Pennsylvania is a sad sad thing. We moved from Carnegie to Va when I was 10. Dad got a deer (1) in Pa almost every year. We went about 4 years with no deer after the move thinking hunting was bad in VA and there were less deer.
What we figured out was hunting in VA was REAL. It was natural. Scrapes, rubs, food, THE RUT deer needed to be scouted, and "hunted." We didn't typically see running deer. It was not about getting on a big rock and waiting for everyone to push them around.
I am a traditionalist. As soon as I could do it on my own ( in college) . I forked out the time and money to return to PA for deer ( and bear ) camp. 9-10 years in a row. Grandpap's cabin in Warren Co and an uncle's in Clinton. I wouldn't trade the time with Grandpap, memories or traditions, but the hunting was weak. I believe at that time PA had 4x the number of hunters VA did. I do not blame the game commission in the least. I think PA has a very unique situation of hunting tradition that covers a greater range of social class and thus many more people. It is simple numbers. More people shoot more deer and more people equal less habitat.
I am currently getting 6 tags (3 buck ) with my base license. I saw 6 bucks the morning I took the deer posted earlier (by 8:30 am). I don't consider that normal and was a great day, but I would rather see a few deer naturally than the same 10 does pushed frantically all over the mountain all day and feel like I saw 40 deer that day. ( nothing but a fox squirrel has been by this am )
I stay very in touch with my Uncles in Allegheny and Chester Counties and I repeatedly give thanks for the move to VA. I still subscribe to pa game news, but I'll let out a little secret -the stories I had published years ago occurred a little south of the border.
As far as grouse, we seem to be at a low point here in VA but I don't hunt them enough to be too educated. Coyotes seemed extremely plentiful about 4 years ago, I haven't seen either this year or last.
