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THP PUBLIC HUNTING CHALLENGE PA

So Judging by the weather I would say that day four was Thursday, meaning they have Friday and Saturday left. The deer movement really picked up on Saturday with the cold front. I’m excited to see if they can get a mature buck.
 
Noonespecial said:
Jeff strikes me as a guy who hunts the same spots on his private land over and over and doesn’t really go out of his comfort zone. I think he was the first one to pack up camp and leave the challenge.
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Yep, most of his videos are about that and how to access and hunt the same spots repeatedly without spooking deer out. It's just a different game.
 
I’ve always watched more of THP’s content and followed them more than any of the others that are regulars in these challenges, but I feel like The Hunting Beast guys are always a step ahead of everyone in these challenges. They usually score first it seems like. All of these guys are top notch hunters and I learn a lot from each one of these challenges.
 
mattsteg said:
I think a lot depends on your priorities and situation. Every year I'll pack up, drive 4-5 hours, and end up in one of the lowest deer-density permit areas of the state, right during the middle of the rut. Is it the optimal big buck move? No. Is it a chance to hunt with my Dad and gather with extended family? Yes. Do we still bring in some mature deer? Yes. Is there quality (for the area) habitat there? Absolutely.

The existence of this tradition goes back to the first assumption - you have a good reason to live where you live, and proximity matters. Hunting these lands goes back to hunting out the back door when I was growing up. If you're at where you're at for a reason, the best habitat that you can hunt when you can hunt has a potentially greater value (or at a minimum fills a different niche) than better habitat hours away.

In short - there's a spot for "good enough" habitat if it delivers in other ways. I wouldn't go out of my way to hunt areas as described, but if they're "good enough" and either close enough to hunt them more/better or bring some other value...then they're fine areas to hunt
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Excellent description and logic.
 
Hossmiller said:
I’ve always watched more of THP’s content and followed them more than any of the others that are regulars in these challenges, but I feel like The Hunting Beast guys are always a step ahead of everyone in these challenges. They usually score first it seems like. All of these guys are top notch hunters and I learn a lot from each one of these challenges.
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Rentmeester is a killing machine!!! I like the newer guy too he knows his stuff.
 
d_rek said:
I like Sturgis but it's clear he was out of his element. The guy is a professional land manager and has knocked down some crazy good bucks but it's all on heavily managed private land. Still I give him props for stepping up, though the money shot of him spraying down with scent spray was super cringe.
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This cracked me up. In his scent lock suit. I thought if you wore SL you were good to go?
 
hokiehunter373 said:
This cracked me up. In his scent lock suit. I thought if you wore SL you were good to go?
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Its not Scentloc though, Sturgis now endorses First Lite but he used to endorse Sitka but neither are in the scent containment clothing market to my knowledge. I don't know for sure because I have never used anything from any of these companies because I'm not spending $1,000 on a hunting suit. I'm sure their gear is awesome but way beyond my price point.
 
I was listing to the pod cast on the way home. Sounds like Zach got one on Saturday? His friends came in after every one left I think. No hunting on Sunday there right?
 
MattMan81 said:
I was listing to the pod cast on the way home. Sounds like Zach got one on Saturday? His friends came in after every one left I think. No hunting on Sunday there right?
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This year is the first year PA is allowing Sunday hunting but only three Sundays total and only one Sunday in November for archery. To answer your question he wouldn’t have been hunting this past Sunday.
 
Bwhana said:
Playing devil's advocate, but if that truly describes the areas you (or anyone) hunt, why do you even go? I understand the desire to hunt and I used to hunt areas like that, but quit and pursued other areas until I found better and I am at least in the game for a mature buck each time I hunt. @Nutterbuster has posted the chart from Dr. Sheppard many time that points out the priorities for hunting, and "Access to quality whitetail habitat" is number one on the list, and I agree with him 100% on that one.
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We can’t all just quit. All that crap is what makes success taste so sweet. Bow hunting PA public land sucks and takes a lot of hard work... but that’s why I love it.
 
Yeah the commercials are getting excessive on u tube. Loved watching the actual hunting on the challenge. Great content.
 
elk yinzer said:
Dan preaches terrain based bedding and he hasn't left a creek bottom. Not trying to slam the guy, he's likeable. But old deer do not bed in the kinda places he is hunting. He's easy to pick on because he is so vocal in his strategy but his crew is onto some deer and most likely to kill a 2 year old.

Zack is a total wildcard. I can't relate to his ground pound skills. I am consistently annoyed and amazed by him.

Sturgis literally looks like doublebull dropped him off in the middle of now where and told him to talk about dumbbells as a talking point.
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Wildcard!
 
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