No matter whether the overall deer population is up or down, the best deer hunting right now is in Pennsylvania's western region. It's been this way for what's now getting to be many years. Folks in the North Central highlands may remember when they lived in the commonwealth's "real" deer country. But those days are ancient history.

For now, at least, the west is best.

Of course, it can be tough to find public land in the Southwest Region that isn't getting heavy hunting pressure. But if you put in some thought and are willing to try something different, you can enjoy a productive hunt.

U.S. CORPS OF ENGINEERS WATERS
Many hunters forget about the flood-control reservoirs owned by the U.S. Corps of Engineers. These lands provide opportunities to hunt areas that are best accessed by boat, which cuts down considerably on hunting pressure and adds to the element of adventure.

But before you plan any boat-hunting trip, think about safety. A dunking can be fatal during deer season. This is a time of year when many tragic boating accidents occur, and most of them could have -- and should have -- been prevented.

Probably the one safety rule that deer hunters ignore most often is not to overload boats. They seem to forget that while dressed in hunting clothes, you weigh considerably more than while standing naked on the bathroom scales. When you're carrying other gear -- and add a deer or two to the load -- you have a disaster waiting to happen.

Know your boat's weight capacity and never exceed it.

Of course, you should wear a personal flotation device. Even while wearing a life jacket, your odds of surviving in icy water diminish quickly with each passing second.

If you do bag a deer or two, make extra trips rather than risk overloading the boat. And don't even contemplate using a small boat for hunting. During deer season, weather conditions tend to be nasty. It's often windy in December, so your boat must be capable of handling rough water.

To avoid needless discomfort and prevent hypothermia or frostbite, carry spare clothes in your vehicle. If you do get wet, immediately change into dry clothes.

Upstream from Pittsburgh, there's a cluster of U.S. Corps of Engineers flood-control reservoirs, designed to diminish the effects of flooding in the Pittsburgh area and downstream.

Crooked Creek Reservoir
One Corps property with plenty of land that you can access by boat is Crooked Creek Reservoir, about 30 miles northeast of Pittsburgh. The project area covers 2,664 acres.

Much of it is available to hunters, except for developed areas and in areas posted for no hunting.

The Robbs Fording Access Area, off Robbs Fording Road on the lake's southern shore, is an accessible hunting area open to everyone, and special permits are not necessary for access.

The U.S. Corps of Engineers' land is surrounded by ideal deer country. A checkerboard of varied habitat includes agriculture, residential, woodlots and overgrown farmland.

At normal summer pool, the lake's surface area is 350 acres and 5.25 miles in length. But during deer season, it will probably be drawn down considerably and will cover less area.

You may hunt this area without a boat, yet a boat can increase your mobility, improving your chances for success. You can also use a boat to plan drives -- or as I prefer to call them, nudges.

Nudges, as opposed to drives, tend to get deer walking rather than running, and that lends a significant advantage when you want to scrutinize antlers carefully.

The key to hunting Corps land by boat is a good topographic map, which helps you look for natural features that might funnel deer movements. You should be able to make reasonably accurate guesses about deer movements, so also use these maps to plan drives.