Got Zombies ?

We got your ammo...

California University 2nd Annual Fundraiser Shoot

Hosted by the California University Archery Team. Location - Charleroi Archery Club in Charleroi PA. NFAA Rules and Scoring. 5-Spot 300 round. Fri - 7:00 PM, Sat - 6:00 PM, Sun - 1:00 PM.

Cost is $10.00. All proceeds go to the Cal U Archery Team. Awards will be presented.

NFAA Membership not required.

Come out and shoot. It's for a good cause.

Contact Sam at (724) 699-8745 to reserve a spot.

Outdoorlife Contest

Outdoor life magazine is having a contest for Halloween.  Can you please log on and vote for me?  The link is Here please let all your friends and family know, if I win I get a new crossbow!  Thank you all so much. 

2011 ELK HUNT PATCH AVAILABLE FROM GAME COMMISSION

HARRISBURG – The latest in a series of patches to commemorate the annual elk hunt in the Commonwealth is available from the Pennsylvania Game Commission’s website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) or by calling 1-888-888-3459 (toll-free).  The patch costs $6 plus shipping and handling, for a total of $7.32.

To order online, put your cursor over “General Store” in the menu bar at the top of the page, select “Visit the Outdoor Shop” from the drop-down menu listing, click on “Pennsylvania Game Commission Outdoor Shop” in the lower left-hand corner, choose “Merchandise” at the top of the page, click on “Patches” in the left-hand column and scroll down to “2011 Elk Hunt Patch” and follow the instructions to order.

In addition, patches celebrating previous elk hunts are available for 2001 through 2010, except for the 2004 elk hunt, which patch sold out.

Wheelchair Emergency Kit

I'm in the planning stages for my Missouri Whitetail hunt and like any hunter I want to include a survival or emergency pack to carry with me into the woods.

But as a person with a disability, my survival pack will be a little different than the average Joe.

100 mph tape, it's better than duct tape and may come in handy to patch my Roho (air cushion)

Extra urinary supplies

Firestarter

Gerber multi-tool

GPS

Headlamp

Hex wrench set

Plastic zip ties


Poncho


Small first aid kit

Snacks

Space Blanket

Water bottle

What do you take in your emergency bag ?

Pumpkin Buck

Pa Fall Turkey

This Saturday starts fall turkey season here in Pennsylvania. I will be gearing up with my crossbow and hopefully harvesting a mature Tom in the next few days.

I plan on using the same set up that I use for whitetailed deer. I know some people use special broadheads for Turkey, but I do not want to change anything, just in case Bullwinkle happens to walk by.

I believe the Rage 100 grain two blade broadhead that I use for deer will be just as effective on Turkey's. What do you use?

Hope the weather improves...

Sunday Hunting in Pa

Sunday Hunting Could Earn Pennsylvania Big Bucks - Pittsburgh News Story - WTAE Pittsburgh

An extra 804 million to the economy, sounds like a no brainer to me...

Pass the Sunday hunting bill now!

Barrys Bear

One for the Bucket List
By Barry Plouse 

It all started with the end of the 2009 PA bear season.  My hunting friends were disappointed with not seeing any PA bears.  Though there are random black bear sightings in our Tri-County area of Northwest PA. We had to go east to have any chance of seeing a bear.  Having lost both of my parents within a two year period, I started to realize how short life can be, so I started a Hunting Bucket List for myself, my brother and some fellow hunting friends.  First on the Bucket List is a Black Bear Hunt for all of us.  We decided to make it a Maine Black Bear Hunt.

Since I am a C5/6 quadriplegic and use an electric wheelchair,  we needed to find an accessible Outfitter in Maine.  I did the search on the Internet and found one advertising accessible hunting and lodging. (http://westernmaineoutfitters.net)  I contacted them, got their references, checked them out and made the reservation for the 2^nd week of the 2010 season.  This Outfitter goes above and beyond in all aspects of the hunting experience.  It was like lodging at a 5 star Hotel while hunting. 

