Pennsylvania Woodsman

Typically after the end of firearms season, the majority of deer hunters have packed it up until next year. Those that pursue whitetails after Christmas with a bow or flintlock muzzleloader generally have less hunting pressure to deal with if you're able to endure the elements.  However, the herd that remains at this time of year is typically on edge; not to mention the landscape is barren providing less cover to conceal hunter movements.  Deer have been pushed into hiding spots that can seem to be like a dark hole at this time of year.  Finding these pockets can be a challenge.

This week on the Pennsylvania Woodsmen we chat with Alex Krzywulak from the In The Presence YouTube channel.  Alex is a public land hunting fanatic that seems to get it done anywhere you put him.  However, this does not come without the hard work he puts in to prepare for hunting season by scouting.  Even though late season can isolate deer making them hard to find, he is not afraid to get aggressive during morning and evening hunts this time of year.  In order for this to be successful, he casts a large net, meaning he does not rely only on a few spots to capitalize.  He feels scouting a larger area early allows more places to check this time of year to A) find deer in the first place and B) have options to fall back on if he messes a spot up during his aggressive approach.  There is still time to fill a tag and Alex is no stranger to doing so this time of year, good luck!

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On this week's episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, we are discussing small game with Emily Boyd.  Emily is the small mammal biologist for the Pennsylvania Game Commission and she drops a wealth of knowledge on us!  We discuss some of the less common small game species discussed in the Keystone State including snowshoe hares, Appalachian cottontail rabbits, and eastern fox squirrels.  Most of these species provide liberal hunting opportunities, however, snowshoe hares only have a 1 week season between Christmas and New Years.  Emily shares with us some of the habitat types you may find snowshoe hares if embarking on this adventure!

In addition to general biology, we discuss one of the greatest threats to rabbits in North America; rabbit hemorrhagic disease.  This disease has already been found in domestic rabbits, but is quickly spreading into wild populations.  The concern is not "if" but "when" will it happen?  There is a high mortality rate with those that contract it, and drastic management changes may occur to combat this issue.  Find out what you can do as a conservationist to help address the problem!

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This week on the Pennsylvania Woodsman, we have a conversation with Jeremy Dismore and Dimitri Sidorick from the Antler Up podcast.  Both Jeremy and Dimitri are PA boys that love the challenges of hunting whitetails.  We catch up on their seasons and how Dimitri was able to fill multiple tags in PA and Ohio, and Jeremy's encounters with shooters throughout archery season and doe harvest during firearm season.  Throughout the conversation we bring to light how easy it is to add pressure on yourself to punch a tag with social media influencing our lives.  

It's nearly impossible to scroll through social media in the fall and not feel as though everyone has filled a tag except you.  Each season we all go in with some level of expectation, but is success truly measured by the kill?  It can be easy to allow doubt to creep in when the cards are not dealt in your favor.  But at the end of the day, embracing the chase along the way is a much better way to enjoy your hunting season.  Dimitri and Jeremy have had differences between their hunting seasons, but rest assured they both had a ton of fun all year long!

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Most hunters have a polar reaction to the orange army and rifle season; you either love it or you hate it.  While the tactics and styles used in rifle season drastically vary compared to archery tackle, it is still an opportunity for hunters to share one commonality - enjoy creation and the pursuit of big game.  Mitch used to dread the 2 week firearm season as this meant added hunting pressure in his hunting area, complexity to archery hunting, and the remote possibility that a target buck could be harvested by someone else.  Over time though, he has realized that no one owns the deer we chase, and when one dies another takes its place.  So instead of allowing the opening of firearm season to dampen the enjoyment of deer hunting, Mitch embraces it with friends and family.

On this week's episode, Mitch sits down at the breakfast table on a rainy morning at the close of a successful 2-day group hunt at deer camp.  Joining him is long-time friend and hunting buddy, Clayton Good, as well as a new guest and familiar voice on the Sportsmen's Empire Podcast Network, Andrew Muntz from the Ohio Outdoors Podcast.  Also at the end we are greeted by Mitch's Father, Jeff, who decided to hop on and share his side of the hunt including the buck he shot during the last drive of day 2.  We share stories, explain drive set-up and strategy, and the failures and successes that occurred throughout the week.  This episode leaves us ready for next year!  Thanks for listening!

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This week on the Pennsylvania Woodsman we are going back to the biology classroom.  We have a conversation with the state’s furbearer biologist: Thomas Keller.  Tom is a down to earth family man who enjoys hunting and trapping as much as the next guy in line.  When he reached out to us to share information about this potential reintroduction, skepticism was fairly high.  Is it really worth bringing another predator into this state?  Listen with an open mind and decide for yourself!

