The day after Christmas starts the beginning of the late-season deer hunts for flintlock hunters and the archery hunters. The late-season hunts are very popular for hunters who want to use primitive rifles that depended on loose powder charges, lead round balls and cotton patches.

Many old-time re-enactors cut their own patches out of natural cloth fibers that burn off cleanly through the barrel of their rifles. Although some muzzle loaders are smooth bore most are grooved to promote accuracy which sends the balls fired in a spinning motion.

A special muzzle loader license is required to hunt in this season which also allows archers to participate with their archery license. The unique point in the muzzle loader season is that any unused buck tags can be used as a buck or doe tag statewide. The unused doe tags are for antler-less deer only in the WMU that they were drawn for originally.

Many of the hunters wear woolen or natural leather clothing during this late season. The requirement for fluorescent orange clothing is relaxed to aid in the reenactment activity. One thing about old smoke poles is that their range is limited and there is no rapid fire. They are still fire arms and safety precautions should never be forgotten.

I am getting ready for my late season elk hunt up in the Benezette territory. I am preparing for the cold and snow but really don’t know what I will have to deal with in January up there.

What started out as “I guess I will support the elk effort in Pennsylvania” turned out to be, “You are a lucky winner of an elk tag!” Be careful of what you wish for…but I am thankful for my good fortune.

I have scheduled some guide services with Hicks Run Outfitters with Jeff Colwell and Brian Rumsky putting up with me. They have guided me on bobcat and elk hunts in the past years and haven’t let me down, I hope that I don’t let them down as my age keeps getting in the way!

I’ll keep you updated of my success or not-so-successful adventure in the next week or so. The hunt starts on New Year’s Eve and it could be a big way to finish off the 2022 season.

The deer season went well for me and my hunting friends, I was able to tag a buck and several antler-less deer. Strangely one of the antler-less deer ended up being a buck who had broken off his antlers in some fight along the way. He hadn’t dropped them as I checked out the base of his antlers and they were clearly snapped off in a ragged fashion.

The base was decent sized so that could have been a decent buck in the next year. I saw more deer than hunters out in the woods and there is no reason for me to believe that the deer herd is threatened by the hunting population.

Turkeys were a concern of the PGC this year as the season in the fall was changed as well as the types of firearms allowed to hunt the fall flocks. We had seven hens visiting our bird feeders this year on occasion. We had only seen a few poults with them early but they seemed to disappear in a few weeks.

The seven adult hens kept coming and looked healthy to me, the other week I noticed that all of my mulched beds were tore up with the scratching of turkeys looking for insects and seeds. Then I noticed that my leaf piles along the hardwood edges were thrown about as well…hmm. Then I saw the culprits or should I say I heard them with their clucks and chatter.

At least 30 hens were now visiting and no visible gobblers with them. If they make it through the winter and the bird flu doesn’t decimate their numbers, we should have a nice flock this spring!

Don’t forget that the 2023 PA Fishing License is available for purchase and is required on Jan. 1 for you ice anglers. The trout season will open up statewide on Saturday, April 1, 2023 for all anglers. The PFBC will have an early trout stocking schedule available for all those who want to participate by helping or observing. The trout won’t stay where they were stocked but you can get a good idea of some likely fishing areas to try! I love the early season activity but I am more of a catch and release angler when it comes to trout.

However your family chooses to celebrate have a safe and joyous holiday season and prosperous 2023! Until we meet again stay warm and keep feeding those birds!

Jay Hewitt is an outdoors columnist for the Butler Eagle