After a year of waiting in anticipation, we were over-packed and loaded for “bear” and heading to Maine with a trailer in tow.  Did I mention we were over-packed?  At the last moment I changed my firearm of choice to my crossbow.  After a phone call with my Western Maine Outfitter guide Dave Jones, he said “bring the crossbow, it’s a 17 yard shot!”  We arrived 5 hours early and were greeted like old friends.  We meet everyone with a handshake and it was returned with an open hand, a smile and big welcome to Maine Bear Hunting.

 After a good nights sleep with the Maine bruins running through our dreams, the guides educated us on the Maine Black Bear habits, actions and how to hunt over bait.  We are hunting the 3pm—sunset time slot.  Our group of hunters were divided into two groups. 

My brother Cecil and I were assigned to guide Dave Jones.  We had to drive miles into the baiting sights over old logging roads into the Maine forest.  I am the first to be dropped off since I am in the electric wheelchair and would need help to the ground blind.  The trial to the ground blind was rocky and my lock down bolt on the bottom of my wheelchair for driving my van kept scrapping the exposed rocks and creating a loud scrapping noise. 

My thoughts were every scrapping noise lessens my chances of seeing a bear!  My guide and brother helped me to get set up for the evening.  I am in a doghouse tent type of blind with only the front window open toward the bait area.  I took notice of the denseness of the forest and how it was like tunnel vision to the bait area. My guide Dave refreshes the bait area with their secret combination of goodies and he and my brother wish me luck and leave for the evening.  The crossbow and me are cocked, locked and ready to rock! 

 After an hour or so the nature show begins!   Maine red squirrels are about the size of our Pennsylvania grays.  They start their chattering and the investigation of the fresh bait.  I was out numbered 10 to 1 easily by red squirrels!  A raven landed next to the bait area; they are 4-5 times larger than a crow and just as noisy.   Then like a drone attack a red tail hawk tries to take out the raven on the bait.  They battle as they fly through the dense forest and making enough noise to scare a New Hampshire bear! 

Another hour passes and red squirrels are back to the bait area.  Without a warning a red tail hawk was back and on a red squirrel clenching it in his talons sitting on the bait barrel.  The hawk leaves the bait area and perches on a nearby branch on the blind side of my ground blind.   I can hear the squirrel squealing while clenched in the talons until the hawk finishes him off.  Am I watching a nature show on Discovery through my ground blind window? 

 My only concern being in a wheelchair in a ground blind with 3 sides covered is what if a bear comes behind me and wants to check me out?  With that thought embedded in my mind, a red squirrel falls from a tree, lands on my head, slides down my back like a bear nose sniffing a new bait barrel!  I lean forward throwing nothing but elbows and thinking here we go my only fear is here!  But the red squirrel lands behind me and enters the ground blind with me and now I am leaning over pushing the squirrel out!  Time to regroup because the magical hour is upon me.

The daylight is slipping away and forest has quieted down.  Now the mosquitoes have come out to play and feed!  I left my Thermo-o-cell behind to help control my scent and less chances of making noise.  As the magical hour of dusk approaches, I am second-guessing my decision of using my crossbow.  But I love the challenge and the thrill of my crossbow.  

While battling the mosquitoes I look back out of the blind to see a bear silhouette appearing like a black ghost without a sound within 25 feet of my blind.  I feel the rush starting, but I remember the guide’s advice to slow down, to analyze the size, to observe the actions of the bear and to not rush a shot.  I immediately start thinking of my situation, I am 25 feet away from a hungry Maine black bear in an electric wheel chair, zipped into a ground blind, armed with a one shot pointed stick and miles from anyone, wow this is good stuff!

The bear looks my way and looks at the bait area, lucky I am well concealed and holding my composure.  The bear decides to approach the bait; he goes to the left side of the bait and smells the goodies.  I am now looking at the size of the bear since I can use the bait barrel for a prospective and decide he is a shooter bear. 

This is my best shooting side of the bait area but the bear does not give up a high percentage shot opportunity.  After the bear whacks the rock holding the lid on the bait barrel it makes a loud metal on metal noise and spooks the bear backwards.  Now the bear approaches the right side of the bait and stands just like a 3D target. 

