LOT'S of good hunting in the park, not too hard to find some spots away from foot traffic. Sometimes you get stuck with the PL nonsense, but more and more good buck are being taken each year. Last year I personally saw 5 buck over 135", biggest being 157", taken from different areas of the park and I certainly don't know everyone who hunts the area. As you would expect edges, along private property get hit the hardest, including a few edges where the landowners think they own the land (that's part of the PL BS I was talking about). The DCNR officers are good and love to put those folks in their place, doesn't help me when I'm in my stand and they decide to walk their dogs simply because I am there, but I am more persistent than those folks. Lots of areas get overlooked because access isn't easy (namely parking). Some may have noticed a few strategically cleared out areas along Gradyville and Providence Roads:zip:

Don't be discouraged, there are a lot of deer in the huntable areas of the park. Might take a bit to get on them, but that seems to be what you're looking for....

2015 Sheds from the park....


Passed this guy twice, glad to see he made it....if things go well he should be in the 130-140 range this year as a 4.5 year old.

I see you're in WC - don't sell out on Marsh Creek - if I had my choice of the two - I'd be at MC everyday and twice on Sunday - oh wait, we're in PA:zip::wink:

Good luck

Joe

 

Thanks 12-Ringer. Thought about Marsh Creek also. The draw to Ridley though is its only 10 minutes from where I live, and I actually drive Providence Road and Gradyville Road every afternoon on my return commute from work. Very convenient to scout right now, and afternoon hunts during the season. I have notice some "strategically" areas, but was wondering how easy it is to be towed from parking in some of those. Saturday's would be good for Marsh Creek, but it would be more of a scout/seek/stalk kind of hunt, adventure on in its own right. I love the little private tracks, and there are plenty of does and some 6's and 8's that we have seen or have pictures of, good "hunting", but not actual hunting. Definitely looking for an "off the beaten path" type of hunting, hike in with my stand and such. All good info that you shared, thank you.

 

Biggest problem for me in the park is the stands...as much as I love my custom Summit, I still prefer the ease/silence of hanging stands early and slipping in and out....big problem in the park is they tend to disappear, even those that I thought were in undiscovered parts of the park. It pays to get in and scout, but I can tell you this from first hand experience, much of what you scout now drastically changes come fall and movement is significantly impacted. Here is a quick example, I watched a decent bachelor group that had a stud 11-point in the group. I watched them religiously for about a month, plenty of pics and videos and I was sure I'd be done hunting early (this was before they allowed buck to be taken in the early season). Early season comes along with an unusual cool spell and while the area wasn't saturated with hunters, there were just enough to bump this guy for good. I didn't seem him again, in person or on cam, until one morning in November chasing a doe and then he was never to bee seen again until he was hit by a car on Gradyville road, not 3/4 of mile from the 352 Gradyville intersection.

This time of the year the park is EMPTY; heat, heavy foliage often thick with poison ivy, oak, and sumac, TICKS, etc..keep most patrons on the groomed trails in the main part of the park. Even those obsessed, Sawyer covered, thermacell wearing adventurers:embara::zip::wink:tend to do more harm than good, primarily because of the intense pressure on the private properties that border the park. There is one particular area that I have spoken of numerous times here and I know the landowner mentioned is a member here, but I could care less at this point. He continuously drives folks off of park land, claiming it as common-ground for the housing development in which he resides. A small group of guys secured a contract with the home owners association to hunt the deer on the community common ground, but a very nice piece of ground does not belong to that community it belongs to the park. He goes so far as to have two neighbors on either side apply for the feeder permit which resulted in 5 feeders present in this area last fall. He planted pear and apple trees along his yard (owns 3/4 acre lot) and has stands saturated along the creek bottom. Biggest mistake he made was not necessarily ignoring my generous offer "hey buddy, we both know this is park ground, so why don't we just agree to avoid each other and call it a day"...instead he chose post the land, identifying the HOA as the owner. I bet 90% of the park hunters never even get to this spot, but it is a productive area that was productive LONG before the housing development he claims owns he land was even developed. It was a nice feeling watching the DCNR have a discussion with him and watch him walk and remove all of those signs. I heard that he was removed from the group who has permission to hunt the common property there, but I cannot confirm that rumor.

In the end you could probably say "he won" because I don't want all of that crap when I go out to hunt. The one thing none of us can get back is time and when I can carve out time for a hunt these days, I'd like to actually be hunting not dealing with this kind of nonsense. As a result I have not hunted that area since, I do run an occasional cam back there, but even doing that is tough as there seems to be a stand in every available tree.

