else?

But, I'm kinda a wanderer I've hunted all over the public land of PA, with the exception of the north east Pocono area. One thing is for certain, despite my constant roaming I haven't even scratched the surface.

I've spent a lot of time in the Bald Eagle, rothrock, and sproul state forest, as well as SGL 75 and the tiadaghton up north, and countless other areas at least once or twice. There were times I jumped in my truck and drive to Snyder county to hunt the shade mt, when all I had to do was walk right from the house to hunt what is also called the shade mt and have far more public land to boot!

Truthfully I haven't even scratched the surface right here at home, nor could I in my lifetime. I'm bound and determined to stay around home this year, either within walking distance or just a short drive to a game land parking lot.

I couldn't begin to hunt all the public land right here.

IF I CAN JUST KEEP FROM GETTING THE URGE TO WANDER!!

anybody else suffer from this need to roam and hunt new areas? Or are you content with your own back 40?

I love hunting my own back yard. But finding new places, thrill of discovery, just plain wanderlust is a lot of the fun for me. I always wonder what's around the river bend, or over that ridge. Ben

I think maybe it's just some wonder-lust in all hunters. Yes, I have my own property to hunt, with ladder stands that have been leaning in the same spot for years but also like to look at fresh locations.

As you get older, those places near home keep looking better and better. I love Pennsylvania; we have so much area to roam and not be bothered and that is tempting for sure. My wanderlust has abated alot over the years, especially when I know that two miles up the ridge is great hunting and nowadays, with the hunter numbers down as they are, it's pretty much uninhabited other than the "first day of buck". Wander while you are young though. ;)

I prefer new scenery, exploring and learning unfamiliar areas. It keeps the hunter in me actively hunting and from getting bored or complacent. I don't have to go far though. I moved here a handful of years ago and there's still places in these nearby game lands that I haven't been to yet. Same thing up at camp. Couple hundred thousand acres in the Suskee and Sproul I haven't seen yet.

Other times I like to return to places where I have history if I haven't been there for a few years. But heck yeah I'm a wanderer, whether new ground or old, I no longer put up a few treestands and spend the season hunting the same spot(s). I can't do it. Too much nature out there to experience, and not enough time left to waste sitting staring at the same couple trees. That's one of the things about stillhunting that suits me, new area and experiences every day and I don't have to feel obligated to go back to the same area twice if I don't wanna.

I like to go out in the boat and wander around too, jump out and hunt unfamiliar, less traveled woods. It's interesting, a change of pace, and I've brought back turkey, deer, squirrels, mushrooms, and such that way too.

good thread

Yes, we really have it good in PA with our hunting opportunities. So much public land compared to other states.

I am a ground pounder. I have to see what is over the next ridge. I get bored looking at the same trees after a couple of days. Hare hunting, I bounce around all over the place. That is why I go light, a longbow or handgun. I snowshoe into areas where I am all alone, sometimes for miles. Deer hunting is the same for me. If I can take a track and play with it all day, and never cross another human track, that is ideal. It’s possible up here if you go deep.

My traveling days are long gone but when I was a youngster I loved heading for tha Big Woods. I've hunted Mercer Co., Venago Co., Crawford Co.., Forest Co., Elk Co., McKean and Potter Co., Clarion and Lawrence Counties. When Turkeys were scarce in Pa. it was nothing to travel long ways just to hear a bird. I've driven three hours to hunt one Gobler.

I've traveled the most fishing for Trout. I've fished in Pa., Montana, Colorado, Wyoming, West Virgina, and Alaska fishing for Trout and Salmon fly fishing. I would like to travel to a Colorado and fish Frying Pan Creek but doubt I'll get there. It's been a He!! A ride.

Will, I don't fish the frying pan but hear it's better than ever. Just sayin. :)

Hunting overshadows fishing in Colorado September through October. Next best thing to ice off! Just sayin. :)

When I was young enough, always wanted to see what was over the next ridge.

This is taken from a state game land right down the road, the mt and beyond are all state forest, for miles and miles... state forest and state game lands are different, forestry owns one, game commission the other. both open to public.

the game lands are a little lower in elevation, hoping to find some early morels, so wife and I are gonna go do some more exploring in this area. plenty of room to roam just from this view...all public, and doesn't even scratch the surface...way, way, way more than what you can see, not possible to hunt it all.

now finding a morel...hmmm....will take a bit of exploring.

Kid stuff. I go from WI to KS to hunt turkeys, LOL.

Bowmania

The wander thing I get. When I lived in IL. I wanted to hunt out West. Wide open spaces. But I believe there are more hunting opportunities deer, Turkey, back in IL. these days than here in AZ. Sure, we have Elk but it may take years to draw a bull tag. Then there is this getting old thing. Can I be back home by 2pm to take my nap?

