Hunting with Milsurps- 2012 Edition

[Aragorn243]

I'm not quite ready to go down that road yet. Very close though. I still take my daughter hunting and I'm more of a meat hunter than an enjoy my time in the woods hunter. Each year I say I'm going to relax and wait for a nice one but when I see a deer I tend to turn into a machine. In the old days we had two separate seasons. The first was a 2 week buck season. The second was a three day doe season. If I managed to get a buck in buck season, I would take another rifle into the woods with me in doe season. It was in one of those years that I did score a double with a 303 mk III*. I had a scope mounted on it, the screw on type that doesn't require anything other than swapping out the ejector screw. Shot two doe one right after the other. Never hunted with a bolt action rifle before that morning.

PA does not allow semi-auto rifles for deer (or anything for that matter) which is one reason I don't have a Garand or M1 Carbine when I could have bought them cheap. On the other hand, there is no restriction about having a bayonet on your rifle. My first rifle was a 99 Savage in 300 Savage. My current rifle is a 99 Savage in 243 Winchester. I believe my 300 was made in the 1920's, the 243 in the 1980's and is one of the last 99's as they stopped production a few years later. I still have the 300 but it is in honored semi-retirement right now. I still have the 303 but removed the scope earlier this year to restore it to the way it's "supposed" to look. Lost the blasted ejector screw in the intervening years which included one move. That cost me $5.

What I would really like to take out is my re-snipered ex-sniper 91/30 but my eyesight went bad and I can't see through the scope without removing my glasses which means I can't see anything else but inside the scope. Not impossible on the range but pretty bad in the woods.

When my daughter goes off hunting on her own, I may start hunting with the milsurps or I may just get one of those scope set ups for one of my Swiss rifles. That I would really enjoy. I have to decide which one first. Not quite prepared to shell out the cash for two mounts. One would work on either my K11 or 1911 so that's probably the most likely one I will start out with. The K31 is supposed to be more accurate so I may go that way instead. Decisions, decisions.

[MeatMarket]

In the old days we had two separate seasons.

Our season starts goes from August to New Years day with no limit for bucks, but does are limited to certain days. I guess that's why deer are so much smaller here down south. What is it like in the "new days"?

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

I'm in a bit of the oppesite situation. I took a very nice buck some 30 years ago in a "hunting accident" and have never had the oppertunity to take one better so I turned into a bit of a meat hunter as well. Having no kids my interest in deer hunting has diminished after my hunting partners son has grown up. The take a kid part is what kept me interested. I started taking a camera last year and that added some spark. Not being a bow hunter I think the thought of taking a deer with a milsurp may renew my intrest a bit.

[Aragorn243]

The new days in Pennsylvania are a bit confusing and I admittedly don't follow anything but what I actively pursue that closely. No matter what season you hunt in however you are only allowed ONE buck (called an antlered deer as some does grow antlers). A youth hunter, between the age of 12 and 16 at the time of purchase of the license may shoot any antlered deer with at least one spike 3 inches in length or two or more points on one side. An adult hunter may only shoot a deer with 3 points on one side in most of the state although there are sections where the deer must have 4 points on one side. The buck may be killed in archery season which there are two, one in the fall and one in the dead of winter, the rifle season which is two weeks long and starts the Monday after Thanksgiving, or the winter flintlock season. Does each have their own license so you can kill as many as you can get licenses for. The licenses are regulated so getting more than two is unusual, more than three near impossible. Does may be killed in the early or late archery seasons, early muzzleloader season, and late flintlock season. They may also be killed during the two week rifle season in most of the state but some sections of the state do not allow doe hunting until the second week.

There are also special hunts for does which are available for youth and senior (65+) hunters which last a day or two in the early fall.

All these regulations are designed to maintain a healthy herd and the antler regulations are designed to create larger bucks. In the old days, anyone could shoot a 3 inch spike so bucks rarely had an opportunity to mature.

Are they working? Depends where you hunt. Public lands typically get over hunted no matter what so there are few deer. Private lands seem to be pretty healthy. I have noticed a dramatic increase in the size of antlers in the few years the regulation has been in place. I have been seeing more buck but getting fewer at the same time. Does I have not had any difficulty getting although some years are much harder than others. It is rare that I do not get a deer but it does happen. With a daughter hunting, I have no desire to get more than one doe license. Two deer are plenty for us, three is almost more than we can handle and four I would have to give the one away.

I hunt a mix of public and private land in the south central part of the state which seems to have a healthy population. The north central region is nearly all public and has been over hunted for decades and has not recovered yet. The east has a high human density, fewer forested areas, fewer areas to hunt but larger bucks on average. No experience with the western half of the state but that is also where the 4 point restrictions are so I assume there are more large buck out there.

Pennsylvania has approximately 1 million deer hunters and a quarter million deer harvested each year. Another massive amount of deer are killed on the highways each year so it is a pretty big herd to manage along with the hunting public. Numbers have been on a slow decline for some time. Some areas require shotguns with slugs or buckshot only but that is only a few counties surrounding Philadelphia. Because of the large numbers of hunters and the high power rifles used, we have flouescent orange requirements during any season which coincides with any rifle season. These include squirrel and turkey. So only the very early archery hunters may use full camo. Once squirrel season starts, they must wear it while moving and I think tie something to the tree while sitting.

I shot a 10 point buck in '93 which is the largest I've ever seen in the woods. It scored 116 Boone and Crockett so it is not a large buck by any means. My oldest daughter shot an 8 poiint buck about 7 or 8 years ago that scored 113. The large numbers of hunters and the large deer kill every year makes Pennsylvania one of the highest in deer killed but one of the poorest in Boone and Crockett bucks. The antler regulations have only been in effect for about the last 5 or 6 years.

[jmoore]

I have been using a single shot 45-70 for the last few years but my renewed intrest in milsurps along with posts like this have inspired me to take an oldie to the woods.

You could keep the caliber, but just use a US military trapdoor rifle or carbine. It's a milsurp caliber at any rate.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

You could keep the caliber, but just use a US military trapdoor rifle or carbine. It's a milsurp caliber at any rate.

I believe the trapdoor qualifies for our "primitive" weapon seasons. Currently use a H&R Handirifle. Handy little gun and the 45-70 gets the job done.

[MeatMarket]

I believe the trapdoor qualifies for our "primitive" weapon seasons. Currently use a H&R Handirifle. Handy little gun and the 45-70 gets the job done.

I was under the impression that "primitive" weapons would only mean black powder muzzle loaders etc. The .45-70, no matter what weapon it's in, is a full cartridge round, therefore I wouldn't think it to could fall under that category. Then again, all states are different.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

In my state the law was changed a few years ago allowing single shots in 45-70/ 35 Whelen. I think it is pre 1900 single shot. I think thnk they have even changed it where you can use a Ruger #1 and a TC Encore in an allowed caliber.

[Aragorn243]

Our state has primitive meaning flintlock only. Percussion is not even allowed. They did change it in the early season that any muzzle loader could be used including in-lines. I like the option. The second season is in January, the snow is flying and guys are running around the woods in buckskins. I'm serious. I believe the flourescent orange requirement is waived but I'm not positive.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

That sounds like fun,or would have been fun when I was younger. I think now I would look at like I do the Bow & Arrow crowd. I get it, but it's not for me. The new 45-70, no misfires or need for excessive cleaning. If you haven't figured it out the easier it is the more I like it these days.