# South around WNF and Zaleski



## FAB (May 26, 2013)

Going to hunt the WNF and Zaleski SF area for the first time this year. Will be staying at Burr Oak during gun season. Going down at the end of the month to do some bow hunting but wondering what area would be best to start scouting in. We intend to hunt back in off the road a ways to try and escape most of the crowds and some of the pressures. Does anyone have any experience in those areas that you could share. PM if you want. Don't need specifics just how the herd is this year, is it still down a great deal or are you seeing some deer around. And if you have hunted there before what general area has been okay for you. I'll learn a lot on my bow hunting trip but there is a lot of area there and any info on where to start would be greatly appreciated. Not opposed to walking in 3 or 4 miles.


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## bobk (Apr 30, 2004)

Hi Floyd, much of what we talked about holds true down there. I have one friend who is seeing more deer this year too. I'm a several miles from zaleski but my property has seen a real nice increase in the herd this year. Hopefully you shoot one and it's Not 3-4 miles back in there. While lot of hills to be dragging a deer through.
Good luck this year.


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## FAB (May 26, 2013)

bobk said:


> Hi Floyd, much of what we talked about holds true down there. I have one friend who is seeing more deer this year too. I'm a several miles from zaleski but my property has seen a real nice increase in the herd this year. Hopefully you shoot one and it's Not 3-4 miles back in there. While lot of hills to be dragging a deer through.
> Good luck this year.


Thanks Bob, I go more for the trip with my brother anymore. I have pulled about 45 off the tip of Tracy ridge in the ANF of PA. that' s a bit more than 4 so would be nothing new. Thanks again for the reply and best of luck to you also.


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## UNCLEMIKE (Jul 23, 2014)

FAB said:


> Thanks Bob, I go more for the trip with my brother anymore. I have pulled about 45 off the tip of Tracy ridge in the ANF of PA. that' s a bit more than 4 so would be nothing new. Thanks again for the reply and best of luck to you also.


I love Tracey ridge. Best camp ground in the forest. So secluded. Have to admit an Ohio deer may be ALOT more dead weight to drag though.


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## FAB (May 26, 2013)

UNCLEMIKE said:


> I love Tracey ridge. Best camp ground in the forest. So secluded. Have to admit an Ohio deer may be ALOT more dead weight to drag though.


Mike that's because they run a little bigger and more often than not, no snow, dry leaves.


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## UNCLEMIKE (Jul 23, 2014)

FAB said:


> Mike that's because they run a little bigger and more often than not, no snow, dry leaves.


FAB... Has the herd recovered at all in the Tracy Ridge area in recent years. I stopping going up when the state di the major herd reduction years back as I couldn't find a deer track. Just bears.


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## FAB (May 26, 2013)

UNCLEMIKE said:


> FAB... Has the herd recovered at all in the Tracy Ridge area in recent years. I stopping going up when the state di the major herd reduction years back as I couldn't find a deer track. Just bears.


Mike, I have not hunted that area for sometime now just because of what you say. It is my understanding the herd has recovered some but I feel it will never be what it once was again. Partly because of antlerless harvest and to an extent fawn predation by the increased number of bear. I know that the PA game commission still reports a large harvest each year and I feel the number is probably flawed by the process they use to determine the kill numbers. Apparently they assume that a certain percentage of hunters will not report kills and that another group will harvest deer outside of the season dates (poaching) and that an additional group will harvest more animals than they are supposed to. I am not sure how they arrived at the numbers but they seem to be very inflated and I feel make up nearly half of the reported harvest. The guys that I know that still hunt there have not done well the last few years. But even if you spend a week there without seeing a deer it is still a magical place to be. I have spent many nights deep in those mountains with the snow deep and falling and felt so close to a time in the past when it was a way of life for some.


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## UNCLEMIKE (Jul 23, 2014)

FAB said:


> Mike, I have not hunted that area for sometime now just because of what you say. It is my understanding the herd has recovered some but I feel it will never be what it once was again. Partly because of antlerless harvest and to an extent fawn predation by the increased number of bear. I know that the PA game commission still reports a large harvest each year and I feel the number is probably flawed by the process they use to determine the kill numbers. Apparently they assume that a certain percentage of hunters will not report kills and that another group will harvest deer outside of the season dates (poaching) and that an additional group will harvest more animals than they are supposed to. I am not sure how they arrived at the numbers but they seem to be very inflated and I feel make up nearly half of the reported harvest. The guys that I know that still hunt there have not done well the last few years. But even if you spend a week there without seeing a deer it is still a magical place to be. I have spent many nights deep in those mountains with the snow deep and falling and felt so close to a time in the past when it was a way of life for some.


thanks again for the info. I try to get up there once a year to camp. Love rim rock and Elijah run area. The Klondike store was open on weekends this summer. The owners wife is selling off what's left since he passed. Sad to see the decline of hunting in this area. I hear the bear hunting is good. May have to give that a try some day.


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## FAB (May 26, 2013)

UNCLEMIKE said:


> thanks again for the info. I try to get up there once a year to camp. Love rim rock and Elijah run area. The Klondike store was open on weekends this summer. The owners wife is selling off what's left since he passed. Sad to see the decline of hunting in this area. I hear the bear hunting is good. May have to give that a try some day.


Pierre was one of the best knife sharpeners I have ever know. I used to stay in touch with them, Christmas cards etc. I know he was not in good health since his first heart attack. He was a good guy.


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