The start of the autumn deer hunting season opens this weekend with the start of the Pennsylvania archery season.

This is a popular time of year for hunters as the weather is both sunny and cool and one of the most beautiful times of the year to be in Penn’s Woods.

The deer have been out in full the past few weeks as they feed on the newly dropped mast and apples that litter the ground thickly.

We have many oaks and hickory trees in our area and the most favored food source is without a doubt the white oak acorns. The deer move in on the acorns littering the ground in droves, a hunter who set up near a stand of white oaks would have a great chance at bagging a buck or doe.

The archery choices have grown over the past few years and hunters can use all types of bows including crossbows. I have a crossbow and really learned a great deal about them this summer. The improvements in the archery equipment available for hunters make archery hunting an extremely attractive option.

In my case, I marked off 10, then 20 and finally 30-yard target areas. Believe me when I say that a 30- yard shot is a long shot in the woods. The manufacturers of my bow claim 50- yard ranges are possible, but I believe that it is irresponsible to let arrows fly at that range.

Inside 30 yards, I am very comfortable that I can have an accurate and fast hit on my target area. I put a new scope on my bow and have the ranges well figured out for any shot that I might want to take in the upcoming weeks.

Once the equipment is zeroed in, the next job is to find a likely place for a great chance at a trophy deer. Many hunters use tree stands so that they keep scent and movement to a minimum.

Deer trails, scrapes, food plots, rub lines and bedding areas provide the optimum scenario that you will see deer. I have hunted tree stands and have still hunted and have had success doing both. You will need to decide what style of hunting best suits your abilities.

Some hunters hunt specific bucks and get to know the patterns of that specific deer. It is much more likely that hunting a buck that has developed a pattern is going to be on private lands. Not that public land deer will ever set a pattern, but the chance of intrusion from other hunters is much more likely.

All bets are off when other hunters move around you in the woods as they are likely to spook your quarry. Hunters don’t mind hunters moving about in rifle season, but detest that activity in archery season.

Remember that there are no fluorescent orange rules, but a regular license and archery stamp are required for this hunt. You may use your antlerless tags during the season as both bucks and antlerless deer are legal quarry.

The legal buck statewide for adult hunters is the buck with three points on the main beam. Many hunters have seen legal bucks in their scouting and will have plenty of opportunity to fill a tag in the 2011 season.

Many hunters like to be in the field when the deer rut is on later in the season.. Once I watched four bucks banging heads over some does and I was fortunate to harvest an eight point buck that was in the group.

Last, but not least, be safe in the field with your broad heads as they are sharp as razors, watch using tree stands and ladders — use the safety harness and a rope to pull up your equipment.

You should wear a repellent and have a complete check down of your body for tiny deer ticks..