For some of us memorys is the order for the day. As long as you can do it just keep doing it because if you have to stop it deteriates you in physical and mental asspects all forms of aging.

I am content with my own back 40. But am starting to roam some. I have land that borders the Mon. National forest but is land locked so it doesn't get hunted much

I WISH I lived somewhere where I could go out close by and wander. Oregon sucks for that. South Western Oregon area is a "checkerboard" of public and private land; locking the public land into the hands of private land ownership. Principally logging companies. I would Love to be back in Maine or Alaska! I envy you wanderers!

I found about a dozen Morels. It's early here but the mild winter has helped them along. My daughter is out hunting now on the SGL. State Forest is different from State Game Lands..yes. State Game Lands were paid for, and still are by hunting license fees. The game commission oversees them but still works hand in hand with forestry on maintaining them.

State Forests for the most part are huge tracts that are owned by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and managed for public use of all kinds...including hunting. Forestry manages State Forests and as a different entity has their own budget and their own workers. Sproul State Forest alone is over 425 square miles big. And don't forget the State Parks system that also has a lot of areas open to hunting.

This is the view from our cabin. We have 113 acres of mostly mountain land so no problem with self distancing here. This view is looking west-northwest toward the Allegheny Plateau some twenty miles distant.

The little town below has about 200 people when they are all home. My home is a mile and a half south of there on a rural road. Of course they are all rural roads here.

I've lived in Alaska for 50 years. I'm spoiled. I hunt around home but I love adventure so there's no telling where I'll end up.

The urge to be someplace new is what keeps me going. Doesn't matter if its turkeys, elk, mule deer or bear, I always wanna see what else there is someplace new... I've always been told, never leave elk to find elk, but sometimes, the urge to hunt someplace new has me leaving a place I'm familiar with to be in a place I'm not familiar with.

"there's a race of men that don't fit in, A race that can't sit still. So they break the hearts of heath and kin, and roam the world at will..."

Ive always had to hunt public land. My hunting range is 20 yards or less ;)

buglmin...know what your saying when you say, "never leave elk to find elk"...been there many times. Good hunting right out my back door, but the lure of hunting other places often lures me away.

one thing I will say though is hunting areas away from home makes it harder to scout often and keep on top of things. So after awhile you learn to rely on those gut instincts more and more. You might be in an area for the first time and you just know where the deer trails are going to be. Then upon further investigation, sure enough there one is.

I'd like to hunt closer home here in PA, this year but western MD and WV are also on my agenda...And there sure is some wandering to do in those mts of WV...

I have access to a little over 3900 total acres locally, the tract that I will turkey hunt is 1380 acres. They are all over it but out of that tract I have narrowed my primary area down to 35-40 acres with several good roost sites in it up against a field that they are using. I was there for the last time today. They are really starting to crank it up, be sure and get your clothes sprayed because ticks are blooming big time.

Like to wander around like a lost coyote on occasion.

I'm actually pretty content on my "back 20". It's a wooded hill about five by eight miles and my property is a strip up the middle of 2,640 feet deep (1/2 mile) but narrow. There are three good whitetail travel routes that cross my land and several bedding areas.

LOTS of 40 to 45 year old stumps.

I even killed a fallow deer on my own land. To my knowledge only one other New Yorker has killed a "feral" fallow deer. Someone had illegally imported some and had a "fence malfunction" when the authorities found out.

Have seen black bear (which I don't hunt actively), grouse, turkey, coyotes, red and grey foxes (we raise chickens) . . . but I'm afraid woodchucks are extinct now. I was a little to effective in watching the garden from the back deck.

I hike all over but usually only hunt my own property. Something very satisfying about taking a deer on home turf. I scout it weekly. ;-)

I end up shooting most of my deer and turkeys right around my place but spend a lot of time roaming around hunting elk and bear. Even those I hunt within 20 miles of my place. Idaho seasons run such that most big game is in season at the same time so I get to be a multi species hunter all elk season and take whatever presents itself.

Good point. Don't leave elk to find elk. I think it's the nature of trad hunters..we are constantly fixing things that are not broke., if we want to kill animals then go where they are., if they are close all the better. But I am guilty too.

There is a certain benefit in both staying close and hunting new areas.

Nothing is as familiar as your own back 40. Staying close affords more scouting time, and usually better success for most.

But Hunting new areas gives you experience in varied terrain, climate and game habits.

We tend to lump deer, and even turkey together, when in fact hunting them can be quite different, and even the game itself is often slightly different.

