The Monday after Thanksgiving is a special holiday of sorts as over 700,000 orange clad hunters head to Penn's Woods for the traditional opening of the firearms deer season for antlered and antlered deer in most parts of the state. In some areas hunters may only take antlered deer for the first five days. The reason for this is that the antlerless deer population is not up to par in those areas.

The season that runs until Dec. 13 has decent prospects in most areas while others are deemed stable. According to Chris Rosenberry, PGC's deer and elk biologist, the availability of food sources in an area plays a role in the deer harvest at the local level.

Dave Gustafson, PGC's chief forester, said, "This has been a banner year for mast crops in much of the state. Production of soft mast crops such as apples, berries and grapes, is very good this year. And the availability of acorns statewide is good to great with some areas – particularly in southcentral Pennsylvania – reporting bumper crops of red-oak acorns. Chestnut oaks and white oaks also are widely available. The southwestern part of the state seems to be the only exception, with the acorn crops there being spotty – abundant in some areas, absent in others."

He added that some areas of the northcentral region also are reporting good beechnut crops this year.

"Although not widely distributed, these can be key food sources that are highly desirable for deer, said Gustafson.

However, the forester points out that the abundance of mast for deer hunters remains to be seen.

Rosenberry believes that hunters can increase their chances of success by hunting longer into the day. And to learn more about his theory, the PGC has placed GPS collars on several deer in different areas to study deer movements and other behaviors. New findings from the ongoing research into deer movements, says the PGC, show that the middle of the day holds perhaps the best chances for seeing deer.

Opines Rosenberry, "Pack a lunch and stay on stand through lunchtime. You may have the best lunch date ever."

For veteran hunters who would like the share the experience with others who may not have hunted before or who have stopped but desired to begin again, the mentored hunting program is available for adults but only antlerless deer may be taken by mentored adult hunters. To harvest an antlerless deer, a hunter must possess either a valid antlerless deer license or a valid permit. In the case of he mentored hunter, the mentor must possess a valid tag that can be transferred to the mentored hunter at the time of harvest.

For lucky hunters who do take a deer, don't forget to make the mandatory report. The PGC says there are three ways in which to report. Harvests can be reported online through the agency's website (www.pgc.state.pa.us) by clicking on the blue "Report a Harvest button on the home page; by mailing in the traditional report card; or by calling it in at 1-855-PAHUNT1 (855-724-8681) at which time hunters will need to have their hunting license number handy and other information like on the actual report card. Mentored youth hunters are required to make their report within five days.