Less than two weeks until PA flintlock season

[ricktile66]

My favorite season is coming soon... Nobody else in the woods, just me and my flintlock for two weeks.  Made some changes to my 30 year old TC Hawken, now have a GM barrel, L&R lock, and Lyman peep sight.  Can't wait to use it on a deer.....  Anyone else in PA looking forward to the season?

[kevthebassman]

I'm not in PA, but I'd love to be out in a flintlock only season.

[papellet]

Its my favorite season as well, even though I hunt with a traditional ml during regular rifle season. Good luck to you and enjoy this special season. Hopefully the powers to be will keep it as is despite pressures from special interest groups.

[sproulman]

remember, PEEP SIGHT is illegal in pa.

you can use a V-PEEP sight from RMCSPORTS because it is cut out on top.


i guess i got to read my rules more, you are right on peep sight.

i bought the v-peep and its still blurry but not as bad as before.

[ricktile66]

Peep sights are not illegal in PA.  They started allowing them last year.  Check page 50 of your hunting regulations.  My eyes are too bad for a regular sight and the peep really helps.

[nessmuk101]

It is also one of my favorite seasons.  I will be using my smoothbore again this year.  It is a TVM 62 cal and I use 60 gr. of 3FG and a patched round ball and this load is good to about 60 yards.

[glshop20]

I also enjoy that season. I am from NJ and hunt the Delaware Water Gap Recreation Area just south of Milford.  Last year and especilly this year there seems to be a total absense of deer and deer sign.  I have also noticed that I see very few squirrels.  It seems there are lot of what appear to be Gypsy moth nests and a total absense of acorns.  I guess the deer and others have gone to where ever the food is.  Anyone else that hunts this area having the same experience?

[Double 30]

This will be my 2nd year with my sparkchucker "Roundball" She's a T/C Hawken with an aperture rear sight and a 32" Green Mountain ball barrel. Got a no-testicle piebald button buck with her last year.It was my 18th deer with a muzzleloader but my first with a flintlock. A VERY enjoyable experience.Looking foward to filling another tag this year...

[ricktile66]

I can't really say anything about your area.  I live in NW PA.  However, there were very few nuts on any of the trees around here this year.  Last year was a bumper crop of both acorns and hickory nuts and this year I could hardly find anything.  The squirrel population has been down in my usual areas since last season.  The turkey I shot in the fall was full of beech nuts.  The deer in my hunting areas are still just as plentiful as before but they are not in their usual places either.  In my areas I think it has more to do with lots of snow and lots of coyotes than anything else.  I know where they were during the rifle season and should have no problem finding them once the season opens.  The coyotes need to be dealt with though.  Guess I have to get the calls out and hunt coyotes after the flintlock season ends. 

[Nova]

Are you seeing any yotes while deer hunting?  I think if I was aware of such a problem I would be waxing any of those suckers that I had a shot at.  I think the best weapon for yotes in this situation is whichever one you got in your hand.  12 Ga. turkey load did a number on a yote for me a few years ago in Bradford Co....

A little more on topic though...I'm looking forward to getting out during the late season this year.  It has been a few years since I took the ol' smokepole out after Christmas, but I seem to have a real deer hunting itch this year that needs to be scratched.  No better way to do that than with a flinter...

[ricktile66]

I haven't seen any while hunting.  I have heard them at night around the camp.  I also see a lot of tracks in the areas I usually hunt.  I ran into several guys this season that did see them and one who shot two while his buddies were putting on drives.  Kind of irritated them that he was shooting the coyotes instead of the deer but if I had to choose I think I would do the same.