Ever notice most of the deer hunting videos etc... center around the Midwest? Good deer numbers, quality deer.

Rare you ever see much or hear much about the cold river region of the Adirondacks. But you show me a guy that can kill a nice buck almost every year in the santanoni mt range, or the area around duck hole, and i'll show you a guy that can kill deer anywhere.

I enjoy hearing about those big food plot or beanfield buck. But when I see a guy that kills a buck on his own back 40, then travels to Illinois and kills one, then next year, maine or the Adirondacks, or deep in the heart of the sproul SF, or cranberry wild area of WV...and does it every year on his own.

Best to pay attention to what he say's.

When I was younger & hunting the hills of n/w VA I'd leave the truck in the dark & get back in the dark no telling where I'd end up during the day. Now I live on the coast the largest property I hunt is 200 acres & in the 10 years I've hunted it have explored it all. Pretty much a roving trip a few weeks before the season opens to see which whitoaks have mast is all that's needed

I've always like staying close to home and family. Jawge

Im very blessed to have great hunting right out the back door on our farm. Im further blessed with the friendships of several surrounding farm owners, who generously grant me access.

Although i always enjoy the puzzle of putting it all together on a new property as i did this past fall, im very content to hunt at home.

If i didn't work residential construction i doubt i would have hunted all the different places i have.

I travel up to around 1 1/2 hrs one way for work at times, and i live about dead center of the state. I've also over the years built large agricultural buildings in NY, MD, WV, and OH So i'll often scout and hunt where I'm working at the time...been in business since 88 so I've been around.

My family has always hunted Lycoming, tioga, and Clinton countys up north...my parents and brothers live up there so naturally i regularly hunt that area as well.

Shelter at home orders don't bother me any.

Wife and I are kind of like George. 60 acres, 8.5 miles from town to the south. Closest neighbor is 200 yards from us. Next closest is over 1/4 mile down down our driveway and then some distance down the road.

We have pasture as you can see from these pics and then a good bit of woods. Lots of deer, plenty of squirrels and turkeys to keep us happy and at least 2 coveys of quail (which we do not shoot into).

We have another 140 ac down the road about 2 miles that is wooded heavily with interspersed brush that is deer heaven and turkeys also. All of this ground is very close to Shawnee NF land and some even butts up to it so available ground is almost unlimited.

We get out to the woods as much as we can regularly but cant walk as much as we once did. Its still nice to have the ground though.

Here are three shots looking South off our carport panning to the West:

I'll add the two pics that did not show up. The one above is looking pretty much West:

OK.... Here is the one facing somewhat East

I’m lucky enough to be able to do both. When home I hunt by my house but when I go to my camp I hunt mountains. Win win :)

I would have to go a long ways to beat where I live, 227" buck taken in 2018 with bow 3 miles from my house.

My buddies, or son kill a good number of large deer with bow every year. Me I'm not a trophy hunter, but every now and then I get a nice one.

I'm the same as cut it out.,but I like getting away to the mountains.

This one is 15 miles away.

When I was younger I use to travel to Dan's Mt in Allegany county Maryland. The steep ridges of the mt range from 900 to 2,800 ft. Now I hunt closer in Frederick county Maryland.

I've hunted Dans mt already that is one big mt. I usually hunt over in Garrett county, or down in Indian Springs though, when I hunt MD.

Spring 2016 there were few turkeys because of a few springs in a row with cold wet weather so little chick production. I had a tom roosted for opening morning. Buddy and I set up and the bird wanted to play the game. As can happen, at 100 yards out the turkey became weird, almost like someone whispered our plan in his ear. I hunted almost every day and rarely heard or saw any turks. That year there was great nesting weather.

Hunting at home can be quite good. During spring turkey season 2017, one morning was drizzling so I went back to sleep for some needed rest. I had the window open about an inch for fresh cool air. About 8:30 a gobble woke me up. I got up, dressed, went out and made a big half circle to approach from the opposite side. Called once and that tom came running full speed. I call that type of hunt a flash hunt.

During that fall season I had been seeing a few jakes hanging around in some open woods along a field edge. I started the bbq with some kindling and cherry wood. After it was burning solidly, I headed out hunting. 20 minutes later I was back and the breast meat was filleted and ready, but the wood needed to burn down a bit.

I can hunt the mountain out my front door and see nothing. Or, I can hunt the woodlot behind the house and see all kinds of deer. My ladder stand is about 1- 1/2 long bow shots from my yard. It's a nice perch after a long day at work.

nothing wrong with that! That would be nice after work, for sure

If you have already registered, please

sign in now

For new registrations

Click Here