Believe it or not, that big 157" was taken not 3/4 of mile from one of the main parking lots in the park. He brought it out of the woods at mid-day and it quickly drew a crowd. I had met the hunter a few times and he said it was his first year hunting the park. Seemed like a good-guy and I was happy for him. Another interesting dynamic of both parks, they tend to be folks "after-work" and/or "quick weekend" hunt spots. There are actually less and less hunters there each year during the PRIME-TIMES in late Oct and early Nov....my personal theory is because so many take vacation and travel to and from private leases out of the immediate area. Two of those 5 nice buck I mentioned were killed in the late season and I believe the late season sees more action than prime time as folks tend to travel less after the holidays. In this area of PA where there seems to be more people per square mile than trees, you definitely notice a difference when folks aren't around.

Joe

 

Thanks Joe. Some great insight into that area. Very much appreciated. I went early season last year, mid afternoon, and wanted to snoop a little bit. Probably not far from the parking area you're speaking of. There were vehicles in every other secondary parking area, and I didn't want to walk in and disturb anyone. I did choose one area that there was no vehicles around, and fairly close to a road. Went in about 20 yards and it was so overgrown with briars I didn't go any further. I would have bumped every critter in the park if I would have tried to go in.

Really just want to get out there, do some summer scouting, though it may not hold much weight once season starts, I'll be able to identify areas I can get to, versus what I came across when I went last year. I really wanted to get out late winter, after season, but wasn't able to make it. Thinking now, if I don't do it soon, even though that mid September day seems far off right now, it'll be here before I know it. I've got some work to do in the little tracts I have in the area, so that will take up some of my summer, and just want to make it a point to get out there before the season is on us. "Heat", lol, this isn't too bad up here. I've seen 100* + days in Louisiana walking through the piney woods there getting ready for deer season. Heat indexes in the 110's. It's hot and humid here at times, but quite bearable compared to the cauldron of the gulf south. Ticks on the other hand are far more predominate here than anywhere I've seen in my life, nasty little critters. I've got to check myself every time I cut my yard here. If I'm having to check myself after doing yard work, may as well head to the woods also and really make it worthwhile.

So, if people aren't out walking in the woods, what's all the vehicles for on the side of the road? I get the ones nears the creek, fishing, but an area or 2 prior to the creek and after the creek. Are they just walking trails? The hunting permissible side of the creek, going down stream, is very inticing for exploring. But seeings as how you mentioned part of that in your account above, may have to rethink it.

 

Would it be asking a lot to ask if you could pm the links to some of the conversations you were referring to? I tried doing a search, but it didn't turn up the results I was looking for. Perhaps I'm not searching with the correct words. If it's too much, not a problem at all. I'll keep searching and find.

 

Lots of hiking and biking trails. A close look at many of the cars pulled off have bike racks. There is are two clubs that I know of mountain bikers and trail runners, but they are not the problem.

I'll look for those posts, they're older and if I find them I'd be glad to share. I wouldn't be surprised if it was in the 15-16 PA thread somewhere.

Who knows maybe we can connect sometime. Things are a bit nuts for me this summer, but you never know...

Joe

 

Thanks Joe. I'll go read through that one. Good long thread lol. I read it s bit while it was hunting season last year, but didn't keep up with it at all. Just had too much going on usually. Would love to hook up one day. If you're ever needing a shooting partner or anything of the sort, would be glad to go. Thanks for all the info again.

Willie

 

I don't live too far away. Went there last summer a few times a week to walk with my pack to get ready for my BC goat hunt. Really nice place. Didn't know you could bow hunt there. Saw some decent bucks in the summer. Now really into dealing with idiot bow hunters though as it sounds like some are there. Too bad you had be hassled or had your property stolen. Hope they get what they deserve.

 

I hunt the park throughout the season. The park is just a couple miles from me, I'm from concord pa. Grab yourself a map from the main office. It will give you the lay of the land.
Like any public area you'll see the good, bad, and ugly. As I see from your post, just be willing to walk and you'll be able to get away from the traffic.
Good luck.

 

Thanks for the replies longbow and Doug. Yeah, definitely had already planned on some walking to "get away". Just wasn't sure if it was big enough to walk far enough to get away, but sounds like it is. Will be doing some scouting there for sure in the coming days/weeks. Like I mentioned, it's on my commute home everyday. An hour here and there, seems like it should be beneficial, at least in terms of getting to know the area. And I mean, an hour in the woods does a world of wonders to my sanity anyway, win/win.

