Close Encounters

When I first began work on this video I was a little reluctant to post it to my channel because most of my content is based on metal detecting and I figured my subscribers would thumb their nose at the video. I took the chance anyway because I wanted to point out some of the really fascinating experiences I come across from time to time and this was one of them. If you haven't seen it you can click here to view it.


For the past 11 or so years I've been hunting (if you really want to call it hunting) in my old stomping grounds where I grew up in Northern Pennsylvania in a county called Cameron. I don't go there to hunt. I just enjoy paying $101 for my hunting license every year but lets be realistic. The deer population is horrible. Some will argue that the lack of deer is because of too many hunters but let me be the first to tell its not that at all. In fact, I would say that poor deer management by the PA Game Commission (too long of a season and over hunting) and the over population of deer predators like coyotes and black bear have made the chances of big deer herds coming back nonexistent at this point in time. Regardless of my opinion it looks like there might be some effort to figure it out but I wouldn't hold your breath on a solution anytime soon. Here is a an article you can read for yourself.

In a previous life when I was young (I'm only 43 so it wasn't that long ago), I remember walking into what we call the "Big Woods" and you could easily see 20-30+ deer/day and those are low numbers to be honest. Hunters from all over the state and out of state would fill their campers, load up their guns and flood the small towns. On a Sunday before deer season (rifle) you couldn't find a parking spot in town. All the grocery stores and bars would be flooded with hunters. We used to call this the invasion of the "Flat Landers". It was a funny name we gave to the out of town folks who came to hunt in the mountains of Cameron County. I didn't understand or appreciate it at the time but looking back, the local commerce depended on the "Flat Landers" coming into town and sadly, those days are over. Under the current conditions, you don't find too many hunters anymore. In fact, you're lucky to see a car parked on the side of road and most of the old hotels and motels are gone or empty. Its really sad to see but that's hunting in North Central PA today and yet... I keep going back.

Some of the beauty of Cameron County

So why do I keep going back? Great question but the answer is more like a calling than anything. It was the same feeling I got when I was stationed over seas in the Air Force. When the leaves started to turn, I longed to be home in the mountains and I still get that feeling today but thankfully, I'm only 4 hours away vs 3 plane rides. Going back home connects me back to my youth and the areas where I grew up. Some of my fondest memories of hunting were with my Dad and Grandfather who has been gone now for 10 years (I still think about him everyday). I remember spending most of my Saturdays in the fall hiking Grove Run in search of a poor squirrel to take aim at. I couldn't hit the broad side of the barn back then (still can't) but I couldn't wait to wake up Saturday mornings at the break of dawn and head down county to hunt with the both of them. I really miss those days. Looking back, those were some of my best years as a kid.

My Grandfather Charles "Chuck"

 For me, going back to some of these areas again brings me close to my Grandfather and I do feel his presence at times. Cameron County is still a place where I can go back to what was. A lot hasn't changed over the years but a lot has. Emporium has its challenges but when you are in the woods, time stands still and the whispers of past surround you. The old timers are still there. You can see evidence of their existence in many places. They truly were the "Greatest Generation" and I love exploring areas like old mines and dynamite factories that they built and worked in.

My old man teaching my son how its done

 The other reason I go back is because of the beauty of the area. I've been all over the world but Cameron County is one of the few places that still has breath taking views of the mountains, streams, and wildlife (minus deer) and I enjoy being in it. Unlike holding a gun, these days I find myself holding a camera and I find great pleasure in capturing a moment in time that may never happen again and sharing it with others like you who probably made it here from watching one of my videos. (My blog isn't that popular yet but maybe one day it will be.)

Crystal clear streams

 Take the elk video as an example. I've seen elk a "gazillion" times and much like the local population of the folks living in the areas where the elk are seen almost every day,  I thought I grew bored with seeing elk. I was totally wrong. When we accidentally drove into an area of Cameron County where the elk were coming down the mountain, it was awesome! They were everywhere. You could even smell them and it wasn't a pleasant smell either! However, during that experience, I finally realized that after all the years of being protected from poachers, hunters etc., the elk have made it and I got to witness something really special that very few people will ever see up close. The herd is alive and well. I would almost argue that they are thriving in Cameron County.

This is something I will give the game commission credit for.