We discuss the road leading Tom into this position with the game commission and his passion for wildlife.  Next we dive into the background of the American Marten.  When was the Marten eradicated from Pennsylvania?  What are it’s feeding habits?  What is the preferred habitat?  Is the American Marten a threat to game populations such as turkeys and ruffed grouse?  What benefits does the American Marten have for the ecosystem?  Tom addresses all this and much more in our conversation.  The fear of the unknown is typically what breeds negativity, but after listening to Tom, you’ll have less to fear as a hunter and game species appreciator!

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On this week's episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman, we chat with listener Charlie Baer.  Charlie laid down his best buck to date this past archery season and we break down his hunt and the steps leading to his success.  Over the past few seasons, Charlie has developed a mobile hunting system that works for him using a saddle and sticks.  We discuss how this style of hunting has changed his mentality and approach to a piece of property when targeting whitetails.  It's a great combination of story and strategy!

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On this week's episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman we are discussing current events happening in our neighboring state; New Jersey.  On November 15th, the state voted unanimously to reinstate a bear season from December 5-10th.  There has not been a bear hunt since 2020.  During that time frame, there has been an explosion in the bear population and a substantial increase in bear-human conflicts.  Joining us on the show this week is diehard bear hunter, Jay Lyon.

Jay grew up hunting in his home state of New Jersey and has found his greatest passion in black bears.  He is no stranger to hunting bears in the northeast as he has taken numerous bears in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and surrounding states.  After our introduction we dive right into the exciting opportunity unfolding in less than two weeks.  In addition, we address the concern of the anti-hunting agenda in the state of New Jersey and how that continues to spread.  Even if you do not plan to participate in this hunt, be a supporter of this conservation effort and a voice against the anti hunting community.  Don't assume this can't happen in your neighborhood!

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On this week's episode of the Pennsylvania Woodsman we are first joined by Nick Otto from the Huntavore podcast on Sportsmen's Empire.  Nick calls in to join us during the start of Michigan's firearm deer season, something Pennsylvania will be doing in just another week.  Nick's podcast focuses on the aftermath of a successful hunt and how to break down and properly process game for quality table fare.  Nick provides us with some excellent tips and tricks for managing your kill in the field, and back at deer camp.  He shares philosophy of hanging head up or down, to skin or not to skin, moisture and temperature management, and more.

Following our intro with Nick, we chat with Jon Lewis from the Just Hunt Club.  Jon is originally from Pennsylvania and is no stranger to understanding whitetail hunting heritage in the Keystone State.  He also has done his fair share of whitetail hunting in the northeast including Pennsylvania, New York, and New Hampshire.  We chat about his hunting strategies across the country and how they may or may not relate to the northeast.  We also discuss his experiences hunting whitetails via tracking in the snow, and recap his successful New Hampshire monarch he harvested last season.  Tons of information in this week's episode, thanks for listening and good luck during the upcoming firearm season! 

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This week on the Pennsylvania Woodsman Mitch and Robby have a round table discussion with some experienced PA black bear hunters.  Returning to the podcast is Mark Lesher, along with Chris (Chopper) Schroeder and Robby's dad, Rob Henne.  We cover a multitude of topics including scouting, finding food, reading terrain, adapting to hunting pressure, planning drives with the wind in mind, communicating effectively in group hunts, and much more.  Pennsylvania is a target rich environment for black bears, as the habitat manipulation and quality management plan have sustained a growing population.  Even with this in mind, roughly 3,000 to 4,000 bears are harvested annually out of 200,000+ bear licenses sold!

Unique to this conversation is the fact that while our guests have hunted slightly different terrain and food sources for bears, many of their tactics mirror.  For instance, it is common for many bear drives to involve yelling and noise.  While this helps to keep those walking in line, the theory also is that it will encourage movement towards a post of standers.  However, while that may be effective at times, the group discusses how and why they refrain from making noise during drives, and how added stealth often leads them to higher success.  Whether you are a novice bear hunter or well experienced, this is a conversation that anyone can learn something from!

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Most deer hunters impatiently wait for the first week of November.  Now that it's here, are you ready?  Have you formulated a game plan to capitalize?  Was the work you did to prepare in the off season enough?  This week on the Pennsylvania Woodsman, Mitch is joined by Jon Teater from Whitetail Landscapes.  Jon is a professional whitetail hunting property consultant, avid deer hunter, and the host of the Maximize Your Hunt Podcast on Sportsmen's Empire.

We begin by discussing some key components of what it takes to design hunting properties efficiently.  We touch on topics including when is the right time to harvest doe, and how do you deal with fence sitters?  Then of course, we discuss being as efficient as possible during the off season as well as during the hunting season.  Jon shares what the rut looks like for him this season and how you may be able to capitalize during the rut.  Jon is a fascinating person who has a mountain of knowledge, for more, be sure to check out his podcast!

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