Daylight has now almost disappeared and my time is running out.  I have to readjust me and my crossbow to the opposite side of bait area.  While readjusting I create a new noise in the woods and bear looks right at me!  I quickly find him in my red dot scope, find the 20-yard dot and place it the kill zone and pull the trigger.  I hear the whack, that whack of exploding lungs, the bear jumps and grunts and turns to run away from me.  Then the crashing noise through the dense Maine forest , this was the loudest noise I heard all evening.  I am noticing the crashing noise is getting closer and closer, then it stops 15 yards from me.  Then the next noise I hear is the bears last 3 breaths.   An expiring black bear makes a death call that would send shivers up Daniel Boone's spine!

 Now the loudest noise in the Maine forest is my heart!  I am now sitting in the darkness with the mosquitoes buzzing me.  With my heart pounding, I start to recap just what has happen in a matter of the last 2-3 minutes, I can’t believe it; a C5/6 quadriplegic just harvested a 190 lb., 4-year-old black bear boar with my crossbow. 

My thoughts turn quickly to thank God, to thank my Dad and thank my brother for being by side in the woods and giving thanks to my lovely wife and daughter for allowing me to keep active in my love of hunting.  

After an hour waiting for the guide and my brother, they show up to retrieve me out of the darkest dark I have ever been in.  I decided to play it cool and wait for them to ask me if I had any luck.  I’m noticing the flashlights coming closer, then the zipper being undone behind me.  They ask me if I saw anything and I calmly reply, “Yes, he’s laying right over there.”  They quickly abandon me in the Maine dark forest once again and rushed over to where I was pointing at yelling out nice bear, nice bear!  Next the dragging of the bear and me out of the woods ends the hunt, but the memory is etched in my mind forever.

 A special thank you and recognition is needed to Western Maine Outfitters, without them creating an accessible hunting opportunity none of this could have happen!  FYI all five hunters saw Maine Black Bear during our week long hunt.

 I now think that my “Bucket List” might be upgrade to a “ Barrel List”!

Matts Hunt

I have a form of Muscular Dystrophy. I have trouble walking and standing for any length of time. Hunting is not easy for me anymore.  So on Monday October 17, I was excited to have the opportunity to participate in a disabled deer hunt at muddy run park. I was told there were eighteen individuals who were drawn.  These individuals all had mobility issues and all had a permit to use a vehicle as a blind from the Pa game commission.  I arrived at six am and after signing in I was assigned a helper and we were transported via UTV to a hunting location. It was starting to get light as I set up my shooting sticks and got situated.  It was sure exciting to spend a morning in October in the woods.

     We were sitting for about a half hour when we heard something behind us.  We could not see anything each time we looked. Then without warning we heard a loud snort, we were busted. My helper said he saw a tail disappear away from us before I could get turned around. I was not too upset it was still early. Shortly thereafter my Helper said that there was a doe standing in front of us on a trail. I could not see her due to the angle I was sitting at. When I tried to move she ran. Strike two…  I was beginning to see a pattern forming here. I was still enjoying the sound of shots being fired by others and wondering if they were successful.  This is almost as exciting as hearing yourself shoot.  Deep down you wish it was you.

     At approximately 7:50 am I thought I saw something move in the weeds about seventy –five yards in front of me. I strained my eyes to make it out and there she was,  a medium size doe looking right at me. I slowly lined up the shooting sticks and my muzzleloader. I placed the red dot on her chest and slowly pulled the trigger. At the shot there was smoke everywhere and I saw the deer spin sideways and backward. I knew she was hit.  My heart was beating so fast. My helper walked down and  yelled back that she was dead where she stood. I approached my prize with a smile on my face. I had a great feeling of accomplishment.  Excited does not come close to describing how I felt.  After many pictures and phone calls, my helper helped to field dress the doe. I made my way home feeling very happy.

     This hunt could not have been successful had it not been for the hard work and dedication of all the individuals involved. I am so thankful for the opportunity that these individuals have provided. Through their hard work it was possible for me and others with disabilities to feel like hunters and to be successful at what we love.

Matt Geyer