The 2003 season is upon us, and though I hope to go to Schuylkill county for the deer seasons, there is no garrantee. I may be stuck in my own, shotgun only county.

So what is everyone's plan?

I'll probably hunt deer close to home in Lancaster county, like I usually do.

This year, though, I am doing something new for bear season. My dad, a friend of ours, and I rented a camping cottage (basically a cabin) at Poe Valley State Park in Centre county. This will sure beat sleeping in the truck like we usually do! :p

Also, tomorrow I'm off to Saint Mary's to be there when the PA Game Commission draws my name for an elk permit!

How was your luck with the Elk tag?

Good deal with the cabin - I guess it would beat sleeping in a truck.

If I am lucky, I will be able to walk out of the back door of a friends grandmother's house, be over the top of the mountain in 5 minutes, and be hunting a well established re-forested area. We shall see. Either way, I'll be out in the woods, and that counts almost as much.

How was your luck with the Elk tag?



Well, I made it to the Elk Expo but ended up leaving before the drawing, so I'm still in suspense! However, the Game Commission has a list of the number of permit recipients from each county, on their website. One person from Lancaster county got a cow permit, so I'm in the running!

Just wondering if you got soaked. Rained just a little too hard for me to go walking around the Expo this year.

Just wondering if you got soaked. Rained just a little too hard for me to go walking around the Expo this year.

I was at the viewing area when it rained, and I did get soaked! By the time I made it to the expo it had stopped, but I was sure glad I had 4 wheel drive in the parking lot / mud pit!

I do hope the current weather trend presents itself for December!

Nice and chilly with a little snow on the ground would be perfect.

I don't remember what last year was like :confused: , but the previous few years I was hunting pheasants in late November without wearing a jacket! Just a t-shirt and my orange vest. It just didn't feel like huntin' season at all.

I'm supposed to be heading to a friend's cabin in Tioga County. I haven't been there for years, can't wait.

I spent last weekend at camp near Medix Run for bear. Got to see a nice one on Sunday but Monday was a different story. Started raining after lunch and poured! Changed to snow later but had to be back at work on Tuesday. Heading back up this weekend for deer and I'm happy to report the buck are looking great. Best I've even seen up there. Numbers and size.

Well, no luck for bear this year. Had fun though!

I saw a HUGE 8 pt. Monday. He stood broadside about 35 or 40 yards from me for about a minute. If it was one week later he'd be venison in the freezer! Unfortunately, I'll be hunting deer closer to home so I won't get a chance to bag this big boy.

Monday night we went down to the check station at Penn's Nursery and saw some nice bears brought in. The biggest that was weighed while we were there was 314 lbs.. The biggest that had been processed all day was, I think, 352 lbs.

Good luck to everyone for deer!