Dear Fellow Deer Hunters -

It has been related to me that a deer hunter without a doe bleat call and rattling antlers is unlikely to find an exceptional buck deer.

I have used old sets of antlers with little improvement in my "buck sightings" but that could be due to my lousy technique or inability to wait for a "wall hanger" because I'm more interested in meat than racks.

If any of my fellow hunters have any experience with horn rattling - and especially that mysterious doe bleat call - in the Northern Pennsylvania region I'd appreciate your input.

Somehow I'm not real sure that it's all that sporting to kill a poor buck because he's looking for what most males are - a nice wqarm place to lay our - uhhh - head?

Thanks - and I'll let you all know if I find all those horny bucks in the Allegheney National Forest in a couple of weeks.

Next question is about the reproductions of Civil War era brass scope sights that Dixie sells. I'm now too old to see the sights on my .58 percussion rifle unless the sun is bright, but not too bright. I got to thinking that I'd like to use one of these replica scopes on the rifle because it would be in keeping with the era and the intent of a muzzleloading season. Somehow I just don't want to use a stainless steel rifle with a plastic stock and in-line percussion system and a 6.5 - 24 power scope in earely muzzle-loader season. Guess I'm just an old fashioned type.

My question is concerning the ability of these scopes to be adjusted and stay adjusted with all that brass between the adjustable scope mounts. Any additional knowledge is always appreciated.

Bluesman

Hey Bluesman,
I thought PA was a flintlock only, open sight only state during the muzzleloader season? Afraid I can't help you with the brass scope...

As far as rattling in PA, I think the buck/doe ratio is too low and the hunting pressure way too high for rattling to be particularly useful. I never had any results from it next door in Delaware or Maryland, anyway.
I have gotten does to respond to bleat calls, but never a buck.
OH well, I guess I wasn't much help, but that's my experience.

Hi Guy`s,

PA. has a early season for youth and seniors I belive that they can use an inline with a scope for a doe.I don`t really know if there is more to it than that.I live 5 miles from the PA line and have seen a lot more inlines in the stores in PA this year.I belive the late muzzle loader season is for the flintlocks and the round ball.Don`t hold me to it I might be wrong.

Riflemen10x

Hi Rifleman 10x -

The early season is open to all who want to hunt doe, not just youngsters and old geezers like me. Late season is for flintlock only - iron sights only - I think that the round ball only rule went away but I use round ball so I'm not sure.

As far as I'm concerned late flintlock season is the best season. I practice my shooting all year, but in flintlock season I REALLY practice my HUNTING skills. The woods aare almost empty and it is only you, God, God's smaller creatures, and the deer out there. Beautiful!

Bluesman


Hi Guy`s,

PA. has a early season for youth and seniors I belive that they can use an inline with a scope for a doe.I don`t really know if there is more to it than that.I live 5 miles from the PA line and have seen a lot more inlines in the stores in PA this year.I belive the late muzzle loader season is for the flintlocks and the round ball.Don`t hold me to it I might be wrong.

Riflemen10x

Hi ID Shooter -

Thanks for your response. I think that you are quite possibly right on the money. Seems to me that whacking horns together might scare the little bucks away and the older, wiser bucks would just sneak through the thick stuff , get your scent, and fade.

I might try that doe bleat call just for the heck of it.

Bluesman

Hey Bluesman,
I thought PA was a flintlock only, open sight only state during the muzzleloader season? Afraid I can't help you with the brass scope...

As far as rattling in PA, I think the buck/doe ratio is too low and the hunting pressure way too high for rattling to be particularly useful. I never had any results from it next door in Delaware or Maryland, anyway.
I have gotten does to respond to bleat calls, but never a buck.
OH well, I guess I wasn't much help, but that's my experience.

I have hunted all over the country Archery, Rifle and Muzzelloader, and have used bleat calls. Let me assure you that they work. The trick to this is to own several, with each having a slightly different sound note or pitch, What I look for is an area that has a large doe and buck ratio. I'll walk in to an area I feel has buck activity, set up a natural ground blind and start making bleats. I change the direction of my calling every other session. The bleats are short in a series of three or four with the last being sustained for a little longer to simulate a cry or lost fawn. There was a hunt in M.O. were I took up a stand position on a point and repeated my call sequence for two days, sometimes I would get up walk around and at the same time use the bleat calls. The afternoon of the second day at nice seven pointer came up the hollow, he was taken approaching me within one hundred yards. Canister calls work great you can get them in both fawn and doe bleats. I prefer mouth calls, they have called in coyotes, bear, doe, fox and of course bucks. The second question pertaining to rattling in PA, it does work but only in areas with a high population in bucks, and during the early portion of the Archery Season, after that I found another trick.
By using a dead piece of wood and rubbing it on a tree, while using a grunt call and racking the ground, I've called bucks in as late as the second flintlock season. Look for unmolested areas, you may have to go deep, but that's where the big bucks go.
Good Luck
Mike