Now into it's third week, the Manhunt for the killer of a PA State Police officer has caused a cancelation of hunting season in the search area. I have surveyed and hunted in the affected area of the Pocono Mountains quite a bit over the past 30 years. The area is mountains, heavy woods and few roads. There are State Game Lands, State Forests and private hunting clubs with interspersed development, campgrounds and a few abandoned resorts. In the State Forests are leased hunting cabins. Most have no water and an outhouse and nothing else in sight but trees, swamps and wildlife. Currently it is archery deer season, but small game (mostly squirrel and grouse), turkey and early muzzleloader will soon follow or be concurrent.
We have gone out with diverse goals; sometimes I have a 22 for squirrels and others carry bows for deer. Sometimes it is disruption as when calling a turkey in and in between runs a deer with an arrow in the butt and a nephew close behind. No more turkey hunting as everyone gets on the blood trail. Then there is our big big game, I am a little more confident to let an 800 pound black bear walk by me when I have a 308 than when carrying a bow.
I am not a dedicated hunter at this time of year, and mostly it is an excuse to get out and scout deer for the rifle season after Thanksgiving. Archery is a camo season and I have sat unnoticed as a hunter walks by me at 20 yards and have not noticed other hunters until I was as close or closer. Not the place I would want to be with an angry/crazy man and firearms.
In the past my father-in-law and brother-in-law had cabins within 5 miles of his last location and it is easy to cover 10 miles without crossing a highway.
Even after this guy is caught the game patterns have been pretty much disrupted.
Just opining and I am not trying to rush the search. It appears the plan is to keep him moving until he runs out of food to cause the least chance of further violence.
Paul in PA
From what I've read he's dug in like a tick. If he knows the woods and had a chance to do some planning, they may never find him.
My bet he will either be discovered by some hunters or someone will find he's been into the Pork&Beans at their cabin. I hope he doesn't take anymore folks out. A shoot-out with the authorities is almost a given if his location is determined.
Most wanted offenders would try and flee the area and disappear in a population center. That doesn't sound like his MO. If he's got friends in the woods, this could go on for years.
As The Leaves Fall, So Do His Advantage
At this time of year it is possible to be 10 yards from a hunting companion and not see him. Once visibility in the woods opens open, he will be seen more often. I have cut lot lines on 100'x150' lots and approaching a coworker at 10 yards in orange and there is no sighting each other. Mountain laurel and rhododendron are amazing ground cover.
He has had several years of planning and has cached food, weapons and ammo in the area.
What is surprising is the dogs have not been as successful as hoped.
Paul in PA
As The Leaves Fall, So Do His Advantage
If the search area could be confined to a smaller area an aerial search with infra-red imaging could be successful. I understand that autumn, with reduced foliage, on a quickly cooled evening after sundown is perfect conditions to locate a thermal target from the air. All our mounted "aerial" police have such equipment.
Trouble is special forces are trained and equipped to evade thermal tracking. IF he has access to the dress and trained as such, it would be a waste of time.
Dogs can find humans in the woods. Finding a specific human is a different trick. The longer he is in the woods and the more searchers that cast their scent about hurts the chances of a canine search being successful.
He's got the cards to play a good game. We'll see how it unfolds. Invariably a desperado does something careless and winds up in custody. There's no doubt that will happen, but how long until it happens is a different story.
Hollywood, no doubt, is already procuring the screen rights to the story.
It is the usually the hunters that lease properties that are able to find any trespassers that are hiding out in the nether regions.
They have little tolerance for anyone on the lands they are paying hard earned money to have rights to be there and know their way around.
