Well my 2020-21 deer hunting season ended Monday evening without a tag filled. It was a season altered by Covid; I didn't hunt WV at all or anywhere in PA except the neighbor's woods behind the house. Nevertheless, I spent many enjoyable hours afield communing with nature and in quiet reflection. This picture drawn by Lee Pizzuto, and featured on the cover of the October 1956 Archery magazine, captures the essence of that season-ending moment. Consider if you would the ethical "dilemma" posed in the cover's explanation in my 2nd picture.

Back when I first started bow hunting here in PA, quitting time was sunset. It always seemed there was plenty of good light available, and I confess that, owing to the quiet nature of shooting an arrow at a deer, I let my ethics slip and hunted past legal hours. More recently the PA Game Commission extended legal hunting hours until 1/2 hour after sunset. Thank goodness. The ironic thing is now that I can hunt that extra half hour, for many reasons I seldom hunt till the final minute.

This season I did have one clean miss at the big 7-point I called Chunk with a 1957 Coe Wolverine Hunter. Unfortunately the bow "exploded" a week later while hanging up for a noontime nap.

After that I hunted with Qarbon Nano longbow.

I'm not sure where the rationale for sunrise/sunset shooting hours came from for archers. At least not for the original traditional style. Probably a hold over from gun hunting hours. Now with scoped compounds and crossbows it may need to come back, that is if success rates become problematic.

Seneca_Archer, great picture and fitting post for the end of your season. As far as I can remember it's always been hunting from one half hour before sunrise to one have hour after sunset here in Maryland. They always post the sunrise/sunset times in the hunting guide. I primarily hunt the mornings anyway for tracking reasons. I love sitting in the stand just as daylight starts to creep in.

Seneca, great old pictures and a very thoughtful post on your season and it's end. Here's hoping for another great season out hunting for you this year.

I like that picture, and 1956 is my birthyear. I didnt get to hunt much with trying to pack up and move, I had one healthy proud forkhorn under me 2 times and that was it. Not even a doe came by. What can you say about the end of the season. Sometimes you eat the bar, and sometimes the bar eats you.

Very good and good luck for the next season , it won’t be in black an white, enjoy

Thanks guys.

Monkeyball- "be home at dark:30", LOL going to use that.

Here's the Wolverine.

I hate when that happens.

Great post Jim and beautiful picture of the hunter! Not so good pic on the wolverine;(

Cafw has the same time allowed 2/2 hr after sunset. Sure glad they do as I killed my first buck in that last 1/2 hr on the last day of archery. I was actually leaving and stumbled upon 2 bucks. Better lucky than good I always say. Nice story stirred memories of my own. Thanks

Wolverine, Ouch

Yep, my season is done also. Got to take my Wallace on many walks through the woods and shared a lot of great stand sights, but no deer. Optimistic for the next season though.

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