 

WAH0918, I have hunted the park in prior years and have hunted Marsh Creek often. I have had guys on here help me out with scouting and learning the properties and such, 12-Ringer being one of them. I will pay it forward and if you have questions or want to meet up and take a walk on either shoot me a PM and we can work something out. Not saying I am an expert but I will give you a hand, just be ready to walk a lot!

 

Yetihunter - thanks man. I will take you up on that.

 

Ridley is a great place for taking your bow for a walk. If you don't mind PM me when you and Yeti are going out and I'll meet you out there. I hunt Ridley a little different than most people.

 

I'm glad to meet you guys if my schedule allows - I hit the park tonight for a quick 5-miles via a combo of the yellow and blue trails on the mountain bike. I did see three doe and two fawns who didn't even move when I whipped by them. I exited the Forge road service road (not sure what its really called, but that's what I call it) and finished 352, 452 to home. I saw 15 deer in the same area they always are, next to the juvenile detention center, and another two right on the boarder of Mr. Savoy's and the SOSF's property. The one scared me as she was close to the road and I didn't see her as I was coming around the bend.

Joe

 

I don't mind, but will leave that up to Yetihunter, as it is he who is inviting me. I'm always up for walking in the woods.

 

I am not sure how you guys do it , hunting public land . If I had know private property to hunt , I am almost positive I would probably stop hunting .

 

Will be my first year hunting public land. I'm actually kind of looking forward to it, excited about it. I have a couple small tracts of private land to hunt, but it's not the same as being "out in the woods". When I hunted back home, down south, I was always fortunate to be able to be on a lease, but with much acreage. Here, not as fortunate, and the private land I hunt here, it's not much acreage at all, very suburban. And even though there is a tremendous amount of deer, it's still lacking something. Don't get me wrong when I say this, because I'd absolutely love to take an animal from the public land, but I don't think that is the my biggest desire driving me to want to hunt it. It's going to provide that something that is missing on the little private tracts. I'm hoping anyway.

 

Hunting public land is a challenge which is what makes it appealing to me. I've had my chances to connect on public land but I flubbed them. I need redemption but even if after that happens, I'll still hunt public when conditions are favorable.

 

I can totally see the challenge , what I could not handle is the rude hunters you have to deal with , hikers, bikers , people walking dogs, when I hunt I want to get away from people .

 

Right. I have no misconceptions of what to expect, I have a tendency of expecting worst case scenarios. I am excited for the challenge, and reading just the posts on here have made me even more excited.

 

WAH0918, send me your cell in that PM and I will try to get everyone on board. Looks like you might get more help than you expected haha.

 

Looks like it. I'm stoked.

 

im curious,
i know there is certain areas you can hunt,

does anyone know if you cant hunt the large wood tracts that are off the 4-ish mile paved bike trail. and can you park in the park and walk along the bike trail, with bow and all to get to those spots? i see rangers always driving the bike trail and more so during hunting seasons and wondering if they would give you a hard time?

i see a ton of deer every time im at RC just not sure you can hunt most of those areas.

 

Hi nick06,
As you can tell by my posts I know very little of the park. Looking at maps though, if you're coming off Providence Road, just about everything on the right of Gradyville is hunting area, just make sure you're not in a safety zone. In the same direction, on the left of Grasyville Road up to the creek is hunting area, minus the posted safety zone areas. I googled Ridley Creek State Park hunting map and it brought up a link to a pdf showing the hunting areas and some topography features.

 

Heading out to Ridley for a quick walk.

 

Dang Gangster. Wish I would have been better prepared I'd have gone meet you. Quite a coincidence that you posted this now, as I was actually coming to bump this thread up. I am definitely doing something not right, or not in the right place. I was out there this morning, and was out one afternoon, did a lot of hiking and looking, scouring, and I've yet to see even the first sign of a deer. Not a track, a turd or a sighting. Up one side of a hill, down another, along small creek beds, nothing, nada, zilch, lol.

 

Saw a few in the usual spots. There's a lot of heavy cover this year. Deer movement will depend on the acorns.

 

Thanks. Lot of heavy stuff. Didn't even attempt to go through it. Need to keep at it. Thank you.

 

i should be out and about in week or so, had a small surgery on my back but should be able to walk around without pulling stitches here. Will probably be in the park this weekend.

 

I was trying to be back out there Saturday afternoon. Thinking I was going to a different area than I looked at last time, or perhaps just go deeper/further than I have been yet in the same area.