# PA Muzzleloader Bear



## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

Took my neighbor boy and headed up to my camp in PA for some early season muzzleloader bear hunting. 

The boy had to work Friday evening so we had to drive up the morning of and miss sunrise. That and I needed cut the grass too!

So we hunted our first spot on some public land. Saw 20 deer, 2 bull elk, and a black squirrel. 

Ran back to camp and cut the grass and ate lunch. Back at it to another area. Saw another bull elk, but not much else in the middle of the day. On the way back to camp we saw a red fox ball up and go to sleep on the front stoop of an old abandon camp.

To end the day, we were going to post up over some standing corn down the road.

Saw some more deer down there...coming out we ran into one of my neighbors up there. At sun up he had been sitting watching that corn. A sow and two cubs came out. He passed on them as the cubs were pretty small. He had pictures of a larger boar in the area which is why he was back out there.

I have to work all week, but may try and make it back up next Saturday after pheasant hunting.
























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## Junebug2320 (Apr 23, 2010)

Lucky to have experienced something like that. Good luck


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## 0utwest (Mar 21, 2017)

If i ever draw that elk tag you know the first guy i am calling ! But after 16-17 years of trying im not holding my breath . Thanks for sharing the pics .


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

My camp is in the heart of Elk country up there. Beautiful area!

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## shot1buck (Feb 23, 2011)

At least there was something moving. Helps pass the time.


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

shot1buck said:


> At least there was something moving. Helps pass the time.


Our camp has seen it all. Deer, bear, elk, bobcat, coyote, porcupine, foxes, etc. We just seem to be in a really good area and almost always someone is seeing something.

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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

Here's a picture from back in '98. My friend whom I own my camp with and his bear hog tied to the roof of my old Jeep. This bear was taken about 2 1/2 miles from where our camp is.

He's the one smiling on the left!









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## Bprice1031 (Mar 13, 2016)

Misdirection said:


> Here's a picture from back in '98. My friend whom I own my camp with and his bear hog tied to the roof of my old Jeep. This bear was taken about 2 1/2 miles from where our camp is.
> 
> He's the one smiling on the left!
> 
> ...



PA has some really nice bears! Some of the biggest black bears harvested come from there. With the pictures you've posted, I'm guessing your camp is in the Elk County area. I grew up hunting PA with my grandpa and lost him this past February. I learned more from him on our hunting trips than I ever did in school.


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

Bprice1031 said:


> PA has some really nice bears! Some of the biggest black bears harvested come from there. With the pictures you've posted, I'm guessing your camp is in the Elk County area. I grew up hunting PA with my grandpa and lost him this past February. I learned more from him on our hunting trips than I ever did in school.


That picture is at the Benezette store parking lot in Elk County. My camp is just inside Cameron County to the NE just a hair.

I know of a 400 and 508 lbs bears taken with in a 2 mile radius of our camp. Big bears for sure!

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## Bprice1031 (Mar 13, 2016)

Misdirection said:


> That picture is at the Benezette store parking lot in Elk County. My camp is just inside Cameron County to the NE just a hair.
> 
> I know of a 400 and 508 lbs bears taken with in a 2 mile radius of our camp. Big bears for sure!
> 
> Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk



I have seen plenty of those big bears hunting deer there in Forest County for years. I love being in those hills.


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## Bprice1031 (Mar 13, 2016)

Misdirection said:


> Took my neighbor boy and headed up to my camp in PA for some early season muzzleloader bear hunting.
> 
> The boy had to work Friday evening so we had to drive up the morning of and miss sunrise. That and I needed cut the grass too!
> 
> ...



Out of curiosity are you heading over for the regular gun season for bear this year?


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

Bprice1031 said:


> Out of curiosity are you heading over for the regular gun season for bear this year?


Yep, heading up tomorrow afternoon to get camp opened up.

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## Bprice1031 (Mar 13, 2016)

Misdirection said:


> Yep, heading up tomorrow afternoon to get camp opened up.
> 
> Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk


How do you feel about having some Sundays to hunt this year? Do you think the law will change in the future?


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

I think its great. For bear, for the last few years we would hunt on Saturday, twiddle our thumbs on Sunday, and resume hunting on Monday. Now it will be much nicer to hunt on both weekend days. Same for deer this year. I hope they just legalize Sunday hunting period. That would get alot of people out in the field, especially if Saturday is a rain day, for many that is their only day to hunt. 

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## Bprice1031 (Mar 13, 2016)

I can remember back when Ohio didn't allow Sunday hunting. Then the law was changed that first year. How nice it was to be able to hunt both days of the weekends. I have said in the past that I learned how to hunt and fish from my grandpa in PA. When Ohio changed the law to allow Sunday hunting he said he wished PA would follow suit. I also hope they expand on it for next season. If they do, I may even consider buying the nonresident license again for me and my son.


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

I grew up hunting in Ohio. Moved to PA before they legalized Sunday hunting and straight walled cartrige riffles. Was a little jealous when they did.

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## Bprice1031 (Mar 13, 2016)

I wish you all the best of luck this coming weekend and season. Hope someone gets the chance to take a shot at one. Enjoy yourself.


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## Bprice1031 (Mar 13, 2016)

Misdirection said:


> I think its great. For bear, for the last few years we would hunt on Saturday, twiddle our thumbs on Sunday, and resume hunting on Monday. Now it will be much nicer to hunt on both weekend days. Same for deer this year. I hope they just legalize Sunday hunting period. That would get alot of people out in the field, especially if Saturday is a rain day, for many that is their only day to hunt.
> 
> Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk



Did you do any good during the weekend for bear?


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

No bears in our camp, nor anyone around us. Even the larger camps that do drives that normally have a few hanging were bare. Did see these two elk down the road from my camp.









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## Bprice1031 (Mar 13, 2016)

All the years I spent hunting over there, I've never gone for a drive to try and see the elk there. Definitely something I should've done with my grandpa. Have you applied for an elk license there in PA?


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## Misdirection (Jul 16, 2012)

I have applied over the years, but not consistently. What I should do, but don't is go up in the spring and look for sheds.

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## Bprice1031 (Mar 13, 2016)

Misdirection said:


> I have applied over the years, but not consistently. What I should do, but don't is go up in the spring and look for sheds.
> 
> Sent from my SM-A505U using Tapatalk


That would be a pretty amazing find!


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